27 April 2018

How did it sound? #6: I, J, Y and Í

[for other vowels see list here]

As the other vowels, these letters -- transliterated by me as I, J, Y and Í -- are used far from consequently, but some rules of thumb will be listed.

The I-dot or J must have been like y in 'year' (German/ Dutch: j as in Jahr/ jaar). It is mostly used in the article THJU (the), in personal pronouns HJU (she), HJA (they), HJAM (them), HJARA (their), J (you, also spelled: I), and at the end of verbs (e.g. WÁRJA, WÉJA, FOLGJA).

Other personal pronouns also have an I-sound, for example: IK (I), MY, MIN (my), THIN (your), HI/HY/Y (he), HIM, HIS, (his/her), SIN/SYN (his, their, its), WI/WY (we).

The normal I is also used in articles THI (the), prepositions BI (by, also spelled BÍ or BY), IN, MITH (with), verb IS. Pronunciation will have been like i in is: short, unaccented.

The regular Y, with the spoke pointing up-left, has in many cases become the stretched Dutch 'ij'/'ei' or German 'ei' (this sound does not exist in English but is a bit like ai or eigh or i in 'side'), for example:
FRY ==== (D) vrij, (F) frij, (G) frei, (E) free
BRYN === (D/F) brein, (E) brain
BILYVA (also with Í) === (D) blijven, (F) bliuwe, (G) bleiben
YDEL === (D) ijdel, (F) idel, (G) eitel, (E) idle

However, in many Dutch and German dialects, these vowels are pronounced as a long ee in English free.

The Í with the spoke pointing right-up seems to often have more become a stretched ie in Dutch and German (ee in free or ea in tea):
FLÍ === (D arch.) vlieden, (G) fliehen, (E) flee
VRLÍSA === (D) verliezen, (F) ferlieze, (G) verlieren, (E: loose)
However, also often Dutch 'ij'/'ei' or German 'ei', just like the Y.

It is sometimes a variety of the long É:
SKÍDNIS for SKÉDNIS === (D) geschiedenis, (F) skiednis (E: history).
Or of the J:
LÍAF for LJAF === (D) lief, (F) leaf, (G) lieb, (E: dear).
Or the
I: SÍDE for SIDE === (D) zijde, (G) Seite, (E/F) side

Some more randomly chosen examples:

BINNA === (D/F) binnen
FIFTIGOSTE === (D) vijftigste, (F) fyftichste, (G) fünfzigste, (E) fiftiest
FINDA === (name, meaning:) (D) vinden, (F) fine, (G) finden, (E) find
KRÉION (also: KRYEN) === (D) kregen, (F) krije, (G) kriegen
KWIK === (D) kwiek/kwik, (F) kwyk/kwik, (E) quick
-ISK === (D/G) -isch, -ish
LIF === (D) lijf, (F) liif, (G) leib, (E) life
-LIK === (D) -lijk, (F) -lik, (G) -lich, (E) -like
LINDA
RIP === (D) rijp, (F) ryp, (G) reif, (E) ripe
SPIS- === (D) spijs-, (F) spiis, (G) speis-, (E) spise-
THINGA === (D,F) dingen, (G) Dinge, (E) things
THISSA === (D) deze, (F) dizze, (G) diese, (E) these
THRIA/THRJA === (D) drie, (F) trije, (G) drei, (E) three
TID === (D) tijd, (F) tiid, (G) Zeit, (E) tide
TWILIF- === (D) twaalf, (F) tolve, (G) zwölf, (E) twelve
WÉI === (D/G) weg, (F) wei, (E) away

DJARA === (D) dieren, (G) Tiere (vero: deer, dear)
FJANDA === (D) vijanden, (G) feinde
FJVWER === (D/G) vier, (F) fjouwer, (E) four
JÉR === (D) jaar, (F) jier, (G) Jahr, (E) year
JÉRDE === (D/F) -geerde/-gearde, (G) -gehrte
JESTER === (D) gisteren, (F) juster, (G) gestern, (E) yester-
JETA === (E) yet
JOL === (D) joel, (G) jul, (E) yule
JRTHA === (D) aarde, (F) ierde, (G) Erde, (E) earth
LJAWA === (D) lieve, (F) leave, (G) liebe
LJU(D) === (D) lied-, (F) lju, (G) leut-
NJUGON === (D) negen, (F) njoggen, (G) neun, (E) nine
RJUCHT === (D/G) recht, (F) rjocht, (E) right
SJAN === (D) zien, (F) sjen, (G) sehen, (E) see

