Angus

PREFACE.

The object which I have in view in publishing this Glossary is to help to preserve what yet remains among us of our old Norn languages, and at the same time to give a fair sample of our dialect as it was spoken in the nineteenth century, and on to the present time.

I have endeavoured to make my vocabulary something more than a mere list of words. A list of words may be interesting to the philologist, but it can be little practical use to an ordinary person. By marks to denote the different vowels sounds, I have given the common pronunciation, and by quotations of colloquial phrases I have tried to show the idioms of our vernacular speech, so that strangers may see the pecularities that make it a distinct dialect.

Preparing this work has been a pleasant task to me, and now I leave it with the hope that it may be a means of entertainment to the old and of instruction to the young who may deign to persue it.

J. S. A.

St. Olaf Street, Lerwick, March 1914.

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Glossary of Shetland Dialect.

A.

Ā, n. the first letter of the alphabet.

ĀĀ, or Ā’, adj. the whole; every one of; every part of.

Ā, prep. of; belonging to; relating to.

Ā, v.p. have; to effect. "I wid a dun it if A could."

Ā, first person pron. I, when emphatic I.

ȦBER, adj. sharp, acute, as an edge-tool; clear, well defined, as a cloudless sky; eager, as a hungry fish at a bait; secure, as a knot on a line; ardent, severe; v.p. to sharpen, as a knife; to stir up and make bright, as a fire.

ȦBER KNOT, n. a mystical knot; a knot on a wrestin treed.--A proper wrestin treed is made in three strands, with three knots on each strand. Such a thread applied to a sprain, while the prescribed incantation is being muttered by the operator, is an infallible remedy.

ABOOT, prep. around, surrounding; adv. nearly.

ABÜN, prep. above.

ABÜN A’, exceeding, extraordinary; exceptional, without precedent.

ABÜN’BÜIRD, adv. without reserve; openly admitted or disclosed.

ACHT, n. a valuable possession, "Hit wis a acht ta hea"; state of being possessed, " I hae no wan upo mi acht"; v.p. owned, "Wha acht it" = to whom did it belong.

AD’NASJŪR, n. a large wave, or waves, coming after a succession of lesser ones.

ADÜM’S, adv. for example. "Adums a me," = I am an example, as it is in my case.

AER, n. an oar.

AES, n. a blaze, a blazing fire.

AESIN, v.a. and adj. blazing.

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AEZHENS, n. the eaves of a roof, the part of a roof that projects over the face of the wall.

AEZHENHEAD, n. the level top of the side wall of a house inside of the roof.

AFF, adv. "Geng aff," go a-fishing in a boat. "Lay aff," declaim. "Set aff," depart. "Tak aff," abate, as the wind; snub. "Win aff," finish the voar work.

AFBEN’D, v.p. to take the bends off a horse.

AFBEAR’IN v.a., pr.p., and adj. dissuading.

AFBID’DIN, adj. having a forbidding appearance, having a threatening aspect; forbidding.

AFBREG’, v.p. to alter the ear-marks of a sheep, to change from one man's mark to another man's mark.

AFBREG’GET, adj. having the ear-marks altered.

AFF’LŪG’ENS, n. the same as afrinnens.

AF’LAY, n. declamation, fluency of speech, display in speaking.

AFLOD’DEN, v.p. to unload, to discharge the cargo of a boat.

AFLŪ’VA, n. the same as afrug.

AFORE’, prep. and adv. before.

AF’RINNENS, n. the heaviest part of the refuse of corn, which falls on the tail of the flakki when the corn is being fljūget.

AF’RUG, n. the reflux of a wave after it has struck the shore.

AFRÜI’D, v.p. to dissuade.

AFT, adv. often.

AF’SET, n. something in a person's dress or manner which makes him show to advantage; a showy, assertive manner.

AF’TAK, n. disparaging insinuation; a sarcasting remark; an inuendo; a snub. The discontinuance of a spell of bad weather.

AF’WINNEN, n. a supper in celebration of the fishing of the voar work.

AG, n. the choppy motion of waves when they come near to a weather shore; the agitated motion of the sea when it has met an obstruction. Eagerness, "De'r ne ag upo da fish da day." v.a. to incite, to provoke to action; to allure.

AGAIN, prep. against, opposite to, opposed to.

AG’GEK, n. a fish--the same as the skitik.

AG’GISOM, adj. having a threatening appearance.

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AGGL, v.p. to defile, to soil; v.a. to act in such a way as to cause defilement or inhury, "To aggl intil a thing."

AGRAVA’TIOUS, adj. aggravating, irritating, annoying.

ȦH, pron. what? what do you say?

AHINT’, prep. behind.

AIKER, n. the crop of the bere plant.

AIN, adj. own; belonging to.

AIR, n. the firmament, the atmosphere, "Whartu is du staandin gaanin up idda air lek a moniment?"

AIR, n. a very small quantity.

AIR, n. smell, odour; effluence, "I felt da air o's breath." "Lass, ko di's intru an get da air a da fire."

AIR, n. a seabeach composed of shingle.

AIRV’HUS, n. the place of meeting appointed by the Foud.

ĂK’KAMI, n. a poor infirm person or animal.

