Scandinavian Loanwords

When the Vikings arrived in the British Isles the dominant language was the Old English of
the Anglo-Saxons, while the Vikings themselves spoke Old Norse. Loyn (1994:78-79) and
other scholars claim that the two languages, both of the Germanic branch, were probably still
rather similar, thus making it possible for both sides to understand each other, although with a
little effort. The two languages were cognates, and similar in their basic structures.
Additionally, a certain degree of bilingualism may have developed over time, but there is
however much disagreement over this issue. It is not clear if the Danes, the English, or both,
became bilingual (Ruiz-Moneva 1997:187).