  hermann pÃ¡lsson (26 may 1921 â 11 august 2002) was an icelandic language scholar and translator, "one of the most distinguished scholars of icelandic studies of his generation". often working in collaboration with others such as magnus magnusson or paul edwards, he translated around 40 works of medieval icelandic literature. ==life== hermann pÃ¡lsson was born at sauÃ°anes Ã¡ Ãsum, a farm near blÃ¶nduÃ³s and the hÃºnafjÃ¶rdur in the north of iceland in 1921. though he was the sixth of 12 children, and the family was not rich, he managed to gain a degree in icelandic studies at the university of iceland in reykjavÃ­k in 1947. from there he moved to take another honours degree, in irish studies, at the national university of ireland in dublin in 1950. pÃ¡lsson's first books reflected his celtic interests: a volume of ancient irish tales, irskar fornsÃ¶gur (1953), and another of gaelic poetry from the hebrides, sÃ¶ngvar frÃ¡ sudureyjum (1955), both translated into icelandic. pÃ¡lsson also learned welsh in the 1950s. decades later he would recount "the sufferings of a loquacious and not utterly teetotal young icelander 'immersed' in a calvinistic â and dry â village in gwynedd." in 1950 pÃ¡lsson was appointed lecturer in icelandic in the department of english language at edinburgh university. in 1953 he married stella ÃorvarÃ°ardÃ³ttir. appointed to a personal chair as professor of icelandic studies in 1982, he retired in 1988, becoming an honorary fellow of scandinavian studies at edinburgh. he continued to publish books, articles and scholarly editions, including editions of the great eddic poems hÃ¡vamÃ¡l and vÃ¶luspÃ¡. keltar Ã¡ islandi (1996) was a study of the celts and celtic influence in iceland. he died at bourgas in bulgaria on 11 august 2002. == see also == *icelandic literature *old norse literature == references ==   {{persondata | name = pÃ¡lsson, hermann | alternative names = | short description = icelandic scholar and translator | date of birth = 26 may 1921 | place of birth = near blÃ¶nduÃ³s, iceland | date of death =
1921_births 2002_deaths Icelandic_philologists IcelandicaEnglish_translators