01 September 2022

STÀR(-E/-A) - star(s)

star - English
ster - Dutch, Afrikaans
Stern - German
stjer - Frisian
stjerne - Danish, Norse
stjärna - Swedish
stjarna - Icelandic
αστέρι (astéri) - Greek

Varieties in Codex Oera Linda

nouns
> meaning "star":
WÁK.STÀRE (watch-star, sing.) - 2a
WÁKSTÀR ( ,,) - 2d, 2e2
STÀRA (stars, plur.) - 2c, 2e1, 13h

related?: meaning "forehead" (German "Stirn", Old-English "steorn"; related to Old-Greek "στέρνον" - breast), or "breast"?:
STÀR (sing.) - 7a

related?: adjective
> meaning "rigid(ly)" in combination with "see at" => "to stare", Dutch/German 'staren/ starren':
STAR (AN.SJA) - 11b

Fragments

2a. Festa, Take up your Stylus

[006/05] THÁ HROP FRYA FON HIRA WÁK.STÀRE SÁ THÀT ALLERA MANNALIK THÀT HÉRA MACHTE.
Frya called from her watch-star so that all could hear it

2c. Lyda was Black

[007/01] LIK STÀRA BLONKON HJRA ÔGON
Her eyes blazed like stars

2d. Finda was Yellow

[009/15] SJAN DÀL FON THINRE WÁKSTÀR ÀND WÉN
Look down from your watch-star and weep

2e. Frya was White

1. [010/10] ALSA THA STÀRA OM JRTHA OM.SWÍRMJA SWIRMDON [15] HIARA BÀRN OM HJA
Like the stars swarm around the earth, her children encircled her
2. [010/25] THÁ HJA NÉI MODER OM.SÁGON WAS HJU AL.LANG VPRIRA WÁKSTÀR
when her children went searching for their mother, she was already at her watch-star

7a. Before the Bad Times

[048/10] THACH FOR THAT HJA NAVT TOBÀK KVMA NE SKOLDE. WARTH ER ÉROST EN B TO FARA HIARA STÀR PRIKED
But in order that they could never come back, a ‘B’ was tattooed on their foreheads first

11b. Death of Frana

[084/30] FRÁNA RJUCHTE HJRI WITHER SACH IM STAR AN ÀND KÉTHE
Frana straightened up, stared at him and spoke

13h. Apollania’s Burg

[106/10] THJU TORE HETH SEX SÍDA. [15] THRIJA THRITTICH FÉT IS HJU HÁCH. FLÀT FON BOPPA. EN LÍTH HUSKE THÉR VPPA. HWÁNA MAN THA STÀRA BISIATH.
The tower has six sides, is three times thirty feet high, flat on top, and has a small observatory*
[*lit. ‘a little house, from which one observes the stars’]

21 August 2022

Shipping update

drum, dated between 1800-1828

All books that were ordered before August 15 have shipped in week 33.

Automatic tracking Emails were not sent due to unforseen technical problems of the mailing company.

Good news is that with the new shipping method, the estimated delivery time is significantly shorter (see below).

If you would like to receive your tracking link, please send me a note and I will provide it.

Starting tomorrow 22 August (week 34), new parcels will ship every Monday.

Estimated delivery time (days) for some of the most common destinations:

Australia 8-12
Austria 3-4
Belgium 2-3
Canada 6-9
Denmark 3-6
Finland 6-8
France, Germany  2-4
Iceland, Japan 6-9
Netherlands 1-2 
New Zealand 9-13
Norway 5-7
Poland, Sweden 4-6
South Africa 6-10
Switzerland 3-5
United Kingdom 3-6
United States 6-9

Lowered shipping cost for 1 book to:
destination group* new
old
Europe 1 € 10.00 € 13.00
Europe 2
€ 12.50 € 18.50
Other € 21.00 € 25.55
*destination groups: see here

16 August 2022

10 August 2022

Old Frisian drawings by and based on J. Cadovius Müller (1650-1725)

[this experimental post is intended to be updated]

Illustrations and terms in Memoriale linguae Frisicae: a manuscript about East-Frisian language and culture by Johannes Cadovius Müller (1650-1725), from printed editions 1875 and 1911.

