|
Old Gutnish was the dialect of Old Norse that was spoken on the island of Gotland. It shows sufficient differences from the Old East Norse dialects Old Swedish and Old Danish that it is considered to be a separate branch. Today a modern version, Gutnish is still spoken on the south-east parts of Gotland and on the island of Fårö.
The root Gut is identical to Goth, and it is often remarked that the language has similarities with the Gothic language, the most well-known example being that Gothic and Gutnish called both adult and young sheep lamb. These similarities have led scholars such as Elias Wessén and Dietrich Hofmann to suggest that it is most closely related to Gothic.
The Old Norse diphthong au (e.g. auga "eye") remained in Old Gutnish and Old West Norse, while in Old Swedish - except for non-central dialects - it evolved into the monophthong -, i.e. a long version of ô = -, (-ga). Likewise the diphthong ai in bain (bone) remained in Old Gutnish while it in Old West Norse became ei as in bein and in Old Swedish it became é (bén). Whereas Old West Norse had the ey diphthong and Old East Norse evolved the monophthong -) Old Gutnish had oy.
| Proto-Germanic |
Old Gutnish |
Old West Norse |
Old Swedish |
Old Danish |
|
*augon (eye)
*baino (bone)
*hauzjan (hear)
|
auga
bain
hoyra
|
auga
bein
heyra
|
-ga
bén
h-ra
|
-ga
bén
h-ra
|
Most of the corpus of Old Gutnish is found in the Gutasaga from the 13th century.
Language sample
Citation:
- Şissi şieluar hafşi ann sun sum hit hafşi. En hafşa cuna hit huita stierna şaun tu bygşu fyrsti agutlandi fyrstu nat sum şaun saman suafu şa droymdi hennj draumbr. So sum şrir ormar warin slungnir saman j barmj hennar Oc şytti hennj sum şair scrişin yr barmi hennar. şinna draum segşi han firi hasşa bonda sinum hann riaş dravm şinna so. Alt ir baugum bundit bo land al şitta warşa oc faum şria syni aiga. şaim gaf hann namn allum o fydum. guti al gutland aigha graipr al annar haita Oc gunfiaun şrişi. şair sciptu sişan gutlandi i şria şrişiunga. So at graipr şann elzti laut norşasta şrişiung oc guti mişal şrişiung En gunfiaun şann yngsti laut sunnarsta. sişan af şissum şrim aucaşis fulc j gutlandi som mikit um langan tima at land elptj şaim ai alla fyşa şa lutaşu şair bort af landi huert şrişia şiauş so at alt sculdu şair aiga oc miş sir bort hafa sum şair vfan iorşar attu.
Employing normalised Old Norse orthography:
- Şissi Şjelvar hafği ann sun sum hít Hafği. En Hafğa kuna hít Hvítastjerna. Şaun tú byggğu fyrsti á Gutlandi. Fyrstu nátt sum şaun saman sváfu şá droymdi henni draumr; só sum şrír ormar varin slungnir saman í barmi hennar, ok şıtti henni sum şair skriğin ır barmi hennar. Şinna draum segği han firi Hafğa bónda sínum. Hann raiğ draum şinna só: "Alt ir baugum bundit, bóland al şitta varğa uk fáum şría syni aiga." Şaim gaf hann namn, allum ófıddum; Guti, al Gutland aiga; Graipr, al annar haita; ok Gunnfjaun şriği. Şair skiptu síğan Gutlandi í şría şriğjunga, só at Graipr şann eldsti laut norğasta şriğjung, ok Guti miğal şriğjung, en Gunnfjaun şann yngsti laut sunnarsta. Síğan, af şissum şrim aukağis fulk í Gutlandi sum mikit um langan tíma at land elpti şaim ai alla fığa. Şá lutağu şair bort af landi hvert şriğja şjauğ só at alt skuldu şair aiga ok miğ sír bort hafa sum şair ufan jorğar áttu.
Translation:
- This Thielvar had a son called Hafthi. And Hafthi's wife was called Whitestar. Those two were the first to settle on Gotland. When they slept on the island for the first night, she dreamed that three snakes lay in her lap. She told this to Hafthi. He interpreted her dream and said: "Everything is bound with bangles, this island will be inhabited, and you will bear three sons." Although, they were not yet born, he named them Guti, who would own the island, Graip and Gunfiaun. The sons divided the island into three regions, and Graip who was the eldest took the north, Guti the middle and Gunfjaun, who was the youngest took the southern third. After a long time, their descendants became so numerous that the island could not support all of them. They drew lots and every third islander had to leave. They could keep everything they owned but the land.
References
|
