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West Virginia University

Runes: Past and Present

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The purpose of this study is to illustrate how the primary function of runes has changed through history. In doing so this study also begins to document the reemergence of runes especially in Asatru circles. Runes were historically employed for utilitarian purposes whereas they have been imbued with magical qualities in the eyes of their modern users. By using a modified version of the speech act theory, the notion of "magic" is linguistically operationalized and used to demonstrate the stark contrast between the primary purpose of historical runic texts and modern ones.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
MA
Level thesis:degree_level
Thesis
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
World Languages, Literatures and Linguistics
Year dc:date.available
2011

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Evans, Elliott S.
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Johan C. Seynnaeve.
  • Cynthia S. Chapupa
  • Deborah D. Janson

Subjects

dc:subject × 3

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:researchrepository.wvu.edu:etd-1726

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
West Virginia University
Base URL
researchrepository.wvu.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Evans, Elliott S.. Runes: Past and Present. Thesis thesis, 2011. https://doi.org/10.33915/etd.723