Old East Frisian farmers house

a. krüsselwarck — the front transverse building of a three-part, late medieval, Frisian farmhouse
b. middelhues — 'middle-house' — MIDDEL.HUS
c. kornsphyker — grain store — KÉREN ...
d. veehues — cattle shed — FJA.HUS

 
a. schloot; fossa — ditch — SLÁT
b. brügstete —  bridge-... — BRIGGE ...
c. klampe — ...
d. steck —fence
e. di warffer — wharf, front yard — WÀRF
f. di thüen; locus horti —garden
g. krüsselwarck-grundryss — ...
h. dait veehhues — cattle shed — THAT FJA.HUS
i. di hoy- uhn kohrnspyhker — the haybarn and granary — ... AND KÉREN ...
k. pisell — room
l. kouken —kitchen
m. middelhues — 'middle-house' — MIDDEL.HUS
n. bettesteten — box beds — BED ...
o. boode to schapen — sheep pen — SKÉP(A) ...
p. duufenhuus — dovecote
q. schwynstey — pigsty
r. mistfall — dunghill
s. pütte — water well
t. groote schindar — large barn door — GRÁTE ... DURE
u. huesdar — front door — HUS.DURE


Old Frisian clothing

a. siust (tunic) — 
b. koogel (hat)
c. body belt for rich women with golden bells
d. geerdel (body belt for common women)
e. schuar (shoes) —
f. schuarreehm (shoestrap)

Old Frisian arms of war

a. sckilde (shield) — SKILD
b. bostkede — BROST. ...?
c. saghs (knife, dagger, short sword) — SAX
d. baage (bow) — BÔGE
e. pattstock (... stick) — ... STÔK


08 August 2022

> FODDIK — lamp

ship lantern 2nd half
of 17th century

The FODDIK (lamp with perpetual flame) is one of the defining symbols of Fryas culture in Oera Linda (plural: FODDIKA or FODDIKUM). This word only appeared in two of the oldest Old Frisian dictionaries, seemingly only based on oral tradition, recorded in manuscript "Memoriale linguae Frisicae" by the East-Frisian (German) pastor Johannes Cadovius Müller (1650-1725). This work was published in print, 1875 and 1911. Words in it were sorted by category, not alphabetically, and it included drawings of farms, clothes and weapons.

No entries in these Old Frisian dictionaries: Richthofen (1840), De Haan Hettema (1874), Dijkstra e.a. (1896); online: Köbler (2014), Integrated Language Bank (gtb.ivdnt.org), DWDS ("German vocabulary from 1600 to today"). The Old Frisian dictionaries after DHH (1832) seem to be based on the known law books only.

The word does not seem to have modern cognates, but may be related to the Old Greek word for 'light' which is the origin of our 'photo': φάος/ φαῦος/ φόως/ φῶς (pháos/ phaûos/ phóōs/ phôs). Also, the Dutch word for 'spark' is 'vonk'. Perhaps, the Dutch 'vod' (rag) once referred to 'wick'/ 'fuse', since its synonym 'lomp' (rag) was the origin of the common word for 'wick'/ 'fuse': 'lont'. Lamps in antiquity probably burned on oil.

Entries in dictionaries (found thus far, translated into English and paraphrased):

manuscript J.C. Müller (c.1700 and print editions 1875, 1911)
foddick — lamp (in category 'of the house')
dictionary Wiarda (1786) p.140
foddick — a lamp (ref. JCM), from 'fire', gothic: 'fon, fun', Islandic: 'voncke' (a spark), Dutch 'fannung' (a lantern), Anglosaxon [comment JO: he used JCM's entry and added his own questionable explanation]
dictionary De Haan Hettema (1832) p.27
foddik — (feminine [?]) lamp (ref. Wiarda)

I have chosen to translate the word as 'lamp' (a general term), although it may sometimes have been used to refer more specifically to, for example, a lantern, beacon* or torch. (*BÁKEN for 'beacon' is used once, as a metaphor.)

Fragments in Codex Oera Linda

2a - Festa, Take up your Stylus

[006/05] NW SKOLDE FÀSTA THJU NÉJA FODDIK VPSTÉKA. ÀND THÁ THAT DÉN WAS AN ÀJNWARDA FON THÀT FOLK (...)
Now it was time for Festa to light the new lamp, and when that was done in the presence of the folk (...)

