Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1964, Blaðsíða 163

Norn in Shetland
171
Jakobsen in the Norse languages, nor his great work for
Faroese. And although in Shetland he was breaking new
ground, it is probably true that no one else could have
done for the Norn what he accomplished. But even the
Bible has its commentaries, and if what follows may seem
unduly critical, it must not be regarded as in any way
lacking in appreciation of Jakobsen’s great work.
He himself tells us that when he set out for Shetland
in 1793 his knowledge of the Shetland dialect was confined
to Edmondston’s Glossary (which includes Orkney words)
and “Shetland Fireside Iales” (in a mixed Scotch—South Shet*
land dialect). He makes a very full acknowledgment of his
helpers, serious students themselves, but lacking the Old
Norse knowledge just as Jakobsen himself lacked the Scots.
Three he gives special mention to; John Irvine, Laurence
Williamson, and William Ratter. Irvine spoke Danish and
Norwegian fluently, and had studied Aasen’s dictionary.
Williamson had met Vigfusson, possessed Cleasby and
Vigfusson’s dictionary, had invented his own phonetic
alphabet, and made extensive lists of rarer words. Ratter,
a younger man, was an enthusiastic helper then and later.
With the aid of a manuscript supplement by Principal
Barclay of Glasgow University, Jakobsen had a consider*
able basis for his future studies. In the English version of
his dictionary he makes full acknowledgment of his helpers.
Very few Shetlanders know Jakobsen’s books. They
are expensive and hard to obtain. Shetland education
includes French, Latin and Greek, but nothing about their
own beginnings, and if it did there are no teachers. A
Shetlander is accustomed to English orthography, which
is quite illogical to Scandinavians. His word “peerie”
looks quite strange to him as “piri”. With place*names the
situation is even more confused. No Englishman or Scots*
man can pronounce a Shetland placeíname without being
detected. The spellings on the map, written by Englishmen
in a languge which lacks all modified vowels, are often