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In:From Carving Runestones to Digitizing Skaldic Poetry: Studies in Germanic philology and historical linguistics
Edited by David Bolter, Erin Noelliste, Christopher D. Sapp and Lane Sorensen
[Studies in Germanic Linguistics 11] 2026
► pp. 134–151

Chapter 9
Speech acts in ljóðaháttr

The case of Lokasenna

 | University of Nebraska at Kearney
This content is being prepared for publication; it may be subject to changes.
Abstract
This paper combines analysis of meter and syntax with speech act theory to analyze how the poet of Lokasenna effectively uses ljóðaháttr meter to put rhetorically effective insults into the mouth of the titular character. The result is a verbally virtuosic performance in which Loki profoundly damages the reputations of the gods. The paper closely analyzes the different strategies that Loki employs to illustrate how he is effective as a speaker. Because the poem ends with an irregular use of force to put a stop to the flyting, I do not try to answer the question of whether Loki should be considered the victor of this verbal battle, but I do show that he proves his verbal superiority to the Æsir. Thus, the Lokasenna poet is able to use the features of ljóðaháttr to put speech acts into Loki’s mouth that establish his reputation as a wordsmith who will long be remembered.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Linguistic framework
    • 2.1Theories and goals
    • 2.2The metrico-syntactic feature of ljóðahattr
    • 2.3Speech act theory in Old Norse dialogue
  • 3.Loki’s speech acts
    • 3.1The purpose of Loki’s speech acts
    • 3.2Loki’s strategy: Mixing direct and indirect
    • 3.3Loki versus Þórr
  • 4.Conclusion
  • Author queries
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
References (22)
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