Describes Prof. Dr. Carl Marstrander's visit to the Isle of Man to record native Manx speech as well as place-names, including those of Scandinavian origin.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Prof. Carl J. S. Marstrander; University of Oslo; Norway (1929-33)
- 2.1. Marstrander's 1929 visit to Man (12 June - 9 September)
- 2.2. Marstrander's 1930 visit to Man (early August - 27 September)
- 2.3. Marstrander's 1933 visit to Man (16 January - 6 February). Sound-recordings
- 2.4. Additional commentary
- 3. Marstrander and Politics
- 4. Nazi Academic Interest in Matters Manx
- 5. Conclusion
- 6a. Manx Parish Abbreviations
- 6b. Other Abbreviations
- 7. Bibliography
Objective & Thematic Focus
This work aims to document the extensive linguistic fieldwork undertaken by Carl Marstrander in the Isle of Man during 1929, 1930, and 1933, focusing on his collection of Manx Gaelic speech through phonetic script and wax cylinder recordings. It also examines the historical context of his research, including the challenges of language documentation and the later political implications of Celtic studies.
- Documentation of Manx Gaelic through linguistic fieldwork
- Analysis of wax cylinder recording methodology and challenges
- Identification and assessment of native Manx speakers as informants
- Exploration of Manx Gaelic dialectal variations
- The socio-political landscape surrounding Celtic studies in the early 20th century
- Marstrander's personal diaries and field notes as primary research sources
Excerpt from the Book
Carl Marstrander in the Isle of Man 1929, 1930, 1933
Carl Johan Sverdrup Marstrander (1883-1965),¹ Professor of Celtic languages in the University of Oslo (1913-1954), collected a number of items in Manx Gaelic, both on phonograph (cylinder) recordings and in phonetic script, from some twenty-nine (out of forty-seven) informants in the Isle of Man during the years 1929. 1930, 1933. The cylinder sound-recordings were made in January-February 1933. All told Marstrander made forty-seven cylinder recordings from native Manx speakers of which twenty-three have so far survived (Oftedal 1982: 18).
According to a contemporary letter there were originally 48⁴ wax cylinders, recorded with an Ediphone recording machine. We have recovered only 23, numbered from 1 to 24 with number 7 missing. No 14 is broken and only part of it can be played back. The amount of material found in these recordings is not very impressive, as it takes only a little over three minutes to play back one cylinder. Moreover the technical quality is very poor. The cylinders were retrieved, after Marstrander's death, in a cardboard box in his attic directly under the roof where they had apparently been stored for several years and exposed to very great variations in temperature. The cylinders are now [1978] in my custody and I have had them copied. The copy was made mechanically, with a microphone, and contains much noise from the scraping of the needle. We hope in time to be able to copy the cylinders electronically, whereby the noise of scraping may perhaps be reduced (Magne Oftedal p.c. in April 1978; cf. also Oftedal 1982: 18-19).
But by far the greater part of Marstrander's Manx material exists as field-notes in his phonetic script contained in four manuscript volumes spanning in all some 2635 pages in continuous pagination (MNHL MSS 05354-57 B); a fifth volume in box form contains a number of sundry items (MNHL MS 05358 B) (cf, Broderick 2018b). Bound in red leather with gilt tooling and embellished with the motif in gold of the prow of a Viking ship, the volumes, entitled Defunctae linguae Manniae specimina quae collegit Carolus Marstrander, were presented by Professor Marstrander himself to the Manx Museum on behalf of the Norwegian Government on 2 July 1951 to coincide with the "Festival of Britain" celebrations then taking place.
Marstrander's comments on the situation of Manx and on his informants and their contributions appear in Dagbok, his 'Diary' of his visits to Man (1929-33). Written in Norwegian in an exercise book, Dagbok was translated into English in 1983 at my request by Knut Janson, a Norwegian national then living in Dublin. The Norwegian text was transcribed in 1998, also at my request, by Anne Fevang and Lars Anders Ruden, Norwegian students then studying in the University of Mannheim. Dagbok comprises eighty-five pages of script and details Marstrander's three visits to Man as follows: 1. in 1929 (04(12).06.1929 - 09.09.1929, pp.1-66), the longest visit. 2. in 1930 (early 08.1930 - 27.09.1930, pp. 67-78). 3. in 1933 (07(16).01.1933 - 06.02.1933, pp. 78-85).⁹
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of Carl Marstrander's linguistic work on Manx Gaelic during his three visits to the Isle of Man between 1929 and 1933, detailing his collection of both sound recordings and phonetic field notes.
