WORDS OF ALF-NILSEN BØRSSKOG

Alf Nilsen-Børsskog once said: "Mie en valinu kieltä, kieli valitti minut" — a motto that still resonates with many people in the Kven community.

When it comes to Kven literature, his six novels are essential reading. For those who want to explore distinctive and unique Kven vocabulary more deeply, these works are a must.

Kvensk Institutt - Kainun Institutti has published the dictionary called Sana-Aitta, which was compiled by Vappu Inkeri Pyykkö, on its website free of charge. The dictionary is a collection of Kven words drawn from Alf Nilsen-Børsskog's novels Kuosuvaaran takana and Aittiruto. The e-book includes words, personal names, place names, and phrases used in the books.

This page aims to recreate the spirit of Sana-Aitta, this time focusing on another of Alf Nilsen-Børsskog's titles: Elämän alku – Varhaiset vuođet. We will, at times, include translations and usage notes, and if we are uncertain about a word, we will indicate this with a comment. 

A

autastaat (vt.) to help | å hjelpe (syn. auttaat) (VV 5)

• Sinä sunnuntaipäivänä Soffi-mamma oli menny autastahan Anni-ämmii, mammaansa, ko hänen mies oli sairastunnu. (On that very Sunday, Mother Soffi had gone to help Granny Anni, who was her mother, because her husband had fallen ill.)

attama (sub.) fjord ice | fjordis (VV 6)

F

färilinen (adj.) colorful | fargerik (VV 6)

färilisesti (adv.) colorfully | fargerikt (VV 6)

• Niin färilisesti pappa muisteli, ... (Father told the story colorfully (making it come alive), ...)

I

istuskella (vi.) to sit, sit for a while | å sitte, å småsitte (syn. istuut) (VV 5)

• Hän oli niin nuori, silloin ko hän sunnuntaiaamuina istuskeli papan polvela ja kuunteli hänen muisteluksii merenpyyđöstä, ... (He was so young, when he sat on his dad's lap every Sunday morning and listened to his stories about fishing, ...)

J

jatkaila (vt.) to carry on, to continue | å gå vidre, å si vidre (VV 5)

• ..., jatkaili pappa sunnuntaiaamun muistelusta, ... (..., father carried on story of Sunday morning, ...)

K

karkko (sub.) shoal | en sandbanke (VV 5)

klasireikä (sub.) a window opening | en vindusåpning (VV 6)

L

lamphaanpaimen (sub.) a shepherd | gjeter (VV 5)

laukoskella (vi.) (of animal) to run (+ gen. ympäri) | å springe (+ gen. ympäri) (VV 6)

M

muistela (vt.) to tell (+ ympäri or ela.) | å fortelle (+ ympäri or ela.) (VV 5)

N

näytästäät (vt.) to show (+ all.) | å vise (+ all.) (VV 6)

• Ko tänne toisen kerran tullee kirkkopyhä, niin mie aijon näytästäät sinule, kummainen se raura oon, ... (When the holiday comes again, I will show you what kind of lyme grass it is.)

P

paukkuskella (vi.) (VV 6)

R

raura (sub.) lyme grass | en strandrug (VV 5)

ressi (sub.) seashore (especially lower ones) | lav sjøstrand (VV 5)

S

sanostaat (vt.) to say | å si (VV 6)

siirhäättäät (vt.) to move someone or something (+ all. or ill.) | å flytte (+ all. or ill.) (syn. siirttäät) (VV 6)

souđastella (vt.) to row (a boat) | å ro (VV 5)

säntätä (vi.) to jump suddenly, to rush in, to pounce (+ sisäle) | å ta seg inn (VV 6)

• Met luulima, ette hukka olis saattanu säntätä klasireikkä sisäle. (We thought that the wolf could have jumped in through the window opening. ) ⇾ uncertain meaning

T

tenki (sub.) a boy | en gutt (VV 6)

U

ulvoskella (vi.) to howl | å hyle (VV 6)

souđastella (vt.) to row (a boat) | å ro (VV 5)