NORN KJOKL

I know we dont have enough text from Caithness norn to reconstruct it, but we do have some words

So i got the idea that we take the Caithness words, compare the to the corresponding words in orkney and shetland norn, and find the phonetic differences, and sort out the phonetics of Caithness norn we can. Then that is done we can apply them on Orkney or shetland norn and create a Caithness dialect =)

_________________
Hrafnsmærki skal væifa í vindinum á ný aftr, Þat sum es in sanna Danibrók!

I am already working on this by using the list of norse word in Caithness =)

I intepreet it on the basic of low scots phonology, which i am working on. It is really a great practice for me and i found out some interesting things I tell you when i am done =)

I just want to ask. please leave it to me for now! :D
I am kinda exicted and i want to be the one to do it.

_________________
Hrafnsmærki skal væifa í vindinum á ný aftr, Þat sum es in sanna Danibrók!

I am making progress and i have found out some interresting stuf.
I can already say that, there is of course not enough to reconstruct Caithness norn, but there is enough for us to make a Caithness dialect of another norn :)

So i am going on with the work.

_________________
Hrafnsmærki skal væifa í vindinum á ný aftr, Þat sum es in sanna Danibrók!

Just post it here and we'll see.
My own impression is, if we want to bring Nynorn to Caithness, using the Orkney dialect is be the way to go. We'll hardly manage to create two different dialects for Caithness and Orkney, because there's very little material to build upon. My opinion is that we have to concentrate on a common version for both areas, it will be enough.

I am not done yet =)
So far i have the list of Caithnessnorn words and i am trying to find the corresponding words in Orkneynorn, shetlandnorn and faroese.
Next i will analyse the grammar, then the phonetics. In the end i want to have a shedule where you can take another norn word, and make it into the Caithness dialect (well not that simple of course)

I am soon done with finding corresponding words, and if you want to you can help me to fill in the gaps ^^ but not now.

My impression is that Caithness norn was most similar to Orkneynorn Though it did share some things with shetlandnorn that Orkneynorn didnt.
But if we are going to make a Caithness dialect i would say it will be mostly based on Orkneynorn.

As my impression is now the difference between (the maybe upcoming)Caithness dialect and Orkney norn is the spelling. The grammar would be the same i guess.

That is also why i said dialect. I think it is going to be like Foula shetlandnorn and mainland shetland norn.

Still, i am learning allot about norn from working this out, and it will lead me to work on Orkneynorn, i already found some books i am going to scan about Orkneynorn. (And allot of books about scots Caithness too)

_________________
Hrafnsmærki skal væifa í vindinum á ný aftr, Þat sum es in sanna Danibrók!

Hej Londi and Hnolt

I will send you what i have worked on with caithness norn. I want help to fill out as many gaps as possible. Personally i have no more luck in finding more words.

But what do you say? =)

_________________
Hrafnsmærki skal væifa í vindinum á ný aftr, Þat sum es in sanna Danibrók!

Hi hows it going with your quest for caithnesnorn? I am very much in awe. My tuppence worth for the caithness dialect would be regards intonation. Given the large amount of interaction with the rest of mainland scotland and the fishing comunities interaction with other parts of the uk (fishing boats would have followed herring down to yarmouth and over to wales during the herring migration.) and the reduced interaction with norway I suggest that the caithness lilt would be different to the orkadian and shetlandic lilt. sooo.... the question then would be which region would have had more influance? Do we keep the lilt that we have today ?(which is unique to caithness, you only have to hear how people pronounce uh-hu. [high pitch sliding down to low legato style rather than the staccato low to high usually found in the rest of uk].) Or do we give it a twist based on other influences of the time? If the latter which would have had the greater influance the guteral germanic lilt of old northumbrian english(which was spoken in the lowlands of scotland as well as the north of england), the welsh lilt or the Gaelic lilt of our nearest neighbours?

Looking at the difference in intonation might I suggest that Caithness Nynorn would not have preasperation. My reasoning is that the Gaelic spoken in this area lost its pre-asperation centuries ago. The Northumbrian influance (no asperations) would have had some input but I would have thought that if the local norn had kept its preasperations then the gealic would have too. The only reason I can see for the local gealic to drop its preasperation (given that everywhere else in scotland kept it.) is if it got in the way of communicating with locals. This dropping of phonics can also be seen in the way the common english adopted french words during the Norman period in England. (court french remained french sounding whilst amongst the common people words were anglofied.)