NORN KJOKL

Hello, all!!

Okay, way back in July 2013, I joined this forum and briefly mentioned that I'd be needing some assistance with language information for my next novel (see Introduce Yourself, pg. 3). I am NOW finally sitting down to write my novel and I'm getting a little stuck! Just to recap, here's the snippet from that post:

I've chosen to set Book 4 of my vampire series in the Shetland Islands in 1734, mainly due to the location and its Norse history. The majority of the characters in this book will be...hold onto your Shetland ponies...Norse wolf shapeshifting pirates! I'm deriving my lore from the mythology of Mani and Manegarm, how Manegarm the wolf swallows Mani the moon god and that's why we have a lunar eclipse. My Norse shapeshifters are descendants of Manegarm. He is the son of a giant witch in the Ironwood forest east of Midgard (a realm in Norse mythology), so all my Norse shapeshifters will be considered "short" at six-feet tall.

One of the immediate problems I'm having is I'm getting tired of calling my Norse shapeshifters...Norse shapeshifters. I'd love to come up with a Norn term. Perhaps something that could be translated at "wolf kind" or "wolf children". Also I have a a small group of shamans that I call "Spirit Walkers" and I'd love to come up with a Norn term for them, too. They are seers/psychics that walk the spiritual plain to gain wisdom and advise the Clan. I guess you could say the three of them "group astral project" and together have the clarity and strength to gather information they seek. They don't commune with the dead or the past. They just deal wit the living, but on the spiritual plain.

I think I read in this forum that children call their parents Mum and Da? Could someone please verify that? Remember, my story is in 1734. I realize by then the Scottish influence was high and perhaps even a little overwhelming at that point, but I would love for this Clan of shifters to cling to their Norn roots. I have them at war with the humans - mostly the Scottish settlers - who have tried to exterminate their kind.

I'm also limiting the supernatural creatures on this little island I've chosen off the western coast of Papa Stour - Folga Skerry. From what I've researched, the island is uninhabited and has sheer cliff faces. I've picked it because no one lives on it even today, but perhaps back in the late 1600s and early 1700s, my clan did because they were shunned by the human society. "You stay on your little island and we'll maybe leave you alone," could be the attitude. And it could be the reason why no one lives on that island today.

Back to the creatures on the island - it will be the Norse shapeshifters and Selkies. Is there a Norn word for them? Or is "Selkie" the Norn term?

Another question: Can anyone provide any Norn curse words? I have some characters getting a little exasperated and I'd love to use Norn! LOL

Right now I'm just drawing up my first draft, which is a very high-level summary of the storyline. Very little dialogue or setting and more focused on the storyline and events. When I finally start drafting the actual manuscript, I'll probably be looking for more everyday words incorporated into their daily living - terms for shelter, chores, endearments for loved ones and friends, curses on those who cause them grief, etc. The type of food they ate and names of some dishes - desserts or candies children may have enjoyed, yadda yadda. As such, I'd love to keep this thread going with other questions I'll have for my story as I continue writing it.

Again, anyone who contributes will be mentioned in my acknowledgments and I'll be sure to provide the web address for the forum to help spread the word about your delightful home on the Internet! Anyone who contributes will also get a signed paperback copy of the book with your name in the acknowledgments highlighted.

Anyone who is interested in learning more about my series, you can find them on , but I have a bit more information on my website: .

The Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles
Midnight Conquest (Book 1) - 1513 Scotland - FREE eBook at my site, Amazon, B&N and iTunes
Midnight Captive (Book 2) - 1531 Scotland
Midnight Hunt (Book 3) - Germany 1636 during the witch trials
Midnight Eclipse (Book 4) - in the works - 1734 Shetland Islands

Thank you thank you thank you for any information anyone can provide!!

Best,
Arial Burnz
Author

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Arial Burnz
That’s “Arial” like the font…NOT “Ariel” like the mermaid. : \
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How about that : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wulver

In Orkney Norn, a klokaman was a medicine-man who cured by the use of charms (cf Marwick) It basically means wise-man
1884 R. M. Fergusson Rambles 195: Disease caused by such evil elves could only be cured by a charmer, or a Kloka män, who were once numerous enough in the northern isles.

Also, the spae-wives were basically seers who roamed across the Northern Isles. I found it in the form spae-man too. spae is a Scotticized form of ON "spá" f a prophecy.

The Shetland term "galdragon" (a witch) from ON galdrakona. One may coin the term galdraman for a male practitioner of the black arts

I think selki is the right term in Nynorn.

Maybe you should have a look at J.Jakobsen's dictionary!

Hi Arial,

Interesting to hear about your novel! In Norn the words for 'mum' and 'dad' were mamm/mamma and pebi/pobi (read the vowels with the Spanish spelling, not English).

As for shapeshifters, let me think for a while and I will try to find some good word for you. Selkie comes an old Scots word, which was also widespread in Shetland and Orkney, and originally meant 'seal', which later acquired the sense of a supernatural being. This is not an old Norn word, but was certainly known in Shetland by 1734.

Not so many Norn curse words are known, I will need to dig it up too. Just a quick example, "to devilin", which is an anglicised form of what can be translated as "the devil" and obviously served as a negative exclamation.

More soon to follow!

_________________
Arial Burnz
That’s “Arial” like the font…NOT “Ariel” like the mermaid. : \
~ ~ ~ ~

_________________
Arial Burnz
That’s “Arial” like the font…NOT “Ariel” like the mermaid. : \
~ ~ ~ ~

Thank you thank you thank you!!! I will look at those two links and let you know if I have any questions. And I appreciate the clarification on the pronunciation! That really helps.

Woo hoo! Slowly coming together!

_________________
Arial Burnz
That’s “Arial” like the font…NOT “Ariel” like the mermaid. : \
~ ~ ~ ~

Hey arialburnz,

I don't know if you are still following this topic but this article may be of some interest for you (and for anyone researching Norse lycanthropy) http://www.academia.edu/4659347/The_Wer ... Literature

_________________
Arial Burnz
That’s “Arial” like the font…NOT “Ariel” like the mermaid. : \
~ ~ ~ ~