Page:An Etymological Dictionary of the Norn Language in Shetland Part I.pdf/100

XCII

It will be seen that little words such as “til”, “at”, “mig”, “en” have been replaced by English equivalents, and in a few cases the suffixed has lost its significance, because “de” (the) has been prefixed to such words (de bjadn-i, de ᶄø̄r-(ə)n).

In Foula is still remembered the old greeting: Godən dāg (also quoted: Dogən dāg) with the return greeting: Godən (dogən) dāg til dōrā, good-day to you!

A couple of fragments of conversation have been preserved in a somewhat corrupted form:

a) From Foula a colloquy between two old men:

From Unst: Mɔrjan, ara du ɩᶇe? Jō! Sala slāg däin fø̄r ᶄø̄rən? Jo ꬶɛra so, ꬶɛra so: Marion, are you in there? Yes! Shall I “flit” your cows? Yes, do so.