Meginvöðahópa

Meginvöðahópa, also known as the Main Vowel Group, is a concept in Old Norse phonology that refers to the set of vowels considered to be the most basic or primary in the language. These vowels are often considered to be the most frequent and fundamental in Old Norse poetry and prose. The main vowels in the Meginvöðahópa are typically identified as the short vowels: a, e, i, o, and u. These vowels are often referred to as the "main vowels" or "primary vowels" in Old Norse linguistics.

The Meginvöðahópa is significant in Old Norse phonetics because it forms the basis for the system of vowel length and quality in the language. The other vowels, known as the "secondary vowels" or "derived vowels," are often seen as being derived from or influenced by the main vowels. For example, the long vowels (á, é, í, ó, ú) are often considered to be lengthened versions of the short vowels.

The concept of the Meginvöðahópa is not explicitly mentioned in any Old Norse texts, but it is a construct of modern Old Norse linguistics. It is used to describe the phonological system of Old Norse and to understand the relationships between different vowels. The Meginvöðahópa is a useful tool for studying the phonetics and phonology of Old Norse, and it has been used in various linguistic analyses and reconstructions of the language.