There has been considerable confusion in the use of the terms Norse and Danish. Either has been used to include the other, or, again, in a still wider sense, as synonymous with Scandinavian; as, for instance, when we speak of the Danish kingdoms in Dublin, or Norse elements in Anglo-Saxon. Danish is the language of Denmark, Norse the language of Norway. When I use the term Old Danish I mean that dialect of Old Scandinavian, or Old Northern, that developed on Danish soil. By Old Norse I mean the old language of Norway. The one is East Scandinavian, the other West Scandinavian. The term Scandinavian, being rather political than linguistic, is not a good one, but it has the advantage of being clear, and I have used it where the better one, Northern, might lead to confusion with Northern Scotch.
[CONTENTS.]
[PART I. INTRODUCTION.]
[Place-Names and Settlements in Northwestern England § 2]
[Scandinavian Settlements in Southern Scotland § 3]
[Settlements in England, Norse or Danish? The Place-Name Test § 4]
[By in Place-Names. Conclusions as to this Test § 5]
[Characteristics of Old Northern, or Old Scandinavian. Early Dialectal Differentiations § 6]