2f - Frya’s Tex


[014/01] THAN SKIL THJU FODDIK NÀMER UTGA THÉR IK FÁR JO VPSTOKEN HÀV.

Then the lamp that I have lit for you will never go out.

3a - Burg Laws

[015/01] SAHWERSA THÉR ÁRNE ÉNE BURCH BVWET IS. SA MOT THJU FODDIK THÉRA AN THA FORMA FODDIK ET [5] TEX.LÁND VPSTÉKEN WRDA. THÁCH THÀT NE MÉI NÀMMER OWERS AS THRVCH THA MODER SKÉN.
When a burg is built somewhere, its lamp must be kindled from the original flame in Texland, and that can only be done by the folk mother.

[015/15] THJU MODER TO TEX.LAND MÉI ÉN ÀND TVINTICH FÁMNA ÀND SJVGUN SPILLE MAN’GÉRTA HÀVA. TILTHJU THÉR ÀMMER SJVGUN BY THÉRE FODDIK MUGE WÁKJA DÉILIKES ÀND THES NACHTES.
The folk mother of Texland may have twenty-one maidens and seven spindle girls, so that there may always be seven to attend the lamp day and night.

9a - The War of Kelta and Minerva

[065/10] MINERVA ÀND HJRA FÁMNA ÀND THA FODDIK WRDON ALLE THRVCH THA RÀPPA STJURAR HRETH.
Minerva, her maidens, and the lamp were all saved by swift steersmen.

9b - Jon’s Revenge

[066/01] MEN THRVCH SIN SKELTA.BI.NACHT AND SVME SINRA LJUDUM WÀRTH THJU FODDIK ÀND THA FÁMNA HRET.
But his deputy-by-night and some of his men rescued the lamp and the maidens.

[066/25] THÀT STRÍDANDE LAND.FOLK WÀRTH AL FAT. MEN JON BURCH HIN [25] SELVA MITH SIN LJUD VPPA SINA FLÁTE. MITH NEMAND BÉDA THA FODDIKA. BIJONKA MIN.ERVA ÀND THA FÁMNA FON BÉDAR BURGUM.
The fighting landsmen were all captured, but Jon saved himself and his men upon his fleet, taking both lamps with them, as well as Minerva and the maidens of both burgs.

9c - Kelta and the Gools

[068/05] ÉNIS DÉLIS. THAT HJU NÉN MAR BURGA NÉDE. TWÍAS THAT HJU THÉR NÉN BURCH.FÁMNA [10] NÉDE ÀND THRÍAS THRVCHDAM HJU NÉN EFTE FODDIK NAVT NÉDE.
firstly, because the Kelts did not have more burgs, secondly, because they had no burg maidens there, and thirdly, because they had no proper lamp.

9d - Jon and Minerva Resettle

[069/25] JON NAM THÉRE FODDIK FON KÀLTA ÀND HJRA FÁMNA MITHA. ÀND MIN.ERVA HILD HJRA AJN FODDIK ÀND HJRA AJN FÁMNA.
Jon took Kelta's lamp and maidens with him, and Minerva kept her own lamp and maidens.

10a - Ulysus’ Quest for a Lamp

[075/15] THIS KÉNING WAS THRVCH ÉNE PRESTERESSE FAR.SÉID THAT ER KÉNING [20] WERTHA SKOLDE OVIR ALLA KRÉKA.LÁNDA SA.R RÉD WISTE VMBE.N FODDIK TO KRÉJANDE THÉR VPSTÉKEN WAS ANDA FODDIK IT TEX.LÁND.
This king was foretold by a priestess to become king over all of the Greeklands if he managed to get a lamp that was lighted at the one of Texland.

[076/05] NÉI THÉRA FÁMNA HROP HETHER TO LESTA EN FODDIK FON HIR KRÉJEN. THA HJU HET.IM NAVT NE BÁT.
According to the maidens, he eventually received a lamp from her, although it did not benefit him,

11b - Death of Frana

[082/01] TWA JÉR NÉIDAM KÉM THENE MÁGÍ SELVA MITH EN FLÁTE FON LICHTE KÁNUM THA MODER FON TEX.LAND ÀND THA FODDIK TO RÁWANA.
Two years later, the magus came with a fleet of light boats, to kidnap the Mother from Texland (Frana), and steal the lamp.

