skraeling

English translation: native

07:45 Dec 23, 2003

Norwegian to English translations [PRO]

Norwegian term or phrase: skraeling

historical

S. Kevin Wojtaszek

English translation:native

Explanation:
"Skrælinger" (plural) is the name said to have been used by Norse settlers, attempting to establish a settlement in North America (in the time of Leiv Eiriksson), for the natives of the territory in which they tried to settle. There is no exact equivalent in English, so I suggest that you either use the word as is (perhaps with an introductory explanation?), or substitute it with the more general "native".

Selected response from:

Bjørn Meyer (X)
Local time: 17:46

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4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +3

native

Bjørn Meyer (X)

3 +2

redskin, eskimo, snown*gger

Paul Svensson

Answers

23 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

native

Bjørn Meyer (X)
Local time: 17:46
Native speaker of:

Norwegian
PRO pts in pair: 8

Grading comment

Graded automatically based on peer agreement.

3 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

redskin, eskimo, snown*gger

Explanation:
As I remember reading Röde Orm, "skrälingar" is used as a derogatory term, originally refering to the mongoloid peoples of northern Scandinavia and Russia, and due to their similar looks, later applied to natives of Greenland and North America. The origin of the word might have to do with their small stature and from that inferred uselessness in a fight. It's certainly not something you'd call someone you want to be friends with; how far you want to take it would depend on the tone of the text. (The PC filters of ProZ apparently think I went too far.)

Reference: http://www.mnh.si.edu/vikings/voyage/subset/markland/sagas.h...
Reference: http://www.hum.gu.se/arkiv/ONN/1996/ONN.01/1019.html

Paul Svensson
Local time: 11:46
Native speaker of:

Swedish
PRO pts in pair: 18

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