-TÍZA === (D) -tijgen/-tichten, (F) -tichtsje
BLÍ(D) === (D) blij(d)-, (F)bliid
DÍWEK === name Dieuwke
DRÍST === (D) driest, (F) dryst
DRÍVA === (D) drijven, (F) driuwe, (G) treiben, (E) drive
FÍAND === (D) vijand, (F) fijân, (G) Feind
FÍL === (D) viel, (F) foel, (G) fiel, (E) fell
FÍRJA === (D) vieren, (F) fiere, (G) feiern
FÍT (also Y) === (E) feet
GÍR === (D/F) gier, (G) Geier
GLÍANDE === (D) gloeiende, (F) gleone, (G) glühend, (E) glowing
HÍR === (D/G) hier, (F) hjir, (E) here
-HÍV === (D) -hief
ÍN- === (D) een, (F) ien, (G) ein, (E) one
ÍSER === (D) ijzer, (F) izer, (G) Eisen, (E) iron
KÍASA === (D) kiezen, (F) kieze, (E) choose
-KLÍWA === (D) -klijven
NÍG- === (D) nijg-, (G) neig-, (E) nigh
NÍTHER === (D) neder, (G) nieder, (E) nether
PAMPÍER === (D/F/G) papier, (E) paper
SKRÍVA === (D) schrijven, (F) skriuwe, (G) schreiben, (E) scribe
SPLÍTON === (D) splijten, (F) spjalte, (G) spalten, (E) split
SWÍRMJA === (D) zwermen, (F) swaarmje/swermje
THAWÍLA === (D) terwijl, (F) wylst, (G) weil, (E) while

BYLD === (D) beeld, (F) byld, (G) Bild
HLY === (D) luwte, (F) lijte, (G/E) Lee
HYR- === (D) her-/heir-, (G) Heer- (army)
KNY (also Í) === (vero:) (D/G) knie, (E) knee

KY === (F) kij (cows)
LYDA === (D) lijden, (F) lije, (G) leiden
NY === (D) nieuw, (F) nij, (G) neu, (E) new
SYTJA === name Sijtje
VRFYA === (D) verfoeien, (F) ferfije
VRSLYNNA === (D) verslinden

YTA === (D) eten, (F) ite, (G) essen, (E) eat

25 April 2018

How did it sound? #5: U varieties

[for other vowels see list here

The U with dot was transliterated by me as Û; most modern Dutch cognates are spelled with "ui", a sound that is not used in German or English (pron. like French fauteuil).
The less common U with one spoke in the middle was transliterated by me as Ü; most modern Dutch cognates are spelled with "eu", a sound not used in English, but similar to the Nordic "ø" or German "ö".

Like with the other vowels, the use is in many cases not consequent. For example, UT / ÛT, BÛTA / BUTA, BÛRA / BÜRA, FÛL / FÜL etc.

The most common word with Ü is the verb MÜGE (to may). Common words with Û are STJÛRAR (steersmen or navigators) and THÛSAND (thousand). Most common use of the regular U is in HJU (she), THJU (the), TILTHJU (so that), in plurals ending -UM, and verbs ending -UN or -UM. It is remarkable that in the modern versions of the words with the regular U, the sound has often changed into totally different directions.

The probe texts had too few examples, so I made lists below, taken from the whole text. The list with the regular U is not complete, but the other two lists are, more or less. They are meant to give an idea of how the modern versions of the words (if applicable) are.


With normal U, besides HJU, THJU, TILTHJU, plurals -UM and verbs -UN, -UM: a short u as in luck:
(in words with more syllables ending -UR: unstressed -er:)
ADDUR === (D/E) adder
ALGÁDUR === (archaic D) altegader, allegaar, (E) altogether (1x -ER)
SÉKUR === (D) zeker, (D) sicher, (E) sure
(other, accentuated:)
BURCH === (D) burcht, (G) Burg
BUTA (also Û) === (D) buiten, (F) bûten
BUWGJA === (D) buigen, (G) biegen
DUBBEL === (D) dubbel, (F) dûbel, (G) doppelt, (E) double
DUN === (D) duin, (F) dún, (G) Düne, (E) dune
FJUR === (D) vuur, (F) fjoer, (G) Feuer, (E) fire
FJUWER vier === (D/G) vier, (F) fjouwer, (E) four
FLUX === (D) vlug, (F) fluch
HUS (also Û) === (D) huis, (G) Hause, (E) house
KRUPA === (D) kruipen, (E) creep
LJUD === (D) lieden, (G) leute
LUK === (D) geluk, (F) lok, (E) luck
LUST- === (D/E) lust
NJUGON (also V) === (D) negen, (F) njoggen, (G) neun, (E) nine
RJUCHT === (D/G) recht, (F) rjocht, (E) right
RUN === (D) ren-, (F) run/rin-, (G) renn-/rann-, (E) run/ran
SJUGUN/-ON === (D) zeven, (G) sieben, (E) seven
SMUK- === (D) smuk-, (D) schmuck
STURF === (D) stierf/storf, (G) starb/storb
SUSTER === (D) zuster, (G) Schwester, (E) sister
THRJU === (D) drie, (G) drei, (E) three
UT (also Û) === (D) uit, (F) út, (G) aus, (E) out

