<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">L O W L A N D S - L - 18 May 2007 - Volume 02</span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">=========================================================================</span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">From: Tomoki Minohara <<a href="mailto:mino_engelachtig@yahoo.com">mino_engelachtig@yahoo.com</a>></span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
Subject: Grammar</span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Dear Reinhard,</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">I'm interested in the varieties of the Frisian language, too.</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Two years ago, as it were before joining this list, I searched
</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">for my curiosity several websites about the North Frisian.</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">As you wrote, North Frisian is influenced by Danish,</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Jutish and German. North Frisian borrowed some letters</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">from these languages.</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Letters from German: ä (pronounced "e"), ö (u) and ü (ú).</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Letters from Danish: å (o), åå (ô), ää (ê), öö (eu) and äi (ij).
</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">I also found a word of North Frisian (Mooring dialect) which</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">is similar to that of Low German.</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
Verb "snååken" - snacken (speak in English).</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">I extract some examples of gender from a website (original text in Frisian).
</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">I also add each words of Frisian, Dutch, German and English.</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">"in" is
used to indicate a masculine, feminine and neuter word</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">in singular form.</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">The masculine definite article:</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
de hün (de hûn - Frisian, de hond - Dutch, </div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">der Hund - German, the dog - English).</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
The feminine definite article:</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">jü kåt (de kat - Frisian, de kat - Dutch, </div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">die Katze - German, the cat - English).</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">The neuter definite article:</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">dåt toorp (it doarp - Frisian, het dorp - Dutch,
</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">das Dorf - German, the village - English).</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Shortened form "e" is often used instead of
</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">the articles above. For examples:</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">di hün - e hün</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">jü kåt - e kåt</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">dåt toorp - et toorp</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">da bjarne (de bern - Frisian, the children) - e bjarne</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">From my book I extract an example of a verb conjugation </div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">of North Frisian (Sölring
dialect) "fraagi" (freegje - West Frisian, </div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">vragen - Dutch, fragen - German, ask - English).</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
ik frügi, dü frügest, hi / jü / hat früget, wü / i / ja frügi.</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Here are some websites about North Frisian which I found in the past.
</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.hum.au.dk/engelsk/engosb/fering.html" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
http://www.hum.au.dk/engelsk/engosb/fering.html</a></div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Phonetic documentation of Fering.</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
<a href="http://www.jswis.de/Foehr/" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">http://www.jswis.de/Foehr/</a></div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Information about Fering.</div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www1.fa.knaw.nl/noardfrysk/" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">http://www1.fa.knaw.nl/noardfrysk/
</a></div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Introduction to North Frisian (Mooring dialect).</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.angelfire.com/ultra/amrum/kurs/homepage.htm" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
http://www.angelfire.com/ultra/amrum/kurs/homepage.htm</a></div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Introduction to North Frisian (Amrum).</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">I am not an expert in North Frisian but I hope that
</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">my answer will interest you. I'm planning to continue</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">my research about the language varieties.</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Best regards,</div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Tomoki<br><br>----------<br><br>From: R. F. Hahn <
<a href="mailto:sassisch@yahoo.com" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">sassisch@yahoo.com</a>><br>
Subject: Language varieties<br><br>Hi, Tomoki! It's good to hear from you again.<br><br>Yes, Northern Frisian is very interesting, isn't it? Unfortunately, easily accessible material about it is scarce, partly because few people really speak it (well) now, and partly because research about it is very centralized (mostly the Noordfriisk Instituut) and their web publications seem to be more concerned about other things these days.
<br><br>As far as I am concerned, we are really talking about several <span style="font-style: italic;">languages</span> in this case: the insular languages of Sylt, Amrum, Föhr and Heligoland, and the (later introduced) language of the mainland with the dialects of Wiedingharde, Horning, Mooring and the Tideland Islands (
<span style="font-style: italic;">Halligen</span>).<br><br>Omniglot (<a href="http://www.omniglot.com/">www.omniglot.com/</a>, an excellent site) has a brief sample text in these varieties. They have mislabeled and misspelled the varieties, though. I am correcting it below, also the term "dialect" in the case of the insular varieties
<br><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mainland North Frisian <span style="text-decoration: underline;">dialects</span>:</span><br><ul><li><h3><font style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;" size="2">Wiedingharde dialect (
<span style="font-style: italic;">freesk</span>):<br></font><font style="font-weight: normal;" size="2">Ale mänskene sän fri, likwjarti än mä
däsjilwe rochte toläid. Jä hääwe ferstand
än gewääten mäfingen än skuulin enoor
äs broorne oonmuittreere.</font>
</h3></li><li><h3><font style="font-weight: bold;" size="2">Mooring/Böökingharde dialect (<span style="font-style: italic;">frasch</span>):<br></font><font style="font-weight: normal;" size="2">Åle manschne san fri, likwjardi än ma daseelwie ruchte tuläid. Ja hääwe ferstånd än gewääten mafüngen än schönj enouder as brouderne önjtiinjtreese.
