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Description
The topic of this article is AI-assisted normalisation and how it can be used in the context of a historical dictionary. We look at data from A Dictionary of Old Norse Prose, which is a lexicographic resource on the language of medieval Iceland and Norway. This dictionary has a long tradition of using non-normalised, diplomatic text editions as source for its lexicographic descriptions. As a result, the bulk of the citation material remains difficult to access for beginners and non-experts in the language. We tested several LLMs in order to assess whether it would be feasible to provide users with automatic normalisations. The article describes several phases in testing and comparing different LLMs and discussing the types of errors they made. The result show that from the initial experimental phase in 2025 the models have improved significantly and currently are able to provide fairly error-free normalisations. We also mention the option of using modern Icelandic as an intermediate stage in the normalisation process which would facilitate the use of NLP-tools. The conclusion is that LLM-assisted normalisation can support broader access to historical lexicographic data. Such tools combine automated processing with human oversight, allowing historical dictionaries to expand their usability while maintaining scholarly rigour.