5.6. A Sea song from Unst ("Delen stoiten")

[Hnolt]

Norn:

Dεlən ståitən ståŋga râra
ōba mỏņa
hwat sēis dū tə bỏņşka vεļa
latna mei bi driŋga
sēna pōba vâra
latna mei bi driŋga
sta'rka bỏrna væsta
şagdə kåļ, ş.k.,
sændə båra væsta
şagdə kåļa gamla
hwεn də wεrna tåpşäg
şagdə kåļ, ş.k.,
hwεn də wεrna tåpşäg
şagdə kåļa gamla

Another variant:
Dâla ståita ståŋga rø˙r (rēla)
bỏņşka væļa mỏņa
sta'rka bỏrna fiskali (sta'rka vỏrna væstali)
şaidə kåļə gambli -
Lēdra bō bi äņdi.

A version from "The Home of a Naturalist":
Saina poba wer-a
Leetra mavi, letra mavi,
Saina poba wer-a
Leetra mavi drengie.

Daala stuyta stonga rara
Oh badeea, oh badeea,
Daala stuyta stonga rara,
Oh badeea moynie.

Wher der isno topshar,
topshag, topshag,
Wher der isno topshag,
Shakda cole o Gamblie.

http://nornlanguage.x10.mx/index.php?shettxt/56seasong

[Lundtrollinn]

Sorry, I don't really understand...

Is it a real song in norn language recorded in Unst ? If yes, when ? And why this graphy ? Was it on sound file or directly on textfile ? Who did this transcription ?

[Hrafn]

Jacob Jacobsen visited Shetland in order to research the Norn language. The language was no longer spoken at that time, but there was many remains, this song is one of them.

Jacobsen was a philologist, and he used phonetic letters when he wrote the songs down.

[Lundtrollinn]

Ok, I expected that, but as well it's not written, I wandered.

[Hnolt]

This is a real Norn song recorded in the late 1800's. Jakob Jakobsen transcribed the song in the 1890's (the first two variants), the third version was published in 1888 by Edmonston in "The Home of a Naturalist", which is available here:

http://www.archive.org/details/homeofnaturalist00edmouoft

[Thorbjorn]

Reading the lyrics reminds me of the Unst Boat Song which I am sure it is. I have the words for another version that I will dig out from my workshop and get posted up. I also have access to a couple of groups/ individuals singing it if anyone wants to hear them.

[Hnolt]

Yes, this is another title of the same song. There used to be an old recording of this song on YouTube which I can't find now. Of course, any other recordings of this song will be very welcome.

[Hnolt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoGGrqWJFeo

Recorded in 1947. The Singer is a native from Unst, John Stikle (1875-1957).

[Ljun]

The 'chorus' here resembles the chorus in a Faroese jesting (comic poem) called "Kall og svein ungi" (The old- and the young man)
However in the Shetland case, there might only be one (old) man involved (monologue), the describing word 'gamla' (old) only being repeated every second time.

Shetland:
sta'rka bỏrna væsta
şagdə kåļ, ş.k., (said the [young?] man)
sændə båra væsta
şagdə kåļa gamla (said the old man)
hwεn də wεrna tåpşäg
şagdə kåļ, ş.k., (said the [young?] man)
hwεn də wεrna tåpşäg
şagdə kåļa gamla (said the old man)
............................

Compare this to the Faroese:

"Hvar rakst tú neyt míni?"
segði kall – (said the [old] man)
"Beint niðan í akur tín!"
segði svein ungi. (said the young man)
"Skam fái tú rekandi!"
segði kall – (said the [old] man)
"So fái tú biðjandi!"
segði svein ungi. (said the young man)
..................

http://www.fotatradk.com/kv/Kall%20og%20Svein%20ungi.htm

[Ugl]

That youtube film is golddust!!. Brilliant