An Etymological Dictionary of the Norn Language in Shetland/Annotated/a’
a’ [â], adj., is the L.Sc. form of Eng. all, but is sometimes used in Shetl. in a sense diff. from Eng. (and L.Sc.) and answering to the O.N. allr; e.g.: hit [‘it’] is a’, it is finished; at an end; de tale or story is a’, the story is ended, complete. Cf. O.N. allr in sense of ended; finished; complete; Fær. sögan er öll, the tale is ended. — for a’, beyond recall; for good, = No. fyre ollu, Sw. dial. för allo, Fær. fyri alla; he’s gane [‘gone’] for a’. — a’-fe(r)-jens, just this minute, see *fer, prep. — O.N. all- is found in Shetl. in the compd. almark and the neuter-form “alt” in *altasenn.