Wouter,
I have a major issue with this request.
That is: Do you have /any/ native speakers who have expressed interest?
Also, I am a firm believer in North Frisian dialectal solidarity. I do not think there can or should be a single North Frisian Wikipedia. We should start with one for Mainland North Frisian, then we can have another for Söl`ring, one for Ferring, Oomram, etc.
Now, I will lift a quote from an e-mail in response to me on "lowlands-l" regarding North Frisian:
//begin quote// You and I and other language "geeks" (and I mean this in the best possible way of course) would not find the North Frisian varieties all that different from each other. We would think they are fairly easily mutually intelligible. However, apparently the average person that not think so, and this seems to be mainly because some of the shifts, especially vowel shifts, are rather dramatic. Some people talk about "Frisian *languages*."
Mutual intelligibility is fairly easy between the North Frisian mainland varieties that developed from a variety imported in the 9th or 10th century, possibly with an earlier North Frisian substrate (later developing into insular varieties):
"Shine, old Moon, shine!" Häwelmann yelled, but the moon was nowhere to be seen and the stars weren't either; they had all gone to bed already.
Goesharde/Hoorning: „Jocht, uule moune, jocht!" biilked Hääwelmoon, ors e moune waas närngs to schüns än da steere ok ai; ja weern al aal to beede gingen.
Bökingharde/Mooring: „Jucht, üülje moune, jucht!" biiljked Hääwelmoon, ouers e moune wus nargne tu schüns än e stääre uk ai; ja wjarn ål åltumååle tu beed lim.
Wiedingharde: „Ljocht, uuile moone, ljocht!" biilked Hääwelmuon, män e moone was näärgen to schüns än uk e steere ai; jä würn al altomoale to beerd gingen.
Tideland Islands (Halligen): „Jaacht, uale mööne, jaacht!" bölked Hääwelmoon, man de mööne woas näärngs to siinen än de steere uk ee; jä weern al altomaole to beed giangen.
The insular varieties developed from a variet that was imported to the area in about the 7th century, that on the mainland had come to be overlaid by another importation (now Continental North Frisian):
Isle of Heligoland: „Lochte, ool Muun, lochte!" rüp Heäwelman, oawers de Muun wear naarni tu sin'n en uk de Steern ni; dja wear al allemoal tu Baad gingen.
Isle of Oomram/Amrum: „Locht, dü ual muun, locht!" rep Heewelmaan, man a muun wiar nochhuaren tu sen an a stäären uk ei; jo wiar al altumaal tu baad gingen.
Isle of Feer/Föhr: „Locht, ual muun, locht!" rep Heewelmaan, man a muun wiar nochhuaren tu sen an a stäären uk ei; jo wiar al altermaal tu baad gingen.
Isle of Söl'/Sylt: „Ljucht, ual Muun, ljucht!" skriilt Häwelmann, man di Muun wiar narigen tö sen en uk di Stiaren ek; ja wiar al altermaal tö Ber gingen.
Compare these with Westerlauwer ("West") Frisian:
"Skyn, âld moanne, skyn!" skreaude Häwelmann, mar de moanne wie nearne te sjen, en de stjerren ek net; hja wiene allegearre al op bêd gien. //end quote//
At the _very best_, there could maybe be a Wikipedia for "Insular North Frisian" and one for "Peninsular North Frisian", but according to native speakers they are mutually unintelligible enough to deserve their own separate literatures.
Mark
On 08/05/05, Wouter Steenbeek musiqolog@hotmail.com wrote:
Dear fellow list subscribers,
I just requested a North Frisian wikipedia. As the instructions on top of the requests page demand, I am mentioning this request on the mailing list now.
According to Aliter from the Westlauwer Frisian wikipedia, the creation of Wikipedias for all three Frisian variants was on his and some others' agendas, but didn't have a very high priority. As the Seeltersk wikipedia is now in the early stage of development, I decided to request a Wikipedia for the last remaining Frisian language. Please do not expect its short time creation, unless unexpectedly some native speaker comes up doing a lot of work.
I am well aware of its huge dialectical differences and we will certainly have to take appropriate measurements to cope with these.
Regards, Wouter
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