II.
Thomas Edmondston’s Glossary and “Shetl. Fireside Tales”, which is written partly in the Shetl. dialect, formed the basis of my knowledge of the Shetlandic, when, after spending a year in the Færoe Isles collecting folklore and tales as well as linguistic material, I set out in the early summer of 1893, via Leith and Edinburgh, for the first time to Shetland, to investigate what might be left of the old language locally known as Norn.
The first assistance I received was from the antiquary Gilbert Goudie in Edinburgh, a Shetlander by birth and belonging to Dunrossness in the south of Shetland, who has written about Shetland antiquities, with intimate knowledge of the subject. In the library of the Museum of Antiquities in Edinburgh, I became acquainted with a valuable manuscript supplement to Edmondston’s Glossary, written by the Shetlander, Barclay, Principal of Glasgow University. After a short stay in Edinburgh I proceeded to Lerwick, Shetland, where James Goudie, afterwards Provost of Lerwick, who has the largest and most valuable private library in the Islands, helped me over my first difficulties. Unfortunately, Arthur Laurenson, a Shetlander who had a wide knowledge of the Old Norse literature and language and was consequently strongly interested in the Norn, had died shortly before I came. Through James Goudie I made the acquaintance of J. J. Haldane Burgess (who has written several excellent stories, partly in the dialect, picturing the life of the Shetland people), and also of John Irvine, ship-broker.
This remarkable man, too early removed by death, who behind a somewhat brusque manner had a warm heart, cherished a strong sympathy with the Northern countries, spoke Norwegian and Danish fluently and had a deep affection for the old people, language and history of Shetland, and saw with sorrow the breaking-up and perversion of the old homely dialect. He had early begun to record old Shetland words and phrases, and to compare them with corresponding ones in Aasen’s Norwegian Dictionary. He placed his notes at my disposal with the most unselfish readiness, and both at his office and at his house often afforded me an opportunity of questioning people from different quarters of the Islands. His assistance was of very great value to me. John Irvine was of Fetlar descent but his notes embraced all parts of the country.
From many others also in Lerwick I obtained valuable help, among whom I will especially mention Thomas Mathewson, bookseller, a native of South Yell; William Ratter, afterwards Inspector of Poor in Lerwick, a native of North Roe; James Inkster, at Greenbank, a native of N.Roe (but also well acquainted with North Yell), John Nicolson, a native of Aithsting, and my landlady, Mrs. Linklater, also a native of Aithsting.