2. Prof. Carl J. S. Marstrander; University of Oslo; Norway (1929-33): This section meticulously chronicles Marstrander's fieldwork, including his search for suitable informants, the technical difficulties encountered with wax cylinder recordings, and his assessment of Manx dialectal variations across the island.
3. Marstrander and Politics: This chapter discusses the political undercurrents of Marstrander's academic pursuits, highlighting his Norwegian nationalist sentiments and their influence on his interpretation of Manx history and language connections.
4. Nazi Academic Interest in Matters Manx: This section reveals the disturbing interest of Nazi academic institutions, specifically the SS-Wissenschaftsamt Ahnenerbe, in Celtic studies, including Manx, and how this political agenda shaped research during the period.
5. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes Marstrander's published contributions, noting that while his linguistic commentaries and place-name research were published, much of his collected textual material remained largely unreleased for many decades after his fieldwork.
7. Bibliography: This comprehensive list provides all cited sources and related academic works, serving as a critical reference for further research into Carl Marstrander's work and Manx Gaelic studies.
Keywords
Manx Gaelic, Carl Marstrander, linguistic fieldwork, wax cylinder recordings, phonetic script, language documentation, Isle of Man, Celtic studies, dialectology, historical linguistics, informants, sociolinguistics, "Dagbok", Nazi academic interest, language death.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental topic of this work?
The work fundamentally details the extensive linguistic fieldwork of Carl Marstrander on Manx Gaelic in the Isle of Man between 1929 and 1933, encompassing his methods, findings, and the historical context of his research.
What are the central thematic areas?
Central themes include the documentation of Manx Gaelic, the use of wax cylinder recordings and phonetic transcription, the challenges of linguistic fieldwork, dialectal variations, and the socio-political influences on Celtic studies.
What is the primary objective or research question?
The primary objective was to record and analyze the remnants of Manx Gaelic speech from native speakers before its perceived extinction, and to understand its phonology, grammar, and distribution.
What scientific method is employed?
Marstrander employed direct linguistic fieldwork, including systematic interviews with native speakers, phonetic transcription of their speech, and sound recording using an Ediphone machine, complemented by diary entries and consultation with local scholars.
What is covered in the main part?
The main part covers Marstrander's three visits to the Isle of Man, his search for and interactions with informants, the collection of Manx material in both phonetic script and sound recordings, and discussions on the political and academic climate surrounding Celtic studies, including Nazi interest.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key words characterizing the work include Manx Gaelic, Carl Marstrander, linguistic fieldwork, wax cylinder recordings, phonetic script, language documentation, Isle of Man, Celtic studies, dialectology, and language death.
What challenges did Marstrander face in recording Manx Gaelic?
Marstrander faced significant challenges, including the poor technical quality and preservation issues of wax cylinders, difficulties in finding highly competent native speakers, and informants' memory issues or reluctance, as well as the declining state of the Manx language itself, described as a "Trümmerlandschaft" (ruins of a language).
How did the political climate influence Manx studies during Marstrander's time?
The political climate saw Marstrander, a Norwegian nationalist, emphasizing Scandinavian connections in Manx culture to secure funding, and later, the SS Ahnenerbe showed a troubling academic interest in Celtic matters, illustrating how scholarly work could be co-opted for political ends.
What was the significance of the "Dagbok" (diary) in Marstrander's work?
The "Dagbok" served as Marstrander's personal diary, providing invaluable insights into his fieldwork process, his interactions with informants, his observations on the state of the Manx language, and the daily details of his three visits to the Isle of Man.
Who were some of Marstrander's key informants?
Thomas Christian of Ramsey was identified as Marstrander's main informant for the northern Manx dialect. Other significant informants included Joseph Woodworth and Harry Kelly from the southern dialect, whose contributions were crucial for his research.
- Arbeit zitieren
- George Broderick (Autor:in), 2018, Marstrander's Diary Notes, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1608622
