Stanzas 45-52 show variants of fornyrðislag, including málaháttr (the speech metre) which has more syllables per line and is used in heroic poems like Atlamál. Snorri carefully distinguishes the rhythmic character of the different epic variants.
Málaháttr heitir þat er líkt er fornyrðislagi en þó er hverr línur lengri. Þat er notað þar er tal manna er lýst eða þar er langar rœður eru. Þetta er meðal dróttkvæðs ok fornyrðislags at eðli.
Málaháttr is the name of the metre that resembles fornyrðislag but where each line is longer. It is used where the speech of men is depicted or where long orations occur. This metre is by its nature between dróttkvætt and fornyrðislag.
Stanzas
Háttatal 45
Hilmir ræðr land ok líðsmenn gætir, konungr kennir vel knappar sínar þjónar. Jarl er þar ok jörð um ræðr hann, Skúli er þengill þjóðar landsmenn.
The prince rules the land and guards his men, the king leads well his closest servants. The earl is there also and he governs the land, Skúli is the prince of the people and the folk of the land.