Two difficult forms on the Tune memorial

Abstract

Abstract The Tune runestone preserves one of the most important older runic inscriptions. Yet two main interpretations have been proposed for the text on side B of the early Norwegian memorial. The more recent interpretation relies on the existence of a Proto-Germanic fabricatory verb *dālijaną that is not attested otherwise. Side B also features a superlative adjective featuring the ending -jōstēz whose root has equally been the subject of a range of unlikely proposals. The early runic verb dalidun is most plausibly taken as reflecting a loan of *dāl-, the Celtic reflection of the Indo-European verbal root *deh1(i̯)- ‘to divide’, while the superlative appears to be most obviously comparable to Gothic sinistans ‘elders’.