A Viking was one of the Scandinavian seafarers — from what is now Denmark, Norway and Sweden — who sailed out in long wooden ships between about 800 and 1100 AD, raiding, trading and settling along the coasts of Europe.

A Viking was Viking指的是 one of the Scandinavian seafarers北歐的航海者之一—— from what is now Denmark, Norway and Sweden來自現在的丹麥、挪威和瑞典——， who sailed out in long wooden ships他們開著長木船出海 between about 800 and 1100 AD在西元800到1100年左右， raiding打劫、 trading貿易、 and settling along the coasts of Europe也沿著歐洲海岸定居。

Two things are worth knowing because films get them wrong. First, 'Viking' was more a job than a race: in the old language, to go viking meant to go off raiding by sea. Most Scandinavian people at that time were farmers who never went.

Two things有兩件事 are worth knowing值得知道， because films get them wrong因為電影常常搞錯。 First第一， 'Viking' was more a job than a race「Viking」比較像是一種工作，而不是一個種族： in the old language在古語裡， to go viking to go viking的意思是 meant to go off raiding by sea出海去打劫。 Most Scandinavian people當時大多數北歐人 at that time其實 were farmers是農夫 who never went根本沒去過。

Second, the horned helmet is pure invention — a nineteenth-century opera costume. Real helmets had no horns.

Second第二， the horned helmet有角的頭盔 is pure invention完全是編出來的—— a nineteenth-century opera costume那是十九世紀歌劇服裝。 Real helmets真正的頭盔 had no horns是沒有角的。

The word is written with a capital V, and it is countable: a Viking, the Vikings. It is also used loosely today for anything from that culture (Viking ships, Viking gods) and, playfully, for a big rough-looking bearded man.

The word這個字 is written with a capital V要用大寫V， and而且 it is countable是可數名詞： a Viking, the Vikingsa Viking、the Vikings。 It現在 is also used loosely today也會鬆散地用來 for anything from that culture指那個文化的任何東西 （Viking ships, Viking godsViking ships、Viking gods）， and, playfully開玩笑的時候， for a big rough-looking bearded man也可以用來形容一個高大、看起來粗獷、留鬍子的男人。