[083/01] AS HJU NW WITHER ALSA FÉRE HÉL ÀND BÉTER WÉR THAT HJU FÀST SPRÉKA MACHTE SÉIDE THENE MÁGÍ THAT HJU MITH FARA MOSTE. THA THAT HJU HJRA FODDIK [5] AND FÁMNA HALDA SKOLDE.
When she was well enough to speak again, the magus told her he was taking her with him but she could keep her maidens and the lamp.

11c - Death of the Magus

[085/10] NÉI THAT THA MODER VRDÉN WAS. LÉTER THA FODDIK ÀND THA FÁMNA [15] TO SINA SKIP TOBRENGA BIJUNKA ALLE INBOLD THÉR IM LIKTE.
After the mother was killed, he had the lamp and the maidens brought to his ship, as well as all the spoils of his liking.

[086/20] MEN THA FODDIK WAS UTGVNGON [25] ÀND NIMMAN WISTE HO.T KÉMEN WAS.
But the lamp had faded away and no one knew how that had happened.

13h - Apollania’s Burg

[107/01] INNA TORE HANGT THJU FODDIK. [5] THA WAGAR THÉRE TORE SEND MITH KESTLIKA STÉNA SMUKAD.
In the tower, the lamp hangs. Its walls are decorated with precious stones.

[108/05] BY VS VPPER BURCH IS.T ALSA DÉLAD. SJVGUN JONGE FÁMNA WÁKATH BI THÉRE FODDIK. AIDER WÁK THRJA STUNDA.
Tasks at our burg are divided so that seven young maidens attend the lamp in three-hour shifts.

15c - Yesus or Buda of Kashmir

[140/25] THAM SKILUM HJARA FODDIKUM ÀND THÀT LJUCHT BUTA BRINGA SÁ THAT [30] ALLERA MÀNNALIK WÉRHÉD MÉI SJAN. HJA SKILUN WÉ HROPA OVERA DÉDA THÉRA PRESTERA ÀND FORSTA.
They will bring their lamps and the light into the open, so that everyone may see truth. They will condemn the deeds of the priests and princes.

30 July 2022

Shipping date: August 15

On July 27, I was informed that the binder still needs some more time to finish the books. However, an actual shipping date could now be established. The books will be shipped (to all who ordered) on August 15. This is later than I anticipated and communicated earlier. 

All this delay has been nerve-racking to me, as I know it must have been for some of those who ordered early. The Oera Linda Foundation is going through a process of professionalisation and we are learning. If you ordered the book, we apologize for the extra delay.

If you would like to withdraw your order and get a full refund, please send a short message and the whole amount of what you paid will be immediately refunded. Please, do not claim a refund at your (credit card or other) payment system.

21 July 2022

Why a new Dutch translation?

There are four Dutch translations known to me, or, when second (somewhat revised) editions are included: six.

These are: Ottema 1872 and 1876, Overwijn 1941 and 1951, Jensma 2006 and De Heer 2008.

Of these translators, Jensma stands out as being the only one who interpreted the texts as having been created in the 19th century and including hidden puns.

All of them seem to have tried to stay as close to the original as possible, which sometimes led to incorrect expressions or sentences that are not quite correct in modern Dutch (similar to my use of the English language in blog posts).

Although it may sometimes be interesting to use archaisms (see bottom for examples), I will try to make my new translation a better read, by daring to deviating more from the original, without distorting the content.

