Our translation tool allows you to make rune symbol combinations which would sound similar to
standard English language letters. This is called a phonetic translation. Although there are some differences
between the sounds made by the letters and the way they are combined in each language, hopefully our tool
is a good approximation of the sounds usings the original runic letters.
We use the original Elder Futhark alphabet, also known as Older Futhark or Germanic Futhark which is the oldest form of written runes.
It can commonly be found on inscribed items made by the northern Germanic tribes between the 2nd and 8th centuries. Later rune alphabets exist using the Younger Futhark and Anglo-Saxon Futhark alphabets.
You will notice many letters are very similar to modern english. That is because runes independently influenced anglo-saxon letters and were also originally derived from old Italic and Greek alphabets.
We are by no means experts in runic translation but through research we have tried to make the most accurate translation model possible! Our translation alogrithm makes some changes to better match the correct runes for modern sounds.
For example:
- The letter 'C' in Elder Futhark is the same as 'K'. For example the 'K' in (k)art or the 'C' in (c)art. Both sound the same. For simplicity we use the letter Kaunan to represent all modern 'C' letter translations. It may also have been used for a 'CH' sound. For words with an alternative 'C' sound like ra(c)e or (c)ease, it may be more accurate to substitute 'S' for 'C' in your translation.
- We use the letter 'J' or the rune 'Jera' to represent 'J' and 'Y'. The sound would be something like the 'Y' in (y)ear.
- 'NG' as in rowi(ng) has it's own, single symbol in runic, Ingwaz. This represents the name of the god Yngvi, which may have been the original name of Freyr. The fewer characters also saves time writing, and quite frankly, looks better!
...There are many more modifications made to the translated text and we continue to refine the translation algorithm!
