boðhátt

Boðhátt is a term used in Icelandic cultural and literary contexts to denote the customary manner of hosting and hospitality toward guests. The word combines boð, meaning invitation or offering, with hátt, meaning manner or custom, and is sometimes written as boðháttr in older texts. In medieval Icelandic sources, boðhátt refers to the social code by which a host receives a guest: providing shelter, food, drink, and courteous reception, and ensuring the guest’s safety and comfort. In return, guests were expected to show proper respect and gratitude and, in some contexts, reciprocate hospitality by hosting others or offering gifts. The concept helped regulate interactions among households, kin groups, and communities, reinforcing social bonds and status distinctions.

In scholarly discussions, boðhátt is examined as part of the broader ethics of hospitality in Norse and Icelandic culture and as a comparative point with other etiquette norms. It is distinct from, but related to, other notions of conduct in Old Norse society. Some analyses also note a linguistic relationship between boðhátt and related terms that describe formal behavior or speech in social settings, though they belong to different domains—social practice versus literary form. In modern usage, boðhátt appears in discussions of historical etiquette and in translations of saga literature, where it helps readers understand expectations around hosting and guest rights in past communities.