With Û (U-dot): a long ui as in French fauteuil:
BISLÛTA === (D) besluiten
BJÛSTRE === (D) bijster
-BRÛDA === (D) bruiden/bruien
BRÛWSENDE === (D) bruisende
BÛDA === (D) buidel, (G) Beutel
BÛGJA === (D) buigen, (G) beugen
BÛTA === (D) buiten (also U)
BÛRA === (D) beuren (also Ü)
BÛRA === (D) buren
BÛRT === (D) buurt
DJÛRA
FÛL === (D) veel (also Ü), (G) viel
GÁDÛRAD
GRÛSICH
GRÛWEL
GÛLDE === (D) huilde
HLÛD/ LÛD === (D) luid, (G) laut, (E) loud
HÛD === (D) huid, (G) Haut
HÛNING === (D) honing (mostly Ü)
HÛS === (D) huis (also U), (G) Haus, (E) house
JÛWGADE === (D) juichten
KRÛDON === (D) kruiden
LJÛCHT (mostly LJUCHT)
LJÛD.GÉRT (mostly LJUD)

MÛS === (D) muis, (G) Maus, (E) mouse
SKÛRUM
SMÛGRIGE === (D) smuigerig
STJÛRAR === (D) sturen
STÛT === (D) stuit
SÛD- === (D) zuid
SÛGANE === (D) zuigen
THJÛSTER === (D) duister
THÛSOND === (D) duizend, (G) tausend, (E) thousand
TJÛGANDE === (D) betuigend
TRÛLED
ÛLYSUS
ÛT (also U) === (D) uit, (F) út, (G) aus, (E) out
VRTJÛGAD === (D) overtuigd
WÁKENDÛM (exception, mostly -DOM)

With Ü (U-spoke): a long eu as in German Köln:
BÜR- (also Û) === (D) beuren
DÜGED === (D) deugd, (G) Tugend
DÜRE === (D) deur, (F) doar, (G) Tür, (E) door
FRÜ === (D) vreugde, (G) Freude
FRÜCHDA === (D) vruchten/vreugde, (G) Früchte/Freude
FÜGEL === (D/G) vogel
FÜL === (D) veel (also Û, dialect veul), (G) viel
FÜR === (D) voor (exception, mostly FÁR), (G) für
GÜR === (D) geur
HÜGJA === (D) heugen
HÜNING (1x Û) === (D) honing, (F) huning, (G) Honig, (E) honey
JÜGED === (D) jeugd, (G) Jugend
MÜGE/-A/-ON === (D) mogen, (E) may
SIN.TÜGA === (D) zintuigen
SÜMER (1x) === (D) zomer, (F) simmer, (G) Sommer, (E) summer
TÜNIS === (D) name Teunis
TÜNTJA === (D) name Teuntje

24 April 2018

How did it sound? #4: O, Ô and ʘ

[for other vowels see list here

On the page that shows how the various letters are derived from the Wheel, the ʘ (O with central dot, transliterated by me as Ó) is not listed, but it is used 23 times in the manuscript for words, many of which also occur spelled with Ô (O with two lowest spokes or A inside). I think it is not actually a separate letter, but rather another way of making the Ô or OA. In the following list some varieties (bolded) and modern versions (Dutch, Frisian, German, English) are added (not all). It would be interesting to see how the varieties are distributed among the various authors or parts of the manuscript. To artificially create this non-random spelling variety (in order to create the 'illusion of authenticity', as the hoax-conspiracy theorists call it) would have been a hell of a job.

