Kaunan

Name Proto-Germanic Old English Old Norse
*Kaunan? Cēn Kaun
? "torch" "ulcer"
Shape Elder Futhark Futhorc Younger Futhark
Unicode ᚲ
U+16B2
 ᚳ
U+16B3
 ᚴ
U+16B4
Transliteration k c k
Transcription k c k, g
IPA [k] [k], [c], [tʃ] [k], [g]
Position in rune-row 6
The evolution of the rune in the elder futhark during the centuries.

The k-rune ᚲ (Younger Futhark ᚴ, Anglo-Saxon futhorc ᚳ) is called Kaun in both the Norwegian and Icelandic rune poems, meaning "ulcer". The reconstructed Proto-Germanic name is *Kaunan. It is also known as Kenaz ("torch"), based on its Anglo-Saxon name.

The Elder Futhark shape is likely directly based on Old Italic c (, 𐌂) and on Latin C. The Younger Futhark and Anglo-Saxon Futhorc shapes have parallels in Old Italic shapes of k (, 𐌊) and Latin K (compare the Negau helmet inscription). The corresponding Gothic letter is 𐌺 k, called kusma.

The shape of the Younger Futhark kaun rune (ᚴ) is identical to that of the "bookhand" s rune in the Anglo-Saxon futhorc. The ᚴ rune also occurs in some continental runic inscriptions. It has been suggested that in these instances, it represents the ch /χ/ sound resulting from the Old High German sound shift (e.g. ᛖᛚᚴ elch in Nordendorf II).[1]

Rune Poem:[2] English Translation:

Old Norwegian
ᚴ Kaun er barna bǫlvan;
bǫl gørver nán fǫlvan.


Ulcer is fatal to children;
death makes a corpse pale.

Old Icelandic
ᚴ Kaun er barna böl
ok bardaga [för]
ok holdfúa hús.
flagella konungr.


Disease fatal to children
and painful spot
and abode of mortification.

Anglo-Saxon
ᚳ Cen byþ cwicera gehwam, cuþ on fyre
blac ond beorhtlic, byrneþ oftust
ðær hi æþelingas inne restaþ.


The torch is known to every living man
by its pale, bright flame; it always burns
where princes sit within.

Notes:
  • The Icelandic poem is glossed with Latin flagella "whip".
  • The Anglo-Saxon poem gives the name cen "torch".

References

  1. ↑ Tineke Looijenga, Texts & contexts of the oldest Runic inscriptions, BRILL, 2003, ISBN 978-90-04-12396-0, p. 129.
  2. ↑ Original poems and translation from the Rune Poem Page.


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