For the Dutch readers, here are some examples, without footnotes (more may be added later):

[001/02]

transliteration of original
Ottema 1872/'76
Overwijn 1941/'51
Jensma 2006
De Heer 2008
Ott (provisional)
THRITTICH JÉR ÀFTERE DÉI
Dertig jaren na den dag,
Dertig jaar na de dag
Dertig jaar na de dag
Dertig jaar na de dag
Dertig jaar na[dat]
THÀT THJU FOLKS MODER VMBROCHT WAS
waarop de volksmoeder omgebracht was,
waarop de volksmoeder omgebracht was
dat de Volksmoeder omgebracht was
dat de volksmoeder omgebracht was
[-] de volksmoeder omgebracht was
THRVCH THÉNE VRESTE MÁGÍ
door den overste Magy,
door de opperste Magy,
door de hoogste Magí,
door de overste Magy,
door de oppermagier
STAND.ET ER ÀRG VM TO.
stond het er erg aan toe.*
was het er erg aan toe.
stond-t-r erg aan toe.
stond het er erg aan toe.
stond het er slecht voor.

*juiste uitdrukkingen zijn: "het stond er slecht voor"/ "hij/zij was er erg aan toe"

[006/28]

transliteration of original
Ottema 1872/'76
Overwijn 1941/'51^
Jensma 2006
De Heer 2008
Ott 2022 (provisional)
RING AS HJA RIP WÉRON
Zoodra zij volwassen waren,
Zodra zij volwassen waren,
Zo rap als ze rijp waren,
Zodra zij rijp waren
Zodra zij geslachtsrijp waren
KRÉION HJA FRÜCHDA ÀND NOCHTA ANDA DRÁMA.
kregen zij vermaak en genoegen in de droomen [van Wralda].
kregen zij vreugde en genoegen in de dromen [van Wr.alda].
kregen ze vreugde en genoten in [Wralda's] extase.
kregen zij vreugde en genoegen in hun dromen.
kregen ze dromen over vruchten en noten (of: vreugde en genot).
WR.ALDA.S OD TRÀD TO RA BINNA.
[-] Haat trad tot haar binnen.
[-] Genoegen kwam tot hen. (1951: Geneugte kwam tot haar.)
[-] Gelukzaligheid trad tot hen binnen
Wralda's licht trad bij hen binnen,
Wralda's oed trad hun binnen,
ÀND NW BÀRDON EK TWILIF SVNA ÀND TWILIF TOGHATERA.
En nu baarden zij elk twaalf zonen en twaalf dochteren,
En nu baarden zij elk twaalf zoons en twaalf dochters,
en nu baarde elk twaalf zonen en twaalf dochters,
en nu baarden zij elk twaalf zoons en twaalf dochters,
en nu baarde elk twaalf zonen en twaalf dochters,
EK JOL.TID TWÉN.
elke juultijd een paar.
elke joltijd een paar.
elke joltijd een paar.
elke joltijd een tweetal.
elke Joeltijd een tweeling.

[012/27]

transliteration of original
Ottema 1872/'76
Overwijn 1941/'51
Jensma 2006
De Heer 2008
Ott 2022 (provisional)
ALLERA MÀNNALIK THÉR EN OTHER FON SINE FRYDOM BIRÁW
Een iegelijk die een ander van zijne vrijheid berooft,
Een ieder, die een ander van zijn vrijheid berooft,
Alleman die een ander van zijn vrijheid berooft,
Iedereen die een ander van zijn vrijheid berooft,
Iedereen die een ander van zijn vrijheid berooft,
AL WÉRE THENE ÔRE HIM SKELDECH
al ware de ander hem schuldig,
al heeft de ander aan hem
een verplichting,
al ware de ander hem schuldig,
al is die ander hem schuldig,
al was de ander hem iets schuldig,
MOT IK ANDA BÀRN.TAM ÉNER SLÁFINE FÁRA LÉTA.
dien moet ik aan den leiband eener slavin laten voeren.
die moet ik aan de leiband van een slavin laten rondlopen.
moet ik in de baarmoeder van een slavin laten voeren.
moet ik aan de kinderband van een slavin voeren laten.
moet met halsband en riem als een slavin worden geparadeerd.

Like the last English edition, the Dutch one will have color prints of all manuscript pages (ca. 80% of actual size, with line-numbers), an index of proper names, a suggested reading order and appendices with bonus material.

Example of archaisms that may be nice to include:

[00b/20]

HJA SKILUN VS ALGÁDUR VRDILIGJA
dan zullen zij ons altegader verdelgen
dan zullen zij ons allemaal vernietigen
ze zullen ons allemaal verdelgen
zij zullen ons allegaar verdelgen
ze zullen ons algader verdelgen