BÓSMA === (D) boezems, (G) Busen, (E) bosoms
BÓT- (also BÔT) === (D/G) boot, (E/F) boat
FÓ === (D) fout (French: faux)
HÓLA === (D) holen, (F) hoalen, (G) Höhlen, (E) holes
LÓFT === (D) lucht, (F) loft, (G) Luft
MÓN (MÔN, MAN, MÀN) === (D) men, (G) man
MÓNATH/ -A (also with Ô) === (D) maand, (F) moanne, (D) Monat, (E) month
NÓM- (more common with Ô) === (D) naam-/noem-, (F) namme, (E/G) name
NÓS (also NÔS) === (D) neus, (F) noas, (G) Nase, (E) nose
ÓL- (ÔL-, AL-, ÁL-)
ÓN- (ÔN)
ÓNI === (G) ohne
ÓRA (mostly Ô) === (F) oare, (D/G) andere, (E) other
ÓWERS (mostly Ô)
SNÓRANE (also with Ô or Á) === (D) snoeren
TÓNGAR === (D) donder, (F) tonger, (G) Donner, (E) thunder
WÓLKA  === (D/F/G) wolken

The list above already has examples of words that also occur with A, Á or À in stead of Ó or Ô. The same variety is common in the list of words with Ô (again, list may not be complete):

BLÔS- === (D) bloos-, (E) blush-
-BÔGE === (D) boog, (F) bôge, (E) bow, (G) Bogen
BÔM- (BÁM-) === (D) boom, (F) beam, (G) Baum
BÔT- === (D/G) boot, (E/F) boat
BRÔND === (D) brand, (F) brân
FÔNE (FÁNE) === (D) vaan, (F) fane, (G) Fahne
FÔR- === (D) voor-, (F) foar-, (G) vor-, (E) for-
HÔND- (HÁND) === (D/G/E) hand, (F) hân
HÔNE/ -A === (D) haan, (F) hoanne, (G) Hahn
"JON. JÔN. JHON ÀND JÁN" (varieties of name John, Jan, Jon)
KRÔN- === (D) kroon, (F) kroan, (G) krone
LÔMERA (LÀMKES) === (D) lammeren, (F) lammen, (G) Lämmer, (E) lams
-LÔN- (-LÁN-) === (D) laan, (F) leane/loane, (E) lane
LÔNG- (LANG) === (D/G/F) lang, (E) long
LÔS (LÁS) === (D) los/loos, (F) los/loas, (G) los/lose, (E) loose
-MÔN- (-MÀN-/-MAN-) === (D/E/F) man, (G) Mann
MÔNE/MÔNATH === (D) maan/maand, (F) moanne, (G) Mond/Monat, (E) moon/month
MÔRNE (MORNE) === (D/G) morgen, (F) moarn, (E) morning
-NÔM-, (-NÁM-, NOM) === (D) naam-/noem-, (F) namme, (E/G) name
NÔSE === (D) neus, (F) noas, (G) Nase, (E) nose
ÔGON, ÔGNUM (ÁGNUM/ÁGNE/ÁGA) === (D) ogen, (F) eagen, (G) Augen, (E) eyes
ÔL- (AL-, ÁL-) [note: ÔLLERWECHS, ÔLLERLÉJA only on pp. 164-166 by Ljudgeart the Geartman; elsewhere: ALLERWÉIKES, ALLERLÉJA]
ÔLD- (ALD-, OLD) === (D) oud-, (F) âld, (G) alt-, (E) old-
ÔN (only 1x) (AN) === (D) aan, (F) oan, (G) an, (E) on
-ÔR-, -E, -A, -UM, ÔTHER-, ÔWERS === (F) oare, (D/G) andere, (E) other
PLÔNK (PLANK-) === (D/E) plank, (F) planke
RÔS- === (D) roos, (F) roas, (E/G) rose
SKÔNDA (SKANTHA) === (D/G) schande, (F) skande
SNÔRA- (SNÁRA) === (D) snoeren
VNTHÔNKES === (D) ondanks

This variety of spelling suggest that also in the distant past there already was a variety of pronunciation. The Ó or Ô wil have been a long, open sound somewhere on the sliding scale between O and A.


Many of the words listed above also occur spelled with a normal O. I only mentioned a few examples of that. The following list is of words from the two probe texts with the regular O.

