Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1976, Page 66

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Faroese Bird-Name Origins (VI)
huppr ‘hip’ in reference to the distinctive white spot (hyplings-
hlettur) which often figures in cormorant names, cf. FBN, 26.
We subsequently (Fróð., xvi, 106 f.) had reason to suppose that
the name must have arisen as a noa word. There seems to be
more evidence in the same direction.
As the analysis shows, hyplingur means literally something
like ‘fellow with the hip’, but the tell-tale spot which provided
the motivation is surprisingly not mentioned. We may now com-
pare the name with a Norwegian synonym kvitlaring lit. ‘fel-
low with the white thigh’, the same word as Shetland Norn
hwitlorin, which however also appears simply as lorin, i. e.
the stage exemplified by hyplingur. We conclude, therefore,
that ON *hypplingr will have been an abbreviated form of an
original *hvíthypplingr, interpreting the short form as a step
in the direction of anonymity in the interest of word taboo,
essentially as in the case of bakur ‘greater black-backed gull’
from svarthakur {Fróð., xxiii, 22).
Mortítlingur
The wren name mortítlingur poses no formal problems, cf.
FBN, 28, and one sees that it arose after the analogy of the
common name grátítlingur lit. ‘grey tit’. But what actually led
to the coining and widespread acceptance of this new name in
the face of the old-established músabróðir?
It seems that the point of departure is to be sought in the
now little used synonym hin morreyði lit. ‘the dark brown one’,
in reference to the colour of the bird’s back. We have here yet
another of those somewhat imprecise circumlocutions based on
adjectives and commonly found in evasive names, as hin halli
‘shearwater’ lit. ‘the sloping one’ or hin hláa á køstinum ‘crow’
lit. ‘the black one on the midden’ (FBN, passim). At all events,
the wren has obviously been considered important enough to
be referred to with some deference, otherwise the use of such
a term would be inexplicable. The Faroese wren is a noted
vocalist; listen to M. á Ryggi, Fuglahókin, 11: Altíð er hann