Sögna

Sögna is a term encountered in Icelandic linguistic and folkloric studies. In these contexts, sögna denotes the act of narrating or recounting a story, particularly within discussions of oral tradition and the transmission of sagas. The form is linked to the Icelandic word saga, meaning “story,” and to the broader Norse lexicon of storytelling.

Etymology and scope: The term traces to Old Norse roots related to saga, with the development in Icelandic as a verb meaning to tell or relate. In modern Icelandic, more common verbs for telling are segja and tala, and sögna appears mainly in historical or analytical discussions rather than in everyday speech.

Usage in scholarship: Scholars use sögna to examine how narrators frame events, how storytelling performance shapes audience reception, and how oral narratives are adapted when transmitted into written sagas. It can also be employed to distinguish between the act of telling and the content of the story itself.

See also: Saga; Sögur; Oral tradition; Narratology; Icelandic language.