1) ending -OD/-OL/-OK (stressed) >>> sound O, OE, U, OO
BOK- === (D/F) boek, (G) Buch, (E) book
FLOD === (D) vloed, (F) floed, (G) Flut, (E) flood
GOD === (D) goed/God, (G) gut/Gott, (E) good/God
JOL === (D) joel, (G) Jul, (E) yule

(elsewhere: MOD === (D/F) -moed, (G) mut, (E) mood >>> derived from this root:)
MODER === (D) moeder, (G) Mutter, (E) mother
OD === (old-D) ode/oede/hode/hoede?

2) ending -ON/-ONG/-OND/-OST (unstressed) >>> these O sounds have dissapeared!
BÀRDON === (D) baarden
GVNGON (GVNGEN) === (D/G) gingen, (F) gongen
KÉMON === (D) kwamen, (F/G) kamen, (E) came
KRÉION === (D) kregen, (F) krigen
KRÛDON === (D) kruiden, (F) krûden, (G) Kräuter
NJUGON === (D) negen, (F) njoggen, (G) neun, (E) nine
RÉKNONG === (D) rekening, (G) Rechnung, (E) reckoning
THÛSOND === (D) duizend, (F) tûsen, (G) tausend, (E) thousand
-TIGOSTE === (D) -tigste, (F) -tichste, (G) -zigste, (E) -tiest
WERON === (D/G) waren, (E) were

3) followed by -CH or -GH (stressed)
BROCHT === (D) bracht, (F) brocht, (G) brachte, (E) brought
NOCHTA === (D) genoegens/geneugten/noten, (E) naught/nought
TOGHATER- === (D/F) dochter, (G) Tochter, (E) daughter
WROCHTE === (D) wrochtte, (E) wrought

4) short O sound
FOLK === (D/G) Volk, (E/F) folk
FON === (D) van, (F) fan, (G) von
-OF === (D) af, (F) ôf, (G) ab, (E) off
OKKE (name)

5) longer O sound
FORMA === (D/G) vorm-, (F) foarm-, (E) form-
FORTH === (D) voort, (F) fuort, (G) fort, (E) forth
OER === (D/E) over
MOT === (D) moet, (F) moat, (G) muss, (E) must
SKOLDE === (D) zoude, (F) soe, (G) sollte, (E) should
STOF === (D/F) stof, (G) Stoff/Staub, (E) stuff

TO (TOLIK: TO-LIK) === (D) te/toe, (G) zu, (E) to

6) long and sometimes spelled with Ô, Ó, Á
-NOMATH === (D) -noemd/-naamd

23 April 2018

How did it sound? #3: A, Á, À


These three varieties of A are not always clearly distinguishable. Sometimes words that are usually written with Á or À respectively seem to be written as a normal A and sometimes the copyist seems to have made a Á or À by mistake where it should simply have been a regular A.

Some rules of thumb:

1) A normal short or unstressed A (phonetically a short "ɐ" or "ä") is always used at the end of plurals, examples:
BOKA, THINGA, GÀRSA, BÔMA, MANGÉRTA, MÀNNESKA, FRÜCHDA, NOCHTA, DRÁMA, SVNA, TOGHATERA. (Note: some of these plurals also occur as ending with -UM in stead of -A.)

2) Infinitives of verbs also end with -A, examples:
WÁRJA, -DÀRVA, -LÍSA, -SKRÍVA, KVMA, WÉSA.
Also conjugations ending -ATH, -ADE, -ANDE, examples:
-BIFATTATH, -BINOMATH, MÁKADE, GLÍANDE.

3) The accentuated open A (phonetically "a") is spelled Á, examples:
WÁRJA, ÁK, THÁ, ÁT.LAND, WÁK, MÁKADE, DÁNA, KWÁD, BLÁT, ÁDAMA, DRÁMA.
The modern Dutch varieties of these words are often spelled/pronounced with long A or long O (ook, waak, maakte, daarna, kwaad, bloot, adem, dromen), German AU or O (auch, Traum/Träume, bloß)

4) The À (phonetically "æ" or "ɛ"; as in Englis "that") is often interchangeable with E:
ÀFTER / EFTER, -DÀRVA / -DERVA, BÀRN / BERN, THÀT / THET, GÀRS / GERS.

