How to Write an Authentic Runic Inscription

runic inscriptionIn my previous post on How to Translate Into Runes Correctly I wrote that no such thing as a correct representation of an English or Old Norse text in Norse runes can be achieved in practice. I know it sounds quite disappointing. Let’s consider what can be done about that. The practical advice I gave at the end of my text was to find a fragment of an existing Viking Age Younger Futhark inscription and use it for your tattoo, carving or engraving. I also promised to find interesting fragments of the Viking Age inscriptions for you. That’s what I plan to do, but before I post these I decided to cover some options that might seem to be totally discarded in my previous article.

First of all, if you plan to write in runes a name (your own, or names of your dear ones), you can’t find it on the Viking Age runestones, unless you are one thousand years old. My guess is you are not. That’s why I created a rune converter and wrote a guide on How to Write a Name for a Tattoo.

The algo that stands behind the converter is my attempt to achieve transliteration rules between modern English and five runic alphabets: Elder Futhark, Anglo-Saxon Futhorc, long branch and short twig Younger Futhark and staveless runes. Are these rules ideal? I don’t think so. However, I believe they are logical, I can explain them, and I offer them for free to everyone.

This explains why I say that no correct conversion into runes can exist. Conversion is based on a set of rules. There is no generally accepted set of rules between English and ancient runic alphabets. Whatever rules you apply, adherents of some other set of rules will say your inscription is incorrect.

Even if you use a fragment of an actual Viking Age inscription, you may fall into a blatant mistake: first, the fragment has to be chosen carefully, so that it makes sense; second, it has to really mean what you think it means. I plan to deal with this type of trouble in a series of posts later this year.

Now what about all other modern English words and phrases, beside the names? Shouldn’t one use them at all in a runic inscription? Why not. But you surely don’t want other people to point the finger of scorn at your tattoo or engraving and say it’s incorrect. How to avoid that?

Well, instead of the notion of correctness I suggest referring to a degree of authenticity. By authenticity I understand a supposed ability to read your inscription by someone who used the runes originally.

Case A. You write your name in the Younger Futhark (Elder Futhark) runes. If the rules on which your rendering is based are okay, a Viking Age Norseman (a Migration Period Germanic runemaster) would be able to pronounce what is represented in runes or recognize it, should he know the name already. Would such an inscription be authentic? Yes. Even though it wouldn’t be ideally correct, since Vikings (earlier Germanic people) did not have regular transliteration rules for other languages. Keep in mind that your name may contain sounds that did not exist at the period. However using similar sounds would allow pronouncing the name more or less correctly for practical purposes, like we do in English for Japanese or any other language with a very different phonological system.

Case B. You write in runes some text in a corresponding ancient language: Old Norse or Proto-Norse (even though we know quite little about it). Would such an inscription be authentic? Yes. Even though it wouldn’t be ideally correct, since Vikings (earlier Germanic people) did not have any stable spelling for runic Old Norse (Proto-Norse). It would be authentic because people living at the respective period and speaking respective language would understand what you mean, may be with some difficulty, but still understand it. Thus the practical goal would be achieved.

Case C. You encode in runes some modern English word or phrase. Ancient people would not understand that. That would not be authentic. However, authenticity is not something to be had at all costs. If your aim is to be understood, say, by peers in your community where everyone has some knowledge of the Futhark, you will achieve that. No matter what others will say about correctness or authenticity.

The practical advice at the end of this post is as follows: composing a runic inscription for a tattoo, carving or engraving, you’d better understand how authentic your variant will look, but don’t feel constrained to be authentic as described above. It is up to you to set up the amount of authenticity you wish in your inscription. And there will always be people saying your runes are incorrect, there’s no way to avoid that.

See also:

A Guide to Writing in Norse Runes
Should I Write in Runes Phonetically?

Photo courtesy Playing Futures: Applied Nomadology. Used under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic Licence.

50 comments… add one
  • Petr Kirchhof

    Hi, I’m looking for a correct translation to a phrase “King in the North” as I tried to look up rune alphabet on Google and transfer it letter to letter, but you page always displays different transcription. Could you help me with this one? Thanks a lot :)

    • Viking Rune

      Translation (into Old Norse) or transliteration (of the English phrase in runes)?

  • Arriel

    Hello, I wanted to create a tattoo that says ” strength of tbe warrior” in Elder Futhark. In the very begining when I was searching for how to write it I came across the runes asociated to strength and warrior, so far it only seems from what I’ve been finding the language only says specifically what it means in there runes, no the,of or anything like that is included. So I would like to know if it is possible to create that tattoo with those words or should I only stick to the runes for strength and warrior?

    • Viking Rune

      Arriel, normally runes work as an alphabet, they do not convey whole notions like strength or warrior.

  • Nicolas

    Would you help me to translate this into Younger furthark? “Who wants to be king?”

  • Alixandria

    Hello , would it be possible to have ( I will walk by faith even when I can not see ) translated into elder futhark

  • Chris

    I have a ring that claims to say” poetry is in battle. “What should that look like

    • Viking Rune

      í bardaga er skáldskapr

  • Jessica

    Hallo, ich wollte gerne den Namen meiner Tochter in runen auf den Rücken tätowieren lassen. Sie heißt ” Viktoria ” können Sie mir da eventuell bei der Übersetzung helfen?

  • David

    I’m curious, is there any ancient inscription (in elder futhark) that makes the point that only those who die in battle will enter valhalla? Authenticity is very important.
    Thank you in advance!

    • Viking Rune

      To my knowledge, there is no such inscription.

  • frank

    I’m going through a very rough period of life. I’m looking to get a phrase translated for a tattoo. Do you think you could help? The phrase I want translated is ” fight for your family to the death”

  • Calvin king

    very helpfull

  • Geraldine Permenter

    my friend has just tragically lost his child and i am looking for an age appropriate viking poem or verse please can you help

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