</font></h3></li><li><font size="2"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hoorning dialect (<span style="font-style: italic;">fräisch</span>):</span></font></li><li><font size="2">Ale mänschne sän fri, glikweerti än mä däseelwie
rochte tolaid. Jä hääwe ferstand än gewääten
mäfüngen än schouln enår as bråre ounjintree'e.
</font></li><li><h3><font size="2">Halligen (Tideland Island) (<span style="font-style: italic;">freesk</span>):<br></font><font size="2"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Ale mänskene sän frai, glikweerti än mä de sälefste rochte tolaid. Jä hääwe ferstand än gewääten mäfungen än sköön nöör as bröörne ööntiantree'e.
</span></font></h3></li></ul>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Insular North Frisian <span style="text-decoration: underline;">languages</span>:</span><br><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sylt (<span style="font-style: italic;">söl'ring</span>
):</span></li><li>Ali Mensken sen frii, likwertig en me disalev Rochten beren. Ja haa Forstant en Giweeten mefingen en skul arküder üs Brödern öntöögentreer.</li><li><h3><font size="2">Föhr (<span style="font-style: italic;">
fering</span>):<br></font><font size="2"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Ale mensken san frei, likwäärtig an mä dönsalew rochten bäären. Jo haa ferstant an geweeten mäfingen an skul enöler üüs breler uunjintreed.</span>
<br></font></h3></li><li><h3><font size="2">Amrum (<span style="font-style: italic;">öömrang</span>):<br></font><font size="2"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Ale minsken san frei, likwäärtag an mä josalew rochten bäären. Jo haa ferstant an geweeten mäfüngen an skul enööder üs breder uunjintreed.
</span><br>
</font></h3></li><li><h3><font size="2">Helgoland (<span style="font-style: italic;">halunder</span>)<br style="font-weight: normal;"></font><font style="font-weight: normal;" size="2">Alle Mensken sen frai, likwörti en med de sallowski Rechten geboorn.
Djo hoa Ferstant en Geweeten medfin'n en skul arker as Bruurs uundjintreed.
</font></h3></li></ul>
In comparison:<br><br><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saterland East Frisian <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Language</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">Seeltersk
</span>):<br></span><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Roomelse dialect:</span></li><li>Aal do Moanskene sunt fräi un gliek in Wöide un Gjuchte gebooren.
Joo hääbe Fernunft un Gewieten meekriegen un schällen sik eenuur
as Bruure ferhoolde.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Strukelje dialect:</span></li><li>Aal do Maanskene sunt fräi un gliek in Wöide un Gjuchte gebooren.
Jo hääbe Fernunft un Gewieten meekriegen un schällen sik eenour
as Broure ferhoolde.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Schäddel dialect:</span></li><li>Aal do Maanskene sunt fräi un gliek in Wöide un Gjuchte gebooren. Jo
hääbe Fernunft un Gewieten meekriegen un schällen sik eenuur as
Bruure ferhoolde.</li></ul><p style="font-weight: bold;">West (Westerlauwer) Frisia <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Language</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">frysk</span>):</p><ul><li>Alle minsken wurde frij en gelyk yn weardigens en rjochten berne. Hja
hawwe ferstân en gewisse meikrigen en hearre har foar inoar oer
yn in geast fan bruorskip te hâlden en te dragen.</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">English:</span><br><ul><li>All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They
are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another
in a spirit of brotherhood.</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Japanese:</span><br><ul><li>すべての人間は、生まれながらにして自由であり、かつ、尊厳と権利と について平等である。人間は、理性と良心とを授けられており、互いに同 胞の精神をもって行動しなければならない。</li></ul><em>(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
</em><br><br>By the way, Tomoki, the letter "<font><font style="font-weight: normal;" size="2">å" is used in the Low Saxon dialects of Schleswig and parts of Holstein as well. As in the case of North Frisian, it may be a token of Scandinavian affiliation or at least
</font></font><font><font style="font-weight: normal;" size="2">Scandinavian </font></font><font><font style="font-weight: normal;" size="2">exposure in the wake of Danish rule. In any case, it is quite redundant because all it stands for is the (long) /aa/ which in all of the mentioned varieties is pronounced half-rounded. Because the pronunciation of /aa/ is different from that of the corresponding phoneme in German, people feel compelled to spell it differently. People tell me that they do so to give the language its "own look" that is not German. What they don't realize is that in actual fact they let German dictate the spelling in that they
<span style="font-style: italic;">react</span> to German spelling rather than analyze their language varieties within their own contexts. But most people don't seem to understand this argument.<br><br>Regards,<br>Reinhard/Ron
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