5) Many of the plain A's (mostly at the end of a word) have disappeared in our modern languages, indicating that they were probably not pronounced clearly, examples:
BOKA === (D/F) boeken (G) Bücher (E) books
KVMA === (D) komen, (F) komme, (G) kommen, (E) come
THISSA === (D) deze, (F) dizze, (G) diese, (E) these
VSA === (D) onze, (F) ús, (G) unsere, (E) our
THRJA === (D) drie, (G) drei, (E) three
NAVT === (D) niet, (F) net, (G) nicht, (E) not
and: THINRA, HJA, RA

6) Some words still exist more or less in the same form, examples:
AL- (as in ALLE, ALLET, ALHWAT) === (D/F/G) al-, (E) all-
AS === (D/G) als, (F/E) as
ANFANG === (D) aanvang, (G) Anfang

How did it sound? #2: the double V or W


[for other vowels see list here

From the same two texts as in part #1, the various words are listed as examples. Use as consonant, like V, is easy to reconstruct, as it is still mostly the same in our comparing languages Dutch, German, English and Frisian:

As consonant in text 1:

WÁRJA === (D) bewaren, (F) bewarje, (G) bewahren (E) beware
WÉRON === (D/G) waren, (E) were
WET === (F) wiet, (E) wet
WÉI === (D/G) weg, (F) wei, (E) away
WÁK === (D) waak, (G) wache, (E) wake/ watch
SAHWERSA = HWERSA: lit. where-so => when
SKRÉWEN - see #1 Text 1
FJVWER- - see #1 Text 1

As consonant in text 2:
WROCHTE === (D) wrochtte, (E) wrought
KWIK === (D) kwik/ kwiek, (E) quick
KWÁD === (D) kwaad, (F) kwea
TWILIF, TWÉN === (D) twaalf/ twee-, (G) zwölf/ zwei-, (E) twelve/twin
WARME === (D/G) warme, (F) waarm, (E) warm
WÀRTH === (D) werd
WÉRON (see above)
WÉSA === (D) wezen
ALHWAT === (D/F) -wat, (G) -was, (E) -what

Less clear is the situation where W is followed by -N or -L, in WRD- or as separate  word or prefix WR-:

In text 1:
WR- (as in WRLANDISK, WRSKRÉVEN, WRSKRÍVA) === (D) overlands, overschrijven; in English literally 'over-landish' (foreign), 'over-scribe' (copy): short for OVER/OVIR (*note below)
WRDEN === (D/G) -worden/ -werden, (F) waarden

stamp from 'Oermuseum'

In text 2:
WR- (as in WR.ALDA) === (D) oer-, (G) ur- (example: oertijd/ Urzeit, oerwould/ Urwald): short for OVER/OVIR (*note below)
NW === (D) nu, (F) no, (E) now

Elsewhere:
WN- (in WN-won/ WND-wound) === (D) won/wond, (F) wûn/wûne, (G) won/Wunde, (E) won/wound
WL === (D) vuil, (E) foul

My guess is that in these cases pronunciation will have been like a short (E) oowe, (G) uwe, (D) oewe: ooweRLANDISK, ooweR-ALDA, Noowe, ooweN, ooweND, ooweL.
However, there will probably have been many dialects/varieties, for example:
oeRLANDISK, oeR-ALDA, Noe, etc. or:
weRLANDISK, weR-ALDA, etc.
There is no clear difference, after all, and even today there are similar differences (mostly of pronouncing the vowels) between the many dialects.

=====================

* WR / VR short for OVER / OVIR

1) evidence from within OLB

a) varieties THÉR.OVIR, THÉR.WR, THÉR.VR
(the latter is most common; also without dot or space instead)
=== (D) daarover, (G) darüber (F) oer dat, (E) lit. 'there-over', meaning 'about that'.

b) varieties OVER SKRÍVA, WRSKRÍVA, VRSKRIVA
(see above)

c) varieties OVER.ET, VR.ET
for example:
PEST WAS OVER.ET LAND KVMEN - pest had come over the land
WELDICH SKOLDE WERTHA VR.ET ÉLLE LÁND - should become ruling over the whole land

d) OVIR / OVER is also shortened as OER / OR:
TONÔMATH OVIRA.LINDA
OVIR.A LINDA.WRDA
OERA.LINDA. THÀT WIL SEZA OVIR THA LINDA
OVERA LINDA ÀFTE HJARA NÔMUN
OVERA SKELDA
THÀT OR.A SKELDA FOLK
(also: THA ÔRE SÍDE THÉRE SKELDA - the other side of the Skelda)

e) specifically about WR.ALDA
a suggestion that WR means OVER:
[098/07]
WR.ALDA IS THET ALDER.ALDESTA JEFTHA OVER.ALDESTA
‘Wr-alda’ is the most-ancient ('oldest-of-all') or primordial (‘over-oldest’)

