Frequency Word List for Beowulf
The following list contains the most frequently used words in Beowulf, with the exception of personal pronouns, the definite article, and the verb of being. These three categories should be committed to memory from our textbook. The verbs in the list include a notation indicating what category they belong to: anom for anomalous, pret-p for preterite-present, roman numerals (III, V) for strong verbs, and arabic numerals for weak verbs. This list is not intended to substitute for the extensive glossary in the back of our edition, where parsing and shades of meaning are spelled out, but rather a means of helping you commit to memory a working vocabulary for your translations. There are about 320 words
ac gan pret-p aglca n atol fnan 1 nig r eling bana be, b bag bealo bearn befn VII bgen belgan III bodan II beorg, beorh beorht beorn beran IV bdan I biddan V bill bld brecan IV bregdan III brim always, ever but to have adversary one, alone, a certain terrible perform, carry out any before noble slayer by, beside ring, necklace evil, bale son, offspring seize, surround both enrage offer hill, cliff bright, shining warrior bear, wear, carry await, wait for request, ask sword blood break, tear weave, move, draw sea brond brcan II bgan II burh bton byrne crft cuman, IV cunnan pret-p cwean V cyning cynn dd dg dl da dore dgan 1 dgor dm dn anom drogan II dryhten dugan pret-p dugu durran pret-p eac eafora eafo eald fire enjoy, make use of fall, bow, lie down stronghold except, but that corslet, mail-coat strength, power come know how to, be able speak, say king kin, relative, race deed day portion, allotment, death dear, costly, precious survive day fame, judgment do strive, fight, endure lord be strong, be good proven warriors dare also, eke son, offspring strength old, ancient
1
1. ealdor 2. ealdor 1. eall 2. eall ce ecg efne eft egesa ellen ende eorl eore eel 1. fg, fh 2. fh, fg faran VI fder fge fh fst fela feoh fond feor feorh fran 1 ferh findan III flet
lord, leader life all (adj.) entirely (adv) eternal, lasting edge, sword even, just afterwards, back fear, terror valor, courage end warrior, nobleman earth native land stained, decorated hostile go father fated to die, doomed feud, enmity secure, fixed, firm many payment, treasure enemy far life go heart, spirit, mind find floor, hall
Donoghue/Beowulf
folc forgyldan III forniman IV for frtwe fra fremman 1 frond ge-frignan III frd frfor fyren fyrst gamol ge-gn anom ge-gangan VI gr gst gearo gearwe gn geogo gemor geond geong gidd gif gifan V gifu gilp, gylp gist gld god gd gomen grtan 1 grimm grund
people, folk pay, pay back, requite destroy forth, forward treasure, ornament lord, king do, perform friend ask, find out wise comfort, consolation crime, suffering space of time old, ancient go go, walk; win, obtain spear spirit, shost, demon ready readily, well still, further young warriors sad, troubled throughout, through young song, tale, dirge if give gift boast stranger, guest gracious, kind god, God good, virtuous joy, revelry salute, greet; attack grim, fierce ground, earth, bottom
gryre guma gu gt habban 3 hd hafela hm hr ht htan VII hle heafod hah healdan VII heall hap heard heaohelm heofon heoruherehild(e)hlford hlo hold holm hord hrae hreer hring hrf hrse h hur hw 1. hwt
terror, horror man war yet, still have rank, form, manner head home gray, old, hoary hot order, promise, name hero, man head high, illustrious hold, guard, occupy hall troop, multitude hard, strong, severe battle, war helmet, protection heaven battle army battle lord protector, lord loyal sea, water hoard, treasure quickly breast, heart ring roof ground, surface how indeed who, every valiant
2
2. hwt hworfan II hwl ge-hwylc hran 1 hyrde ides innan, inne ren lf l lstan 1 ltan VII lod lof libban 3 lc licgan V lf lg longe lt ltel magan pret-p maelian 2 maum mg mgen mre mro mce metod micel mid md mdig monig monn
what, what sort of go, turn, move time, space of time each, every hear, hear of guardian, protector woman within, inside iron, iron sword remnant, heirloom hateful, hostile endure; accomplish let, allow man, person dear, beloved live body lie, lie dead life flame, fire long little, few little, small can speak treasure kinsman strength renowned, famous glorious deed, fame sword god, ruler great, large, much with, among mind, heart, spirit courageous, brave many person
Donoghue/Beowulf
motan pret-p gemunan pr-p nnig ne neah nealles niht niman IV n n n of ofost onfindan III onfn VII onginnan III ongitan V o er oe rd rce rond s scc scawian 2 sculan pret-p searo scan 1 secg secgan 3 sefa sele ge-sellan 1 son sd sigesinc
may, be allowed remember, think of (ne+nig) no one not; nor near nigh (ne+ealles) not at all night take hostility, affliction not at all, never now from, off of speed, haste discover, find receive, take begin, undertake perceive, see until other, another or counsel, wise policy kingdom; powerful shield sea fighting, battle examine, see must, ought to skill, artistry seek man say, tell mind, spirit, heart hall give see broad, large victory precious object
s sian slan VI snotor sona sorh s sprecan V standan VI sum sund sunu sw swefan V sweord swe swylc symbel r t e ah egn encan 1 enden od oden onan onne urfan pret-p urh yncan 1 t wl wpen wter ge-weald
journey, epedition afterwards, once strike wise immediately sorrow, trouble true; truth speak stand, remain a certain one, one sea, water son so, as, thus sleep sword greatly, very much such banquet then; when; those there; where that who, which, that however; although thane, retainer think, intend then, while people, tribe prince, lord thence, from there then; when, whenever need through, by means of seem, appear out slaughter, the slain weapon water power, control
3
weard wegan V wl, well wnan 1 weorc geweoran III wer werod wig wigend wiht willa willan anom windan III wine ge-winn ws witan pret-p ge-wtan wi wong word worn worold wrecan V wundor wunian 2 ge-wyrcan wyrd wyrm ylde yldo ymb, ymbe yrre
guardian, keeper carry, wear well, rightly expect work come about, happen man company, band war warrior creature wish, desire will, wish curl, spiral friend, lord conflict, struggle wise know go, depart against plain, open ground word, speech many, a great number world drive, force; recount wonder, marvel remain, dwell, occupy make, achieve event, fate serpent, dragon men old age around, concerning angry wave
Donoghue/Beowulf
