The case of Normandy is different. Here we have a definite district
assigned to the invaders, just as the Danelagh was given to them in
England, and the whole of that territory is deeply impregnated with
their influence. Many of the Norman towns in -_ville_ contain as the
first element in their name a Norse personal name, e.g. Catteville,
Cauverville, Colleville, Fouqueville, Hacqueville containing the names
_Káte_, _Kálfr_, _Kolr_, _Fólki_, _Hákon_, while the suffixes -_bec_,
-_beuf_, -_dale_, -_ey_, -_gard_, -_londe_, -_torp_, -_tot_, -_tuit_,
-_vic_ as in Bolbec, Elbeuf, Saussedalle, Jersey, Eppegard, Mandelonde,
Torgistorp, Abbetot, Bracquetuit, Barvic go back to O.N. _bekkr_, _búð_
(booth), _dalr_, _ey_ (island), _garðr_, _lundr_, _þorp_, _topt_,
_þveit_, _vík_ (_v. supra_, pp. 124-5). The dialect of Normandy to this
day contains a good number of Scandinavian words, and others have been
introduced into the standard language. Some of these have also found
their way into English through our Norman conquerors, e.g. _abet_,
_baggage_, _elope_, _equip_, _jolly_, _rubbish_, _scoop_, _strife_
just as the _Bulbeck_ in Swaffham Bulbeck (Cambs.) and Bulbeck Common
above Blanchland in Northumberland is from the great Norman barony of
Bulbeck, so named after Bolbec in Normandy, of which they once formed
part. Norman law and customs also show many traces of Scandinavian
influence and so does Norman folk-lore.
The Normans still looked to Denmark as their home-land down to the end
of the 10th century, and at least twice during the reign of Harold
Bluetooth their Dukes received help from that country. The nobles soon
ceased to speak their old northern language, but it is probable that it
remained current on the lips of the people for some considerable time
longer.
The Vikings always showed themselves keenly sensitive to the influence
of a civilisation higher or more developed than their own, and this is
nowhere more apparent than in Normandy. Heathenism found a champion
as late as 943 when, on the death of William Longsword, a rising of
heathen Normans was crushed with the aid of the Frankish king, but
for the most part the Normans soon showed themselves devout sons of
the Church and were destined in the 11th century to be numbered among
the most ardent supporters of the Crusades. With the adoption of
Christianity they learned to respect and honour those homes of learning
which they had once devastated for their wealth of hoarded treasure,
and the famous school at Bec, whence came Lanfranc and Anselm, was only
one among many which they richly endowed and supported.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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