"ureldi" in 10th century psalm (copied in 18th century), translated as "oiroudte" (most-old-age) in 1842
~ ~ ~ note: Wralda is only spelled once with I as WR.ALDI.S in the manuscript

2) evidence from context
(only few of many examples):
WRA MERKA TO GA - to go over the markets
THÁ THI STORN WR WÉR - when the storm was over
WR BERG ÀND DÉLON - over mountain and valleys
JOMPADE WR BORD - jumped over board
WRA BERGA ÀND WRN SÉ - over mountains and over sea
VPPA SÉ. ÀND WRA STRÉTE - upon the sea and over the strait
WR.NE SÉ TO FÁRANE - to fare/sail over (a) sea
UT SJANDE WRA WOSTÉNE - looking out over the desert
GVNG WR ALLE KRÉKA.LANDA - went over all Greeklands
ALLERWÉIKES RUN HJU WRA STRÉTE - everywhere she ran over the streets
etc.

17 April 2018

How did it sound? #1: the single V

[for other vowels see list here

To reconstruct the sound of the 'Fryas' language, I will now present a study of the vowels based on similar words in Dutch, Frisian, German and English (when applicable), starting with single "V" (double-V or W will come later). I have selected two texts for this, the newest (p. [00a]: "Okke, my son") and one of the oldest (p. [006]: "Our Primal History"), consisting of 512 and 552 letters respectively. When these texts do not have enough examples of the vowel, I will choose other fragments.

p. [00a]: "Okke, my son"
p. [006]: "Our Primal History"


OKKE MIN SVN. THISSA BOKA MOT I MITH LIF ÀND SÉLE WÁRJA. SE VMBIFATTATH THJU SKÉDNISSE FON VS ÉLE FOLK ÁK FON VSA ÉTHLUM. VRLÉDEN JÉR HÀB IK THAM ÛT.ER FLOD HRED TOLIK MITH THI ÀND THINRA MODER. THA HJA WÉRON WET WRDEN. THÉRTHRVCH GVNGON HJA ÀFTERNÉI VRDÀRVA. VMBE HJA NAVT TO VRLÍSA HÀB IK RA VP WRLANDISK PAMPÍER WRSKRÉVEN. SAHWERSA THV SE ERVE. MOT THV SE ÁK WRSKRÍVA. THIN BÀRN ALSA TILTHJU HJA NIMMERTHE WÉI NAVT NE KVMA. SKRÉWEN TO LJUWERT. NÉI ÁTLAND SVNKEN IS. THÀT THRJA THÛSOND.FJVWER HVNDRED ÀND NJUGON ÀND FJVWERTIGOSTE JÉR. THAT IS NÉI KERSTEN RÉKNONG THAT TVELF.HVNDRED.SEX ÀND FIFTIGOSTE JÉR. HIDDE TOBINOMATH OER.A LINDA. WÁK. THAT IS VSA FORMA SKÉDNISE. WR.ALDA THAM ALLÉNA GOD ÀND ÉVG IS. MAKADE T.ANFANG. DANA KÉM TID. TID WROCHTE ALLE THINGA. ÁK JRTHA. JRTHA BÀRDE ALLE GÀRSA KRÛDON ÀND BÔMA. ALLET DJARA KWIK ÀND ALLE.T ÀRGE KWIK. ALHWAT GOD ÀND DJAR IS. BROCHT HJU BY DÉGUM ÀND ALHWAT KWÁD ÀND ÀRG IS. BROCHT HJU THES NACHTIS FORTH. ÀFTER.ET TWILIFTE JOL.FÉRSTE BÀRDE HJU THRJA MANGÉRTA LYDA WÀRTH UT GLÍANDE FINDA WÀRTH UT HÉTA. ÀND FRYA WÀRTH UT WARME STOF. THÁ HJA BLÁT KÉMON SPISDE WR.ALDA HJAM MITH SINA ÁDAMA. TILTHIU THA MÀNNESKA AN HIM SKOLDE BVNDEN WÉSA. RING AS HJA RIP WÉRON KRÉION HJA FRÜCHDA ÀND NOCHTA ANDA DRÁMA. WR.ALDA.S OD TRÀD TO RA BINNA. ÀND NW BÀRDON EK TWILIF SVNA ÀND TWILIF TOGHATERA. EK JOL.TID TWÉN.

