Page:An Etymological Dictionary of the Norn Language in Shetland Part I.pdf/437

too fast in proportion to his or her age (U.). Formed by i-mutation from holgin, sb., prop. a bundle of straw or truss of hay; a wisp of straw or hay; see further under that word.

hillfolk [hɩlfɔk, həl (hʌl)-], sb., fairies. comm. Regarded as hillfolk from Eng. hill, but is, however, prob. in its origin Da. huldrefolk, Icel. and Fær. huldufólk, No. hulderfolk, huldafolk, n., the first part of which in Shetl. has by degrees been merged with Eng. hill, the more so as the fairies, acc. to the old superstition of the common people, are supposed to live in hills. — “hillfolk’s cairds” is found (reported from Conn.) besides “trows’ cairds” or “trowie cairds”, prop. trolls’ cards, denoting the fern; cf. Fær. tröllakampur (troll’s moustache) or tröllakambur (troll’s comb) as a designation for the same plant.

hillisom [hɩᶅ··ɩsom·, heᶅ··ɩsom·], adj., attractive and amiable, having kind, agreeable manners; a h. man. U., Nm. *hyllisamr. No. hylleleg, adj., agreeable; amiable; O.N. hylla and hylli, f., fidelity; goodwill; favour.

hilmongin [hɩl·mɔŋ·gin, helmɔŋ·gin], sb., a silly, odd-looking person. Yⁿ. Prob. from an old *himlungrinn or *himlunginn, in which -inn is the added def. art.; cf. No. himling, m., abstracted or dreamy person, deriv. of himla, vb., to be absent-minded, abstracted or drowsy (O.N. híma, vb., to be absent-minded). For the metathesis ml > lm in Shetl. cf. e.g. gjolm, sb., from *gjoml, skulm, vb., = skuml¹, skumbel, vb., and the reverse process in hemla, sb., = helma¹, sb. Similar metathesis takes place with “mr” and “rm”.

hilset, hilsket, adj., see helset, helsket, adj.

him [hɩm], sb., a thin covering,

esp. on a liquid. Nm. More extended in the form häim [häim], in which the long i-sound has changed to “äi” through infl. of Eng.; a häim o’ cream upo de milk (Fe.), a häim (mineral coat) upo de water (Y^h.). Occas. the word hem [(hēm) hē^əm] is used, a h. on de water (a coat of some fatty or oily substance). Nm. occas. (Nmⁿ.). — *hím. No. him, n., and hima, f., a coat, thin covering. Cf. himna, sb.

him [hɩ̄m], vb., to lose its right colour, to get a dirty coat; esp. in perf. part. himd [hɩ̄md], himd f(r)ae de right colour, faded, of a dirty appearance. Nm^w. (Nibon). See further under himet, adj.

†him, himm [həm], sb., esp. in pl., him(m)s, and in conn. with he [hē], sb.: him(m)s and hes, evasive phrases or answers, subterfuges; to ha’e mony “him(m)s and hes” aboot onyting. Doubtless hm!? See the foll. word.

†him, himm [həm], vb., to speak or answer hesitatingly, to avoid giving a proper answer, esp. in conn. with he [hē], vb.: “to h. and he”, to sit him(m)in and hein. Doubtless to say “hm”. Cf. Eng. and L.Sc. hum, vb., “to hum and haw”, used in a similar sense.

himet [hɩ̄mət], adj., applied to colour, esp. of animals, wool: dusty; dull, dirty-grey (partly with a reddish, yellowish or bluish tinge); having a white ground with a muddy (partly grey and reddish) tinge. Nm^{n. and w.} (N.Roe; Nibon). Also hemet [hēmət, hē^əmət]: N.Roe. *hímóttr? Cf. No. himutt, adj., hazy; dim, and himeleitt, adj., dusky or ill-coloured, esp. of animals.

himinsferd [hɩm··ɩnsfērd·, -fē^ərd·], sb., in the expr. “to mak’ a h.”: a) to make a fruitless journey or expedition; to meet with a great disappointment in some or other