Editing Elf (section)

==== Terminology ====

In [[Scandinavian folklore]], many humanlike supernatural beings are attested, which might be thought of as elves and partly originate in medieval Scandinavian beliefs. However, the characteristics and names of these beings have varied widely across time and space, and they cannot be neatly categorised. These beings are sometimes known by words descended directly from the Old Norse ''álfr''. However, in modern languages, traditional terms related to ''álfr'' have tended to be replaced with other terms. Things are further complicated because when referring to the elves of Old Norse mythology, scholars have adopted new forms based directly on the Old Norse word ''álfr''. The following table summarises the situation in the main modern standard languages of Scandinavia.<ref name=olrik/>
{| class="wikitable"

! [[Language]]
! Terms related to ''elf'' in traditional usage
! Main terms of similar meaning in traditional usage
! Scholarly term for Norse mythological elves

|-
! [[Danish language|Danish]]
|''elver'', ''elverfolk'', ''ellefolk''
|''[[Neck (water spirit)|nøkke]],'' ''[[Nisse (folklore)|nisse]]'', ''[[Fairy|fe]]''
|''alf''

|-
! [[Swedish language|Swedish]]
|''älva''
|''skogsrå, skogsfru'', ''tomte''
|''alv'', ''alf''

|-
! [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]] (''[[bokmål]]'')
|''alv'', ''alvefolk''
|''[[Vættir|vette]]'', ''huldra''
|''alv''
|-

! [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]]
|''álfur''
|''[[huldufólk]]''
|''álfur''
|}