Sund and Sound

Two words, one entangled relationship M. Michael Brady Asker, Norway The modern Norwegian word sund comes directly from the Old Norse word for a narrow fairway (smalt farvann). It’s seldom used alone but is a frequent suffix in place names, such as Haugesund and Øresund. The modern English word sound designating a body of water also comes from the Old Norse sund, and is found in suffix words in compound place names, such as Balta Sound in the Shetlands and more than 50 other sounds in Scotland, as well as Puget Sound and more than 30 other sounds in the USA. The prevalence of the word in English reflects an etymological entanglement that may be likened to the eternal triangle of love affairs, of which there may be many inte