The Viking Thing

[Woot22]

If you are interested in Viking Sagas then read The Saga of the Volsungs. It is one of the best stories I have ever read.

[Morris at Heathfield]

Given that the English "thing" had most, if not all, of its modern meanings during the Anglo-Saxon age, I think it's doubtful Shakespeare had some sort of council in mind when he wrote those lines, if that is what Dougal Hazel meant to imply.

Still, nice bit of history and etymology.

[ohiopiper]

While I cannot get inside the mind of a man dead 500 years, remember the context of "Hamlet". Hamlet was written as a Dane. The meaning may well have been intended.

[Lallans]

Shakespeare was an incredibly clever man who must have done some research into the Danish background of the story, and puns were well-regarded in his day. However, if the great man could be asked about this he might reply, as did Freud in another context, that sometimes a thing is just a thing. Very interesting thought though- I tend to agree with the OP's premise.

[tripleblessed]

It may be well to remember that German is the largest single source of
words in our language. Yes, if you combine Latin with French, Italian,
Spanish, etc., they outweigh it by less than half a percentage point,
as always, if memory serves. Sort of a moot point, wouldn't you say?
The Danes moved in with their Angle-ish language, married into their
Saxon cousins and combined their DNA with Gaels and Britons who'd
been raided by Germanic peoples from time out of mind, and their memory
was better trained than ours. Shakespeare's plays, regardless who
wrote them, were written in a time when that was nearer history,
and constantly referenced events of a period when Norse influence was
still very much a reality in Man and the Western Isles, and the Norse
still ruled the Orkneys and parts of mainland Scotland. The practice
of mootings was the root of much common law, language affected
still survives in the Orkneys and the Western Isles. No way to prove
either way .....moot point.

[Dale Seago]

It may be well to remember that German is the largest single source of
words in our language. Yes, if you combine Latin with French, Italian,
Spanish, etc., they outweigh it by less than half a percentage point,
as always, if memory serves. Sort of a moot point, wouldn't you say?
The Danes moved in with their Angle-ish language, married into their
Saxon cousins and combined their DNA with Gaels and Britons who'd
been raided by Germanic peoples from time out of mind, and their memory
was better trained than ours. Shakespeare's plays, regardless who
wrote them, were written in a time when that was nearer history,
and constantly referenced events of a period when Norse influence was
still very much a reality in Man and the Western Isles, and the Norse
still ruled the Orkneys and parts of mainland Scotland. The practice
of mootings was the root of much common law, language affected
still survives in the Orkneys and the Western Isles. No way to prove
either way .....moot point.

While much of our vocabulary is of Germanic origin, this short but fascinating book by a linguist named John McWhorter points out that the underlying structure remains largely Celtic, and he posits some interesting things about why that is:

http://www.amazon.com/Our-Magnificen.../dp/1592403956

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
This evolutionary history of the English language from author and editor McWhorter (The Power of Babel: A Natural History of Language) isn't an easy read, but those fascinated by words and grammar will find it informative, provocative and even invigorating. McWhorter's history takes on some old mysteries and widely-believed theories, mounting a solid argument for the Celtic influence on English language that literary research has for years dismissed; he also patiently explains such drastic changes as the shift from Old English to Middle English (the differences between written and spoken language explain a lot). Those who have learned English as a second language will recognize McWhorter's assertion that "English really is easy(-ish) at first and hard later"; for that, he says, we can "blame... the Danish and Scandinavian" influence. McWhorter further proves his bona fides with deft analogies, like a comparison between the evolution of English and popping a wheelie on a bicycle; he also debunks, handily, the popular notion that "a language's grammar and the way its words pattern reflect aspects of its speakers' culture and the way they think." McWhorter's iconoclastic impulses and refreshing enthusiasm makes this worth a look for anyone with a love for the language.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Description
A survey of the quirks and quandaries of the English language, focusing on our strange and wonderful grammar

Why do we say “I am reading a catalog” instead of “I read a catalog”? Why do we say “do” at all? Is the way we speak a reflection of our cultural values? Delving into these provocative topics and more, Our Magnificent Bastard Language distills hundreds of years of fascinating lore into one lively history.

Covering such turning points as the little-known Celtic and Welsh influences on English, the impact of the Viking raids and the Norman Conquest, and the Germanic invasions that started it all during the fifth century AD, John McWhorter narrates this colorful evolution with vigor. Drawing on revolutionary genetic and linguistic research as well as a cache of remarkable trivia about the origins of English words and syntax patterns, Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue ultimately demonstrates the arbitrary, maddening nature of English— and its ironic simplicity due to its role as a streamlined lingua franca during the early formation of Britain. This is the book that language aficionados worldwide have been waiting for (and no, it’s not a sin to end a sentence with a preposition).

[tripleblessed]

Dale, many thanks for your post. I was only speaking to the possibility of
Shakespeare having knowledge of the Thing in that sense. It was already too
long, so I stopped. But absolutely what you said. Many Germanic words,
but absolutely Celtic thinking. Certainly in my family.