Thesis Theater: Galen Miller-Atkins, "Word-Foot Theory and the Early Runic Language"

About this Episode

This recording from August 1, 2026.

Signum University presents Thesis Theater with Galen Miller-Atkins, "Early Runic Meter: Word-Foot Theory and the Early Runic Language."

Several early runic inscriptions exhibit alliterative patterns, broadly reminiscent of later alliterative verse patterns; however, previous work has failed to definitively conclude whether these inscriptions are poetry, alliterative prose, or elevated speech. Previous scholarship has typically compared the Early Runic inscriptions to verse categories described by Eduard Sievers, highlighting the ways in which these inscriptions do (or do not) scan properly into the known categories. The Early Runic word stress patterns, however, do not easily conform to the verse patterns described by Eduard Sievers. Recent work by Nelson Goering and Geoffrey Russom demonstrates how the correspondence between the stress patterns of a language and its poetry can help generate expectations for verse structure. This thesis analyzes three runic inscriptions, the Strøm whetstone, the Tjurkö bracteate, and the Tune runestone, for their poetic qualities given their linguistic context, comparing them to known and predicted verse patterns. Ultimately this thesis argues that the Strøm whetstone, the Tjurkö bracteate, exhibit poetic features predicted by word-foot theory and cannot be discounted as verse; the Tune runestone, however, may be better characterized as an alliterative legal document prepared for public display.

About the Presenter:

Galen Miller-Atkins is an archaeologist based in Ellensburg, Washington. He holds an M.A. in Anthropology from Washington State University and works as a cultural resource management archaeologist across Washington and Oregon. He has recently published work Tolkien’s Old English adaptation of the Atlakviða poem and presented a poetic analysis of a late medieval Icelandic grimoire, the Jarðskinna manuscript. His current research interests focus on metrical analyses of runic inscriptions and late medieval Icelandic poetry.

About Signum Thesis Theaters:

Each of our master’s students writes a thesis at the end of their degree program, exploring a topic of their choice. The Thesis Theater is their opportunity to present their research to a general audience, and answer questions. All are welcome to attend!

Learn about Signum University’s mission, leadership and more: [https://signumuniversity.org/about/]

We are open for Fall 2026 registration! Term begins Monday, August 31st. To view our upcoming courses: https://signumuniversity.org/degree-programs/graduate/upcoming-courses/

To learn more about Signum's rigorous academic graduate program: https://signumuniversity.org/degree-programs/graduate/ma-in-language-and-literature/

Want to enjoy Signum’s educational offerings? Start here! https://signumuniversity.org/non-degree-programs/

Support The Signum Scene