Prof. Marstrander takes up the research work begun by Prof. John Rhys (1886-1893), Uni-Oxford, of some 87 native speakers of Manx Gaelic from all 17 parishes in the Isle of Man. Marstrander, coming some thirty years later, was able to record some 29 native speakers from various parts of the North and South of Man, but no longer from every parish, as Rhys was able to do.
Prof. Marstrander was a Celticist by training and was often visiting native speakers of Irish. But it was in the Isle of Man that he made his systematic investigation. This work tells his story.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Carl J. S. Marstrander, University of Oslo, 1929, 1930, 1933. Noted / Interviewed / Sound-recorded.
2.1. Marstander's informants
2.2. The visits to Man (1929, 1930, 1933)
2.2.1. Marstrander's 1929 visit to Man (12 June - 9 September)
2.2.1.1a. Kewaigue (15.06.1929 Dagbok 9)
2.2.1.1b. Baconsfield (15.06.1929 Dagbok 9-10)
2.2.1.1c. Castletown and environs (15.06.1929 Dagbok 10-11)
2.2.1.1d. To Derbyhaven (16.06.1929 Dagbok 11-13)
2.2.1.1e. To the Grenaby turn-off (16.06.1929 Dagbok 13-15)
2.2.1.2. William Kennah, Balladuggan ML (16.06.1929 Dagbok 15)
2.2.1.3. Thomas Taggart, Grenaby ML (16.06.1929 Dagbok 16).
2.2.1.4. Mr. Karran I (69), Mr. Karran II (55), The Howe RU (17.06.1929 Dagbok 17-18)
2.2.1.5. Harry Kelly, Cregneash RU (17.06.1929 Dagbok 18)
2.2.1.6. [William] Watterson, Glenchass RU (17.06.1929 Dagbok 20-22)
2.2.1.7. Joseph Woodworth, Port Erin RU (17.06.1929 Dagbok 23)
2.2.1.8a. From Barrule Farm ML to Peel GE (17.06.1929 Dagbok 25-27)
2.2.1.8b. Kirk Michael MI (18.06.1929 Dagbok 27)
2.2.1.9. William Quane, Peel GE (18.06.1929 Dagbok 27-28, 31-32)
2.2.1.10. Caesar Cashen, Peel GE (18.06.1929 Dagbok 32-35)
2.2.1.11. Mrs. Corkill, Peel GE (18.06.1929 (Dagbok 34)
2.2.1.11a. Kirk Michael MI (19.06.1929 Dagbok 35)
2.2.1.12. John Kissack, Ballachrink MI (19.06.1929 Dagbok 37 top)
2.2.1.13/14. William Corlett & Mrs. Collister, Kirk Michael MI (19.06.1929 Dagbok 35-36)
2.2.1.15. Mr. [John] Gawne, West Nappin JU (20.06.1929 Dagbok 36-37)
2.2.1.16. Wilfred Wade, Sandygate JU (20.06.1929 Dagbok 38-39)
2.2.1.17. John Cain, Ballamoar JU (20.06.1929 Dagbok 40)
2.2.1.18. Mr. [Robert] Fayle, Stauard, Sulby LE (20.06.1929 Dagbok 40-41)
2.2.1.19. Mr. [Thomas Edward] Faragher, Sulby Glen LE (21.06.1929 Dagbok 41-42)
2.2.1.20. Mr. [Thos] Cowley, Creggan, Tholt y Will, Sulby Glen LE (21.06.1929 Dagbok 42; 44-45)
2.2.1.21. John Christian, Sulby Glen LE (21.06.1929 Dagbok 44-46)
2.1.22. John Killip, Sulby Glen LE (21.06.1929 Dagbok 46)
2.2.1.23a. Andreas village AN (21.06.1929 Dagbok 47)
2.2.1.24. Thomas Christian, College Street, Ramsey MA (21.06.1929 Dagbok 47-54)
2.2.1.25. Mr. Mylechreest, Ballaskeig Beg MA (22.06.1929 Dagbok 48-51)
2.2.1.26. Robert Joughin, Dhoon Church MA (22.06.1929 Dagbok 51)
2.2.1.27. James Kewley, south of Laxey LO (22.06.1929 Dagbok 51-52)
2.2.1.28. John Joseph Corrin, Ballachurry JU (of Ballaugh) (01.07.1929 Dagbok 55-56)
2.2.1.29. John Sayle, Ballathona AN (01.07.1929 Dagbok 56-57)
2.2.1.30. Mr. [John] Kneen, Lhen AN (01.07.1929 Dagbok 57)
2.2.1.31. Mrs. [Catherine] Killip, Lhen AN (01.07.1929 Dagbok 57)
2.2.1.32. Mr. J. Kelly, Laxey LO (11.07.1929 Dagbok 62)
2.2.1.33. Edmund Maddrell, 36 Athol Park, Port Erin RU (15.07.1929 Dagbok 63)
2.2.1.X. Marstrander's final report of his 1929 visit (08.09.1929 Dagbok 63-65)
