vitni (OSw) vitne (ODan) vitni (OGu) vitni (ON) noun

Originally ‘knowledge’, used for declaration of knowledge in a legal case, reflected in translations such as ‘testimony’, ‘statement’, ‘oath’, and hence for the facts in a case that such a declaration provided, which is reflected in translations such as ‘evidence’, ‘proof’. Also a person testifying or being present at the scene of e.g. a crime or agreement, or at an announcement of such matters, as well as for one who resides in the area or for some other reason is presumed to have the knowledge required in a case, reflected in the translation ‘witness’, and hence for the act of witnessing e.g. a transaction, negotiation or agreement, which is reflected in the translation ‘supervision’. It is not always possible to determine which of the different usages is intended. Appearing in many compounds specifying type, function or circumstance. A vitni could thus be an actual eyewitness of a crime, transaction etc., or a witness of an announcement of a crime etc., or a type of character or local witness. A woman could act as a vitni in certain cases, particularly those involving childbirth.

confirmation OSw HL Äb
evidence OGu GL A 18, 19, 20a, 25
OIce Js Mah 10
ONorw BorgL 17.13
ONorw EidsL 12.5
OSw KrL Äb Bb Hb
OSw MEL Kgb Äb Bb Hb
OSw UL Kkb
OSw VmL Kkb
judgement OSw DL Bb
oath OSw HL Rb
proof ODan ESjL 3
ODan JyL 2
ONorw FrL LlbB 10
OSw HL Mb
statement ONorw FrL Intr 13
supervision OSw UL Äb
OSw VmL Äb
testimony ODan JyL 2, 3
OFar Seyð 12
OIce Grg Klþ 6
OIce Jó Þfb 4
OIce Js Þfb 6 Mah 11 Lbb 25 Kab 2
OIce KRA 2, 11
ONorw FrL KrbB 22 Var 7
ONorw GuL Krb, Kpb, Løb, Llb, Kvr, Mhb, Olb
ONorw MLL passim
OSw ÄVgL Md, Smb, Slb, Rlb, Jb, Föb
OSw BjR
OSw DL Kkb, Mb, Gb, Rb
OSw HL Mb, Rb
OSw KrL Gb Jb Kmb Rb DbII
OSw MEL Jb Bb Kmb Rb DbII
OSw MESt Bb DbI DbII
OSw ÖgL Eb, Db, Äb, Rb
OSw UL Kkb, Kgb, Äb, Mb, Jb, Kmb, Blb, Rb
OSw VmL Kkb, Äb, Mb, Kmb, Bb, Rb
OSw YVgL Drb, Rlb, Tb, Jb, Föb, Add
verification OSw DL Bb, Tjdb
witness ODan ESjL 1−3
ODan JyL 1−3
ODan SkBL
ODan SkKL 5, 12
ODan SkL passim
ODan VSjL passim
OFar Seyð 1
OGu GL A 2−4, 16, 18−20 (B-text), 22, 23, 25, 26, 28, 44
OIce Jó Mah 7 Kge 18
ONorw BorgL 12.1 16.8
ONorw EidsL 30.7
ONorw FrL Intr 15 KrbA 2
OSw ÄVgL Md, Gb, Rlb, Jb, Kva, Tb
OSw BjR
OSw DL Kkb, Mb, Bb, Gb, Tjdb
OSw HL Kkb, Äb, Mb, Jb, Kmb, Blb, Rb
OSw KrL Kgb Gb Äb Bb Kmb Rb Eb DbI DbII SmbI SmbII Tb Add
OSw MEL Gb Äb Bb Kmb Rb DbI DbII SmbI SmbII Tb
OSw MESt Kgb Äb Kmb Skb Rb Eb Hb DbI SmbI Tb Dob Gb Add
OSw ÖgL Kkb, Eb, Db, Äb, Jb, Kmb, Rb, Bb
OSw SdmL Kkb, Kgb, Gb, Äb, Jb, Bb, Kmb, Mb, Tjdb, Rb
OSw SmL
OSw UL Kkb, Kgb, Äb, Mb, Jb, Kmb, Blb, Rb
OSw VmL Kkb, Äb, Mb, Jb, Kmb, Bb, Rb
OSw YVgL passim
witness (i.e. person giving testimony) ONorw GuL Kpb, Løb, Llb, Arb, Kvr, Mhb, Tjb, Olb, Leb
witness (i.e. testimony) ONorw GuL Løb, Llb, Mhb, Olb
Expressions:

biskops vitne (ODan)

bishop witness ODan JyL 2

bæra vitni (OSw)

testify OSw UL Äb, Rb VmL Äb, Rb

gothe mæns vitne (ODan)

testimony of good men ODan JyL 2

granna vitne (OSw)

witness of neighbours OSw SdmL Jb

jæflik vitni (OSw)

uncertain testimony OSw YVgL Add

unsure testimony OSw YVgL Add

mæþ lagha witnum ok lagha domum (OSw)

with lawful witness and lawful judgment OSw ÖgL Kkb

mæþ vin ok vitni (OSw)

with a friend and witness OSw YVgL Tb, Add ÄVgL Tb

uiaflik vitni (OSw)

undisputable testimony OSw YVgL Add

ymyslik vitni (OSw)

disputable testimony OSw YVgL Add

contradictory testimony OSw YVgL Add

vitnit mikla (ON)

ordeal ONorw GuL Mhb

Refs:

Cleasby and Vigfússon s.v. vitni; Fritzner s.v. vitni; Hellquist s.v. vittne; Hertzberg s.v. vitni; KLNM s.v. vitne; Lund s.v. vitni; Schlyter s.v. vitni