Page:An Etymological Dictionary of the Norn Language in Shetland Part I.pdf/45

 IV.

The old inflexional endings have, for the most part, dropped off, and the simple English method of inflexion has become general. In various words, however, old inflexional endings are found preserved in a fossilized state ( having lost their significance); and added on to these endings, in the case of nouns, is the English genitive and plural inflexional -s. Several words have adopted English and Scottish suffixes.

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1. The masculine nominative -r is found in a few substantives: adnaᶊūr. blostər, blɔustər [blástr]. fɔgbȯrdər (-gər) [*fokburðr]. glōmər [glámr]. gōgər [ goggr]. gostər [gustr]. hɛᶅər [hellir]. hōgər [hagr], ıldər [eldr], $1$. kɛgər, ᶄɛgər = $1$. kɛpər, ᶄɛpər [keppr]. *mādər [matr] (see Fragments of Norn, conversation), sᶇokər, sᶇogər, sᶇukər, sᶇugər [snykr],. ᶊaldər [tjalðr],.

2. Nominative -i has been preserved in several words, : äᶇdi [andi], $1$. bani [bani]. bıdi [biti]. brimi [brimi]. bødi [*bœti], $2$,. fjäᶇdi [fjandi]. ga‘lti, gȯ‘ᶅti [galti]. grani [granni], . hēgri [hegri], $1$. 2 kāvi [*kafi]. li̇̄ri [ líri]. mogi [magi], mæ‘rki [merki], $2$. nɔki [nokki], $1$. pøti, [*pytti],,. raki [rakki], $1, 2$. sōdi, sɔdi [*sáti = sæti], $1$. spadi [spaði]. stjāgi [stjaki]. -twari [*þvari] *,. tæri [*þerri],. Applied to some names of stallions and bulls, ending in -i, see § 8.

. In some words the suffixed -i is the Scottish diminutive ending -ie, which however in by no means always has a diminutive sense. Thus e.g.: bōli = bōl [bál], $1$,. glāni = glān: $2$, . ꬶøti = gȯit [gátt],, hogi [hǫgg], $1$, krugi [ krugg],. lopi, lupi [laupr], $1$, lupi. mēᶊi [meiss]. mæ‘rki [mergr], $1$ = $1$. ɔus·kær·i [aus(t)ker],. røni [hraun]. skøvi [skauf], $1$. ᶊopə‘l·ti, [*sjópiltr],. stæ‘rti [stertr]. sukni [sókn]. — With regard to -i for older -a see § 9; as also -ək for -i see § 11.

3. Some words in the masculine gender ending in -i have been preserved in the accusative form, ending in -a. -i and -a alternate, see. i̇̄la (i̇̄la-stane) [íli]. kāfa (mūr·kā·fa) = kāvi [*kafi]. klȯva (klȯvi) [klofa from klofi]. sᶄɛga (-i) [skeka from skeki]. strȯba [stropi].
 * fȯna, fəna (-i) [funa from funi]. hōga [haga from hagi];

4. In some words -i has been dropped, : andər, [anddyri],,  bɔ̇d [boði], $2$, dım [dimmi]. (ogə-) dū [dái],