Did you know that English and Viking speak (a.k.a. Old Norse) are basically language siblings?
That’s right—English comes from the West Germanic language family, and Old Norse, spoken by the Vikings, comes from the North Germanic side.
Two branches from the same tree. So, they’re not total strangers—they’re long-lost cousins with a lot in common, especially in vocabulary.
Starting in the late 8th century, the Viking Age kicked off with some serious raids, trade, and eventually, settlement.
These Scandinavian invaders didn’t just bring swords and ships—they brought their language with them.
And when Old Norse collided with Old English on the British Isles, it wasn’t just a battle—it was a linguistic fusion.
As the Norse settlers dug in, their language blended with Old English in surprisingly deep ways.
From grammar shifts to everyday vocabulary, the influence was massive.
In fact, many words we use today—like sky, egg, take, and they—all came from Old Norse.
So in this episode, we’re diving into the dramatic and often overlooked story of how English got a Norse makeover.
Let’s uncover how this epic mash-up helped shape the English we speak today—and why you probably speak more “Viking” than you realize.
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