NORTHERN STUDIES' 33 in the Norse colonies of the Michael P. Bames North Atlantic. The non­ Danish reader is helped by The Norn Language of an English summary, but an and index would have been useful for all to find their way to The Shetland Times Ltd., discussions of particular , 1998. subjects. 58pp., £9.95. ISBN 1-898852-29-4. Barbara E. Crawford Nom is the form of Scandinavian language used in the between c.800 and c. 1800. Michael P. Bames, a leading expert on Nom, has over the years produced several articles on the subject, but this is his first attempt to present his knowledge to a non-academic audience. He has done so very successfully. Within less than 60 nicely produced pages Professor Bames has managed to give a thorough biography of this . The first half of the book deals with the history of Nom and the second half presents and comments on the principal sources we have for the language. As always, Barnes is careful to point to what is documented and what is only indirectly assumed, which is of crucial importance for anyone working on the history and language of

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Orkney and Shetland - with in the language of the so little written history and newcomers. For example, is it with so many myths. After credible that the Picts would careful consideration of the have kept up their own linguistic situation when the onomasticon for such a long Norsemen arrived, Bames time without contaminating continues with what we may the Norse place-names? Just call educated guesswork on to say that the Norse must what happened in the have had 'a low regard' for following centuries. There is the precious little evidence from certainly does not satisfy this period. The only this reader. In all fairness, it contemporary source for the has to be said that this linguistic situation is the reviewer is also in the lucky Bressay stone from c. 900. The position of not having to ogham inscription on this produce any hard evidence to stone contains a possible contradict Bames' view. Norse word and two words The author points several that may be Gaelic in the times to the many parallels midst of unintelligible between the Northern Isles passages in what may be a and the , not non-Indo-European Pictish only linguistically but also language. This stone leads when it comes to a striking Bames to believe in a period lack of early written of linguistic co-existence material. The inventory of when both Norse and one or both runic material and several Pictish languages documents in the Roman were in parallel use, maybe alphabet is so small that it up until the middle of the causes Barnes to suggest that eleventh century. It is not literacy in Scandinavian evident why Barnes assumes cannot have been widespread that Pictish was still around in the islands. one and a half centuries after The author is careful to the Bressay stone. Neither is indicate the phonological it easy to explain how such a links between Nom and the long period of co-existence various west-Norwegian could take place without the dialects. However, even native Pictish language Barnes is a little careless leaving a large trace behind when he says that the

97 NORTHERN STUDIES· 33 palatal forms of /n:/ and /1:/ Smith questioned the have their centre in validity of the traditional Trendelag. This is of course scenario in which the brutal true, but in this context it is Scottish land-owners and surely also relevant that you merchants enslaved the free find the isoglosses stretching Shetlanders. According to as far south as Sogn. Smith, the replacement of It is sobering to see a Nom with Scots happened, modem linguist re-examine because Scots became the material that many people language of commerce, in thought was dealt with, once other words, a more useful and for all, by language than Nom. Barnes and Hugh Marwick, the himself estimates that the great collectors of Nom last speakers of Nom in remains. Products of the Orkney died around 1750 and linguistic thinking of their in Shetland around 1800. days, they assumed that In his foreword, Barnes Nom died a lengthy death, warns us that certain parts of being gradually corrupted by the book might be more of a Scots. Bames takes much care hindrance than help to some in undermining this well­ readers. It is true that the established hypothesis, as author makes use of quite a well as in debunking the number of linguistic terms and opposite claim that Norn that there is a fairly remained pure until the detailed discussion of the death of the last speaker. features specific to Nom. Bames points to modem This may be demanding research into language­ reading for the general contact situations in which tourist who would like to there are no examples of any broaden his or her mind about one language dying simply as the Northern Isles. Then a result of melting into again, anyone willing to pay another. is a the rather hefty price of result of outer pressure on the £9.95 for a booklet of 58 language. Barnes presents an pages, ought to be motivated. account of the recent re­ Apart from the price, the evaluation of the relevant book is most recommendable. historical period in Shetland, where Brian Arne Kruse

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