Dictionary:Hjetland

Nynorn

Etymology

.

Shetland use

An Etymological Dictionary of the Norn Language in Shetland (1928–1932)

Jakobsen, Jakob

Gradually, as the Scots from Ireland, in the course of centuries of conflict, got the upper hand of the Picts in Scotland, the earlier Pictland, the Picts were forced back, and undoubtedly some of them from the North of Scotland emigrated to Orkney and Shetland. But these Island-groups had already, a long time previously, probably during several thousands of years, been peopled by Celts (Picts) emigrating from the nearest mainland, “Pictland”. This last name is contained in O.N. Péttlandsfjǫrðr, nowadays called “Pettlandfirth” by the common people in Orkney and Caithness, in English misspelt Pentlandfirth, the fairway between Scotland and the Orkney Isles. The name Pettland contained in “Pettlandfirth” has sometimes been construed as referring to the Orkney Islands, but this is hardly correct. In the first place, the Orkney Isles had, even then for a long time, another name: Orcadian, latinized Celtic adopted by the Northmen, O.N. Orkneyjar; and, in the second place, Pictland was the natural name for Scotland before the Scots became masters of the country; and, later, for those parts of Scotland, where the bulk of the Pictish inhabitants had taken up their abode, particularly the north-east. In the third place, a name ending in “-land” appears less appropriate to the Orkney Isles, whose chief island, Mainland, is not so large and prominent in relation to the other islands as the Shetland Mainland in relation to the other Shetland Islands. “Hjaltland”, the proper and original name for the main island, can therefore be used, with greater warrant, as a name for the whole island-group, collaterally with “Hjaltlandsoyjar”.

Pronunciation

IPA:

Alternate Forms

.

Noun

Hjetland

1. Shetland

Inflection

.

Synonyms

(none known)