Text 1

as vowel "o", "u", "ou":
SVN === (D) zoon, (F) soan, (G) Sohn, (E) son (plural in text 2, below)
VMBE/ VMBI- === (D/F) om/ om-, (G) um/ -um
VS/ VSA === (D) ons/ onze, (F) ús (sing. and plur.)
-THRVCH === (D) door, (F) -troch, (G) -durch, (E) -through
GVNGON* === (F) gongen
VP === (D/F) op, (E) up
THV === (F) do, (G) du, (E) thou
KVMA** === (D) komen, (F) komme, (G) kommen, (E) come
SVNKEN === (D) gezonken, (F) sonken, (E) sunk
FJVWER === (F) fjouwer, (E) four
HVNDRED === (D)honderd, (F) hûndert, (G) hundert, (E) hundred
[* elsewhere spelled GONGON]
[** varieties with "O": KOM.OF, OMKOMTH, KOMATH, ÀFTERKOMANDA]

in combination VR, now (D/G) "ver-", (F) "fer-":
VRLÉDEN === (D) verleden, (F) ferline
VRDÀRVA === (D) verderven, (F) ferdjerre, (G) verderben
VRLÍSA === (D) verliezen, (F) ferlieze, (G) verlieren
[note: VR can mean 'over' and 'for' and is often equal to OVIR, OVER, WR, OER, OR]

as consonant "v" or "w":
VRDÀRVA === (D) verderve
ERVE === (D) erve, (F) ervje
-SKRÉVEN/ -SKRÍVA* === (D) -schreven/ -schrijve, (F) -skreaun/ -skriuwe
TVELF** === (D) twaalf, (F) tolve, (G) zwölf, (E) twelve
[* also spelled SKRÉWEN, SKRÍWEN/ SKRÍWA, SKRIWA]
[** elsewhere spelled TWELIF, TWÉLIF, TWILIF (most common), TWILLIF, TWILF]

in combination AV:
NAVT === (D) niet, (F) net, (G) nicht, (E) not
(see elsewhere: LAVWA: (D) leeuw, (F) liuw, (G) Löwe, (E) lion)

Text 2:

as vowel:
VSA - as above
BVNDEN === (D) gebonden, (F) bûn, (G) gebunden, (E) bound
SVNA === (D) zonen, (F) soannen, (G) Söhne, (E) sons (singular in text 1, above)

in combination ÉV:
ÉVG === (D) eeuwig, (F) ivich, (D) ewig

[[[ conclusions and audio samples will be follow later]]]

About the new English translation


For two samples of the new translation, see here.

Below a few examples (of many) of the more significant differences between the new translation and the one by Sandbach, which was not based on the original text, but on Ottema's first Dutch translation of it:

page Transliteration Sandbach, 1876 Ott, 2018 (provisional)
S.13 - [006/28] RING AS HJA RIP WÉRON KRÉION HJA FRÜCHDA ÀND NOCHTA ANDA DRÁMA. WR.ALDA.S OD TRÀD TO RA BINNA. As soon as they were full grown they took pleasure and delight in the visions of Wr-alda. Hatred found its way among them. As they matured, they became fruitful and dreamed of pleasure. They received Wralda's ‘od’ into them,*
S. 21 - [012/26] ALLERA MÀNNALIK THÉR [...] MOT IK ANDA BÀRN.TAM ÉNER SLÁFINE FÁRA LÉTA. If any man [...] let him be to you as a vile slave; Anyone who [...] must be paraded with collar and leash like a slave girl.
S. 43 - [029/26] SAHWERSA THÉR SWETHNATA ET SÉMNE KYVA ÀND SANA VR ENZE SÉKA THA VR LÁND If any of our neighbours quarrel and fight about any matter except land, If neighbors should quarrel among each other and enter into a dispute over some cause or piece of land
S. 49 - [033/30] MINA ERVA DRÉG IK OM IN MINA BOSM. [Minerva:] I carry my possessions in my own bosom. [Minerva:] ‘I carry “min” — that is, my — “erva” in my heart.**
S.177 - [129/23] THACH NÉI THAT WI TWA DÉGA FORTH PILATH HÉDE but after two days' slow sailing However, after we had hurried on for two days,








* od’ — probably ‘life force’ or ‘Holy Spirit’ of the Christian tradition; compare German: ‘Gottes Odem’. Related to Middle-Dutch ‘(h)o(e)de’: testicle.
** erva explained in prior sentence as inherited estates.