gildismál

Gildismál is a term used in discussions of medieval Norse literature to denote a hypothetical or unattested Old Norse poem by that name. There are no surviving manuscripts or direct quotations that confirm its existence, and it is treated as speculative rather than a securely attested work. The proposed name appears to combine Old Norse elements gildi- “guild, value” and mál “speech, tale, law,” suggesting a topic related to social order, craft guilds, or ethical discourse, though this etymology is not widely established.

In scholarly practice, Gildismál is not listed among the canon of eddic poetry or saga-derived lyrics. Some commentators present it as a thought experiment illustrating how a lost poem might address guilds or wealth-based status in Norse society. Others argue it may reflect a misreading or misattribution of another text, or simply a fictitious label used in modern discussions. Because there is no manuscript evidence, any reconstruction of its content remains purely speculative.

In contemporary usage, the name sometimes appears in reference works or online discussions as a prototype of a vanished Norse poem, and it is often treated as a cautionary example of how titles can be proposed without solid textual grounding. It is not part of the mainstream historiography of Old Norse poetry, and most scholars distinguish clearly between attested material and conjectural or fictional attributions.

See also: Old Norse poetry, eddic poetry, mál in Norse literature, Norse literary terminology.