Laguz

{{short description|Runic alphabet letter}}

{{infobox rune

| lang1 = pg | lang2 = oe | lang3 = on

| name1 = {{lang|gem-x-proto|*Laguz}}/{{lang|gem-x-proto|*Laukaz}}

| name2 = {{lang|ang-Latn|Lagu}}

| name3 = {{lang|non-Latn|Lögr}}

| meaning1 = "lake"/"leek"

| meaning2 = "ocean, sea"

| meaning3 = "water, waterfall"

| shape13 = File:Runic letter laukaz.svg

| unicode hex13 =16DA

| transliteration13 =l

| transcription13 =l

| IPA13 = {{IPA|[l]}}

| position12 = 21

| position3 = 15

}}

{{Contains special characters|Runic|width=30em}}

{{lang|gem-x-proto|*Laguz}} or {{lang|gem-x-proto|*Laukaz}} is the reconstructed Proto-Germanic name of the l-rune {{runic|ᛚ}}, {{lang|gem-x-proto|*laguz}} meaning "water" or "lake" and {{lang|gem-x-proto|*laukaz}} meaning "leek". In the Anglo-Saxon rune poem, it is called {{transl|ang|lagu}} "ocean". In the Younger Futhark, the rune is called {{transl|is|lögr}} "waterfall" in Icelandic and {{transl|no|logr}} "water" in Norse.

The name of the corresponding Gothic letter (𐌻, l) is attested as {{transl|got|laaz}} in the Codex Vindobonensis 795; a normalized (Ulfilan) Gothic form {{transl|got|*lagus}} is thought to underlie this unconventional spelling.

The rune is identical in shape to the letter l in the Raetic alphabet.

The "leek" hypothesis is based not on the rune poems, but rather on early inscriptions where the rune has been hypothesized to abbreviate {{lang|gem-x-proto|*laukaz}}, a symbol of fertility, see the Bülach fibula.

class="wikitable" | Rune Poem:Original poems and translation from the [http://www.ragweedforge.com/poems.html Rune Poem Page] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990501094729/http://www.ragweedforge.com/poems.html |date=1999-05-01 }}. | English Translation:

Old Norwegian {{lang|gem-NO|{{runic|ᛚ}} Lögr er, fællr ór fjalle foss; en gull ero nosser.}} | A waterfall is a River which falls from a mountain-side; but ornaments are of gold.

Old Icelandic {{lang|non-IS|{{runic|ᛚ}} Lögr er vellanda vatn ok viðr ketill ok glömmungr grund. lacus lofðungr.}} | Water is eddying stream and broad geysir and land of the fish.

Anglo-Saxon {{lang|ang|{{runic|ᛚ}} Lagu bẏþ leodum langsum geþuht, gif hi sculun neþan on nacan tealtum and hi sæẏþa sƿẏþe bregaþ and se brimhengest bridles ne gẏm[eð].}} | The ocean seems interminable to men, if they venture on the rolling bark and the waves of the sea terrify them and the stallion of the deep heed not its bridle.