2.2.2. Marstrander's 1930 visit to Man (early August - 27 September)
2.2.2.1. Thomas Taggart, Grenaby ML (27.08.1930 Dagbok 67-68; 70-71)
2.2.2.2. Edward Kennah, Ballaclery AR (28.08.1930 Dagbok 68)
2.2.2.3. Joseph Woodworth, Port Erin RU (28.08.1930 Dagbok 68)
2.2.2.4. Harry Kelly, Cregneash RU (29.08.1930 Dagbok 71-73)
2.2.2.5. Thomas Crebbin, Bradda Village RU (01.09.1930 Dagbok 73-74).
2.2.2.6. T[homas] Maddrell, Glenchass RU (20.09.1930 Dagbok 75-76)
2.2.2.7. T[homas] Crebbin, Four Roads, Port Erin RU (20.091930 Dagbok 76)
2.2.2.8. William Quane, Peel GE (24/25.09.1930 Dagbok 77)
2.2.2.X. Marstrander's final report for 1930 (Dagbok 74-77)
2.2.3. Marstrander's 1933 visit to Man (16 January - 6 February). Sound-recordings
2.2.3.1. Harry Kelly, Cregneish RU (24/25-30.01.1933 Dagbok 81-83)
2.2.3.2. William Quane, St. German's Place, Peel GE (28.01.1933 Dagbok 83-84)
2.2.3.3. Mr. [Robert] Fayle, Stauard, Sulby LE (03.02.1933 Dagbok 84)
2.2.3.4. John Cain, Jurby JU (04.02.1933 Dagbok 84-85)
2.2.3.X Marstrander's final report for 1933 (05.02.1933 Dagbok 84)
3. Additional commentary
4. Contents of the field-books
Objectives and Topics
This article provides a comprehensive catalogue of Carl Marstrander's extensive manuscript collection, detailing his linguistic fieldwork in the Isle of Man between 1929 and 1933, which focused on the collection of Manx Gaelic from native speakers.
- Documentation of Marstrander's field notes in phonetic script and on wax cylinder recordings.
- Profiles of key Manx informants encountered during his three major research visits to the island.
- Analysis of the methodology used for phonetic data collection and dialect assessment.
- Detailed contents of the five volumes of fieldbooks preserved in the Manx National Heritage Library.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
Carl Johan Sverdrup Marstrander (1883-1965), 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). In a prepared statement sent to me marked Oslo, April, 1978, Magne Oftedal, Professor of Celtic Languages in the University of Oslo and himself one of Marstrander's students, provided the following information regarding the cylinder recordings:
According to a contemporary letter there were originally 48 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 original numbering is in Roman numerals, scratched and inked in white on the edge of the cylinders (which are black) and also written in blue crayon on the lid of the cylindrical cardboard container [...]. Scratched on the cylinders and written on the container lids are also the names of the speakers. Cylinder no. 1 is marked J. J. Kneen [non-native speaker]; the rest are all marked H. Kelly (on the cylinders; HK on the container lids). Henry (Harry) Kelly was described, in a letter to Marstrander from William Cubbon, dated 6th April, 1935, as "the only native speaker of Manx Gaelic" [...]. According to contemporary correspondence the recordings were made in the second half of January, 1933. Only two of the recordings are dated, on the container lids of cylinders 18 and 19; the date they bear is 28.1.33 (Oftedal: Statement, April 1978).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of Marstrander's background and his primary efforts to collect Manx Gaelic through phonograph recordings and phonetic script during the early 1930s.
2. Carl J. S. Marstrander, University of Oslo, 1929, 1930, 1933. Noted / Interviewed / Sound-recorded.: This section acts as a detailed log of his three research visits, identifying specific informants, the dates of interaction, and the quality and nature of the collected linguistic data.
3. Additional commentary: This part explores Marstrander's interests outside of core linguistics, such as his acquisition of old Manx Bibles and his personal interactions with the island's history and folk traditions.
4. Contents of the field-books: This section offers a granular, volume-by-volume breakdown of the manuscripts, categorizing every item, phonetic observation, and text segment contained in the collection.
Keywords
Carl Marstrander, Manx Gaelic, Linguistic Fieldwork, Isle of Man, Phonograph Recordings, Celtic Languages, Dialectology, Manuscript Collection, Native Speakers, 1929-1933, Phonetic Script, Folklore, Language Documentation, MNHL, Oral History.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The work documents Carl Marstrander's linguistic fieldwork in the Isle of Man, specifically tracking his attempts to preserve the Manx language from native speakers in the early 20th century.
Which linguistic methods were utilized by Marstrander?
Marstrander utilized a combination of systematic personal interviews, hand-written notes in phonetic script, and mechanical recording on wax cylinders via an Ediphone machine.
What primary goal did the author have during his visits?
His primary goal was to identify and work with fluent native Manx speakers to document their speech, phonetics, and grammatical variations before the language disappeared completely.
What main subject areas are covered in the field notes?
The notes encompass a wide array of linguistic data, including translations of Biblical passages, recordings of traditional songs, proverbs, folklore, and daily life terminology.
What does the main body of the text describe?
The body text provides a systematic log of his travel and research, detailing daily encounters with informants across various Manx parishes and the varying degrees of their language competence.
Which keywords characterize this document?
Key terms include Manx Gaelic, linguistic fieldwork, phonetic documentation, informants, wax cylinders, and Marstrander's manuscript archive.
Why was the technical quality of the recordings poor?
The original wax cylinders suffered from storage in a cold attic with great temperature variations, causing damage, and the mechanical recording process itself introduced significant background noise.
What significance do the "Trümmerlandschaft" and the "ruins of a language" hold?
These terms describe Marstrander's realization during his visits that the Manx language was in its final stages of usage, with only fragmented remnants remaining among the elderly population.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Dr. George Broderick (Autor:in), 2018, Carl Marstrander's Field Notes from the Isle of Man, 1929, 1930, 1933, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1731189
