Reiknivís

Reiknivís, in the field of Norse and Icelandic philology, designates a class of verse in which counting or numerals play a central role. The name combines Old Norse reikni- 'to count' with vís 'poem' or 'verse'. In modern scholarship the term is used to describe poems or stanzas where numbers are integrated into the meter, kennings, or allusions, and where the numerals contribute to meaning beyond surface sense.

Definition and scope: Reiknivís is not a universally fixed category; different scholars propose slightly different criteria. Some definitions emphasize explicit numerical sequences or numerically encoded references, while others focus on the use of counting as a structural device within dróttkvætt or skaldic stanzas.

Origins and distribution: The concept is applied to medieval Norse-Icelandic poetry, chiefly from Iceland and Norway in the high to late medieval period, with debates about earlier precursors. It is primarily a descriptive label used in textual and metrical analysis rather than a separate manuscript genre.

Function and significance: Numerals can aid memory for oral transmission, signal kinship or chronology, or create an additional layer of riddle-like complexity. The precise interpretive value often depends on the surrounding kennings and context within a poem.

See also: Skaldic poetry, Kenningar, Dróttkvætt, Old Norse literature.