19. The old definite article is recognised as a fossilized suffix in a number of words. In some instances it is the nominative form, in others the accusative form, which has prevailed. Examples:
de bɩ‘rtən = birtek, birti. a drø̄lin [*drýlinn]. de (vats-) dudlin = *vatsdudla. de fɛstən [festin(a) from festr, f.]. fjandin, de fjan·din· [*fjandinn]. de fjɔrən [fjaran or fjǫruna]. de glȯbərən [*gláparinn?]. de (h)ɩldin [eldinn], ilder1, etc. a hɩl·mɔŋ·gin [*himlunginn?]. de hogən, hɔgən [hagann], hoga, hog. a hȯlgin [hólginn]. a hȯrdin [urðin(a)]. de klȯvən [klofann], klovi, etc. (with lengthened ending in a‘ŋ·klȯvain·). de kropin, krupin [kroppinn], kruppin, etc. de *kwȯlvin [kálfinn]. de roᶊən, ruᶊən [hryssan], russen, etc. a sɩmən [sími]. a skogin [skóinn]. a skɔln [skálin(a)] = a skɔl. a träᶅ·faŋ·gin [*þrælfanginn]. a vadᶎ·gōr·din [fastgarðinn], vasgord. Usually in pl.: de knɔkins or nogins [*hnokkarnir], †knokk2, knokkin and nokkin.
In a rigmarole from Fetlar (in recent dialect) appear the words: de bȯᶇəns: the children, and de hȯᶇəns: the dogs.
de *ᶄø̄r(ə)n [kýrnar], *kørn (see Fragments of Norn, conversation). de sȯmərə läitla (läƫla, leɩtᶅa) [sumarit lítla] (see under litel, adj.).
20. In place-names the suffixed, definite article has freq. survived, commonly preserved in the accusative form. Adjectives, when added to substantives, also assume in the feminine the ending -a (for: -u), like the substantives to which they belong. Examples:
Bakən swa‘rta (Ai.), *bakkann svarta. Blegəna hwi̇̄da (Y.), *bleikjurnar hvítu. Bläƫəna grø̄na (Yh.), Blækna grø̄na (Yn.), *blettina grœnu. Dálin (-ən) grø̄na (U.), *dalinn grœna. Fɩdna grø̄na (Ai.), *fitina grœnu. Gɔ‘rstən stūra or Stūra Gɔ‘rstɩ (Sound near Lerwick), *garðstaðinn stóra. Hɛᶅəna bræita (Fe.), H. grō (Yn.), H. hwi̇̄da (Yh.), *helluna brǫttu, gráu, hvítu. Hulən bräᶇda (Un.), H; kwi̇̄da (Fladabister in Conn.), H. ska‘rpa (Weisdale), H. stūra (Du.), *hólinn brenda, hvíta, skarpa, stóra. Hæsən gola (N.Roe), *hestinn gula. Løgəna grø̄na (Yh.), *lœkina grœnu. Mørna kwi̇̄da (Fo.), *Mýrina hvítu. Pɔᶅən dᶎūba (Ai.), *pollinn djúpa. Røni fōgra (Fedeland in N.Roe), *hraunit fagra. Skūən bräᶇda (Quarff), *skóginn brenda. Stakən ᶊok(k)a (Un.), *stakkinn þjukka. Tēgəna grȯᶇa (Fe.), *teigana grunnu or grœnu? Tona grȯna (Sound near Lerwick), *tóna grœnu. Væ‘lta kådnə kwi̇̄da (Fo.), *velta kornit hvíta.
In a number of names of fishing-grounds, named after the landmarks by which they are recognised, examples may be found of substantives in the definite form, governed by the preposition “við”, which has become “wi̇̄, wi”, through influence of Eng. with, e.g.: Rɩvəna-hø̄gəna-wi̇̄ (Uw.) = *rifuna hauginn við (see rivek, sb.). -a in hø̄gəna has doubtless arisen through influence of the preceding rɩvəna. Ø̄rnawi (Un.): *øyrina við.
Adjectives, Adjectival Endings.
21. The ending -ən (rarely: -in) [O.N. -inn] is found in a few words: bȯ‘ᶅtin [No. bulten]. dōvən [dofinn]. nōmən. vālən. gōsən and gȯzən [gosinn], properly perf. part., but now only used as an adj.
