The White Falcon - 27.09.1941, Síða 2

PAGE 2
THE WHITE FALCON
THE WHITE FALCON
Published each Saturday by and
for the American Forces
in Iceland.
PFC. Edward Murray, Jr.
Managing Editor.
PFC. Peter T. M a c y,
News Editor.
PFC. Donald A. Sidenberg,
Circulation Manager.
This paper has been passed by
the censor and may be mailed
home for one cent.
THE EYES UPON US
U.S. Army arrives in Iceland.
These words were written
across the front pages of hund-
reds of newspaper in the Unit-
ed States last week. Its signi-
ficance grew; and into many
languages and scores of for-
ones at home. We carry no
illusion of grandeur — no hope
for glory. But we abound in
a feeling of pride that our task
should he so momentous. Come
whatever obstacles may, we
will not equivocate; for it is
not our desire to do so.
Our feet tread upon the
ground of a kind, courageous
and peace-loving country,
small in population, but rich
in its heritages of noble sons.
We Americans have much in
common with the Icelanders,
and their just laws will become
our laws and their rightful re-
quests -— our desire to grant.
We will find comparative ease
in making ourselves well liked
by just being good Americans.
Each officer and soldier by
his thoughts and actions will
become the guardian of Ame-
ican principles.
When the day comes for our
departure fom these shores we
will, by this code, leave behind
a people whose hearts and
minds will bear only respect
and kindness for America.
Let, then, the eyes of the
world be upon us.
Lessons in Icelandic
By Lieut. Dori Hjalmarsson
LESSON NO. 1
The Icelandic language is a phonetic one. For this reason
it is essential that the beginning student master the phonetics
of each letter of the alphabet. It will be observed that the phone-
tics of a letter *hold quite consistently throughout. It is partic-
ularly important to master the pronounciation of the vowels
for therein, perhaps, lies the most marked difference from that
of English. Also the two additional letters p and 8. Observe also
that modern Icelandic does not have the English, C, Q or W.
The open a writen as se and the pronunciation of the vowel
combinations au, ei, and ey are also to be noted. In pronunci-
ating words bear in mind that the accent almost invariably
falls on the first syllable.
The vowels and consonants are given below in separate
groups. It is suggested that those who care to follow the less-
ons in succeeding issues of this paper, preserve the alphabet
as given for future reference.
VOWELS AND COMBINATIONS. '
eign countries these same Letter Icelandic name Key English sound Icelandic word
words were given to millions a ah father hattur — hat
of people. a o\v now sal — soul
It turned the eyes of a quest- e eh let detta — fall'
ioning world upon us. Americ- e ye (None) fe — sheep
an troops were now close to i i (short) hit finna — find
the scene of a war-torn contin- 1 ee seem Reykjavik
ent and their country —- at 0 0 (short) not oddur — point
peace with all nations. 6 oe toe skoli ■— school
To those of us who compris- 6 oy toy gjora — make
ed this American force these u u (short) full munnur — mouth
words meant work, courage, u 00 moon skur — shower
self-restraint and the will to 3e (open a) I mile mseta — meet
carry out a mission dedicated au oi oil auga — eye
to the security of our loved ei or ey ei weigh Reykjavik
y (Not vowels as such but treated as the letters i and i)
y (respectively)
CONSONANTS.
Letter Icelandic name English word Icelandic word
b bje boat bok — book
d dje do eldur — fire
H1) eth bathe aSrir — others
f eff fife fara - go or start
& gje gold gata - road, path
h ha (how) he hann — he
i jo® (yoth) yes telja — count
k ka (kow) kernel kser — dear
1 el loan sol — sun
11(2) eddl (None) ull —• wool
m em man heima — at home
n en never enskur - English
P pje pot skip — ship
r err roll riki —- state
s ess house Island — Iceland
t tje took vatn -— water
V vaff veer verja — defend
X ex extra strax —.^at once
y i (treated as vowels i and i) yfir — over
y i (respectively) ? : ymis — various
z seta zero bezt — best
XT co S—' jxoddn thin jxrottur — power
NOTE:(i) S is treated as th. Appears within and
(2) Not a letter but included as sound of
eddl.
(3) Added letter appears at bebginning
is the English th and rs at beginning
at end of words.
11 is consistently
of words usually
of words usually
ICELANDERS First
Settlers in America
According to reliable sagas
Leif Ericson left Norway for
Greenland in the year 1000
A.D. He was the son of the
great exile and colonist, Eric
the Red, and was commission-
ed by the ruler of Norway to
carry Christianity to Green-
land. Shortly before Leif reach-
ed Greenland a terrific storm
arose .and he was blown far
south of his course. When the
storm had cleared he was
amazed to see land stretching
out to the west. He immediate-
ly went on shore to find what
manner of country this was.
He found abundant plant and
tree growth all of which was
totally unfamiliar to him. In
his crew, however, was one
old man who had lived in cont-
inental Europe and who recog-
nized at least one species —
the grape or “wine berry7”.
From this fact America became
known in the north as “Vin-
land” or “Wine land”. Leif re-
turned to Greenland and
spread word of his discovery.
The stories, travelling by the
songs of the wandering minstr-
els reached Iceland and fired
the imagination of at least one
adventurer there. This was
Thorfinn Karlsefni who in 1004
witli other Icelanders arrived
in Vinland and settled. These
colonists lived in America for
three years during which time
the first white child —■ an Ice-
lander, was born in America.
Thorfinn and his colonists
were finally driven out by the
uncompromising Indians and
returned to Iceland. So ended
what appears to be the first
white settlement in the new
world — a settlement made by
Icelanders.
A less reliable saga tells us
that America was first sighted
by Bjarni Hjerulfsson, who did
not land, but carried the tale
back with him to inspire the
voyage of Leif Ericson. It is
well established that in 1477
Christopher Columbus visited
Iceland, but whether he was
engaged in gathering data for
his proposed trip at that time
is unknown. In all events it is
now a rarely disputed fact that
a Noi’seman discovered Amer-
ica and Icelanders were its first
white settlers.
So, as a small child greets
his white bearded grandsire,
we, the sons of the new world
salute venerable Iceland.