1. Kennings

2. What is a Kenning?
A kenning is a compound figurative or phrase that aims to replace the noun. 
It frequently consists of two words that describe the noun.
It is a way of describing something indirectly, like a metaphor or simile.

3. Where did Kennings come from?
Kennings originate from the Anglo- Saxon. 
But they were also used by other Scandinavian cultures (i.e. Vikings).
The word kenning is derived from the Old Norse phrase kenna eitt við, which means "to express a thing in terms of another"

4. Early examples
One of the earliest forms of kenning in literature comes from the poem Beowulf where:
“whale road” describes the sea.
“skull splitter” describes an axe. 
“mead bearer” describes a woman.

5. Kennings Examples Battle Sweat – Blood Shepherd of Evil – Grendel
Sleep of the Sword – Death

6. Kennings, when written or spoken as a list, can create short riddles:
Squidgy ball
Dotty skin
Vitamin casing
Sticky fingers
Sweet scent
Jigsaw pieces
What am I?

7. Animals are good to describe in kenning form:
Quiet prowler
Night howler
Free mealer
Chicken stealer
Rusty splasher
Hunter dasher
What am I?

8. Round-facer
No-smiler
Still-stander
Two-hander
Night-friendly
Heart-beater
Time-keeper
Sudden-shrieker
What am I?

9. A famous kenning from 1970s advertising
Lipsmackin' thirstquenchin' acetastin' motivatin' goodbuzzin' cooltalkin' highwalkin' fastlivin' evergivin' coolfizzin'

10. Don’t let this picture fool you! Think hard about this one!
I go through the wood in silence
And come out onto the snow
Where I leave my print although I have no footsteps
Where I speak your heart although I cannot breathe
What am I?
I’m the lead in a pencil!

11. Let me give you a clue about the next one!
Grab the beast by the horns
Wrestle it down the narrow streets
‘til you break its will to skitter its own way
Subdue it, burden its ribcage
Let your children ride and then let it stray
Who cares?
They’ll send a herdsman to round it up at the end of the day
What is it?

12. A shopping cart!

13. Exercise
As a group, think of a creative kenning for the following… 2. 3. 4. 1. 5. 7. 6.

14. 1. Zombie Flesh eater Brain eater Brain stealers Brain munchers
Walking dead
Heartless Walker
Average American

15. 2. Cupcake Party muffin Sweet-clothed muffin Dressed muffin Small cake
Frosted delight
Sprinkled diabetes
Cute cake
Chocholately Sensation

16. 3. Tiger Pretty kitty Dangerous cat Deadly cat Striped hunter
Throat ripper
Jungle prowler
Striped feline
Sinister stripes

17. 4. Sunset Orange sky Dry ground Falling light Thirst giver
Watercolor wasteland
Painted sky
Golden horizon
Sinking color
Romantic Setting

18. 5. Clown Kiddy creeper Funny terrorer Painted face Big shoes
School dropouts
Creepy carnivaler

19. 6. Paintbrush Painter’s object Painter’s wand Mark leaver
Artists’ emotions
Painter’s dream(maker)
Color smearer
Canvas dirtyer

20. 7. Book Trees with words Writer’s mind Knowledge paper Reader’s escape
Many words
Rustic pages
Shelf filler
Fire fuel