ĂK’KER, n. fragments, minute particles; especially corn trampled by animals or broken down by the wind, "Laid in akker."

ĂKKERDÜIR’, v.a. to put up with, to persevere with, to have patience with; to endure; to endeavour.

ĂKLIN, n. a sullen person.

ĂKS, v.p. ask.

ĂKSJON, n. an act, a performance.

ĂKTIV, adj. industrious.

ĀLAN, n. a fowl--the skuti-alan.

ĀLD, adj. old.

ALDFARRANT, adj. antiquated, old-fashioned.

ALDWARLD, adj. belonging to, or relating to ancient times.

ĀLI, v.p. to pet, to cherish, to nourish.

ALIKAD’DI, n. a pet lamb.

ALIKRAB', n. a species of crab, of a small size, commonly found in the ebb lying under a tuft of tang.

ALIKRO’GI, n. a weakly animal that cannot stand the cold, and so is addicted to crouching under shelter.

ALIKRŪK’I, n. a sort of bukki.

ALIPAT’TI n. a pet swine.

ALIPLUKK’ENS, n. wool taken off the belly of a sheep, supposed to be the best quality of wool.

ÂLL’ISJON, n. a shoemaker's crooked awl.

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ÂL’MARK, n. an animal that cannot be restrained from trespassing on arable land; a sheep that jumps over dykes or breaks through fences.

ALTO’, conj. although.

AMÊST’, adv. almost.

AM’MEL, v.a. to try to do a thing; to make an attempt; n. an attempt.

AM’MERSWAK, n. a state of unrest, a state of turmoil, "What's du in sik a ammerswak aboot?"

AMOS, n. a dole promised to some indigent person on condition that some hoped for good comes to the person who promises. "To lay on amos"--to promise an a mos. "To win a amos"--if the hoped for good thing is got or gained, then it is said that the person to whom the promise was made has won the amos. "If du wins dat amos at I get dis diksjonar dun afore Yul, I s'be awn dee a new pair a rivlins."

AMOS BODDI, n. a person who is deserving of charity; a person who is capable of winning an amos.

ĂMP, n. anxiety, watchfulness; anxious, anticipation of some expected event; v.a. "to amp," "I lay ampin aa nicht lipnin Johni ta da door."

ÂN, conj. if.

ÂN’DER, n. a porch, a lobby; the speace between an outer and an inner door.

AN’DI, n. a stench, offensive smell.

ĀN’DŪ, v.a. to keep a boat in position by rowing gently against wind or tide.

ĂN’KER, n. a measure of capacity--1/3 of a barrel, 10 gallons.

ÂN’KLOVAN, n. sea name for fire-tongs.

ÂNN’ASTER, n. a two-year old animal, an animal in its second year.

ĂNN’IWHART, adj. uneven, unsteady, changeable as the wind.

ĂNS’ABLE, adj. heedful, attentive, obedient.

ĂNSE, v.p. to heed, to pay attention to, to respond to a request or command; to obey.

ÂNNS, n. the heavier part of chaff which rests on the flakki when corn is being winnowed, and does not fly away as the chaff does.

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ĂNT’ERIN, adj. occasional, occurring at intervals.

ĂNT’INMAS, n. January 17, the same as Uphelli a'.

ÂNUN’DER, prep. under.

ÂPPLOWS’, n. approbation; v.p. to applaud.

ÂRG, adj. eager, fierce; v.a. to argue, to contend in argument.

ÂRG’ERI, n. a disorderly crowd.

ÂRG’OSI, n. anger, malice.

ĂRK, n. big chest for holding a meal; anything very big of its kind.

ĂR’RIS, n. the last weak movement of a tide--ebb or flood--before still water. The sharp corner of a square piece of wood.

ÂR’VI, n. chickweed (Alcine media).

ÂS, conj. than. "Du tinks at du's better as me, an I tink at A'm as gud as dee."

ĀSKU’T, adv. being barely perceptible over, or alongside of some intervening object. See skut.

ĀSUN’D, adv. in a fainting fit.

ĂT, rel. pron. that. "Dat at I wis tellin dee."

ĀTHIN’, prep. within.

ĀTHŪT’, prep. without.

ĂT’SET, n. commencement; the first of the flood tide.

ĂT’TIFER, n. attitude, demeanour, manner, "He has a queer attifer aboot 'm."

ĂT’TIFIELD, n. land which is delved the second time--the second year--after being ley.

ĂT’TIKAST, n. a poor, helpless person; a thing which fit only to be cast aside.

ĂT’TISLŪ, n. a drag attached to a harrow; the as slüi.

ĀTWEEN’, prep. between.

ĀVA’, adj. of all; at all; wholly, completely.

ĀW, v.p.' owe; to be bound to pay.

ĀWA’, adv. away, abroad; v.p. to commence, "He's awa to rain again."

ĀWE, v.p. to overawe, to put in fear, "Riggi awes Sholmi."

AWHANT’, v.p. acquainted.

AWN, adj. owing, idebted to.

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ĀWN’ER, n. one, besides others, who has the right of grazing in the common pasture.

ĀW’SOM, adj. calculated to inspire awe, fearful.

AYONT’, prep. beyond.