Sorcha of Uist: Difference between revisions

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Sorcha of Uist was a Scottish linguist from the Isle of Skye. She was the first to compose a proper description of the, at the time, nearly extinct [[Scots Norse]] language, she also wrote the first full dictionary of the language. She would never see the dictionary completed, as she was afflicted by some kind of neurodegenerative disease, likely early-onset Alzheimer's, that forced her to be bed-bound. The dictionary would be completed postmortem by her friend, and possible partner, Dorcha of Edinbane.

She is considered possibly the single most important figure to the Scots Norse language, as her dedication to documenting the language can be directly linked to it still living, and to the slow revitalization that has been going on since the mid 1700's.

She is considered possibly the single most important figure to the Scots Norse language, as her dedication to documenting the language can be directly linked to it still living, and to the slow revitalization that has been going on since the mid 1700's. It is from her work she gains the epithet "of Uist", as she spent the most time researching the Uist dialect.

==Life==

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Out of all her works, her most important are [[An Etymological Dictionary of Scotland's Norse]] and [[A Description of Scotland's Norse]]. These two texts are together the most important documents regarding Scots Norse, as they are the earliest complete description of the language. Both are mainly focused on Western Scots Norse, but the 2nd includes a short description of Skye Scots Norse, based on the speech of her family. The 2nd also includes a description of the last holdouts of Mannish Scots Norse, which would die within the decade after she passed.

==Dorcha==

Sorcha's relationship with Dorcha is often described as a close friendship, especially by more conservative leaning groups, but it is extremely likely they were actually lovers who hid their relationship from others, as homosexuality was treated extremely poorly at the time. Based on letters back and forth between the two, it becomes extremely apparent there existed at least some affection between the two. Further evidence comes from Sorcha's journal, which, while in fragmentary condition, contains text describing how the two would often share a bed, both at day and night. The journal also contains a few short descriptions of several "stevnmòt", seemingly a word for "date" (eg. "meeting between lovers").

The two met around age 10 and would quickly become friends, but their relationship wouldn't grow intimate till their early 20's, and from Sorcha's journal we can assume they began living together around age 23, which she'd seemingly explain to her family as being for work, writing in her journal "I explained to my parents the arrangement with my ''bèt'', saying it was for research purposes, furthering with the information that Dorcha speaks Scots Norse"

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 Sorcha of Uist was a Scottish linguist from the Isle of Skye. She was the first to compose a proper description of the, at the time, nearly extinct [[Scots Norse]] language, she also wrote the first full dictionary of the language. She would never see the dictionary completed, as she was afflicted by some kind of neurodegenerative disease, likely early-onset Alzheimer's, that forced her to be bed-bound. The dictionary would be completed postmortem by her friend, and possible partner, Dorcha of Edinbane.
-She is considered possibly the single most important figure to the Scots Norse language, as her dedication to documenting the language can be directly linked to it still living, and to the slow revitalization that has been going on since the mid 1700's.
+She is considered possibly the single most important figure to the Scots Norse language, as her dedication to documenting the language can be directly linked to it still living, and to the slow revitalization that has been going on since the mid 1700's. It is from her work she gains the epithet "of Uist", as she spent the most time researching the Uist dialect.
 ==Life==
@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 Out of all her works, her most important are [[An Etymological Dictionary of Scotland's Norse]] and [[A Description of Scotland's Norse]]. These two texts are together the most important documents regarding Scots Norse, as they are the earliest complete description of the language. Both are mainly focused on Western Scots Norse, but the 2nd includes a short description of Skye Scots Norse, based on the speech of her family. The 2nd also includes a description of the last holdouts of Mannish Scots Norse, which would die within the decade after she passed.
+==Dorcha==
+Sorcha's relationship with Dorcha is often described as a close friendship, especially by more conservative leaning groups, but it is extremely likely they were actually lovers who hid their relationship from others, as homosexuality was treated extremely poorly at the time. Based on letters back and forth between the two, it becomes extremely apparent there existed at least some affection between the two. Further evidence comes from Sorcha's journal, which, while in fragmentary condition, contains text describing how the two would often share a bed, both at day and night. The journal also contains  a few short descriptions of several "stevnmòt", seemingly a word for "date" (eg. "meeting between lovers").
+The two met around age 10 and would quickly become friends, but their relationship wouldn't grow intimate till their early 20's, and from Sorcha's journal we can assume they began living together around age 23, which she'd seemingly explain to her family as being for work, writing in her journal "I explained to my parents the arrangement with my ''bèt'', saying it was for research purposes, furthering with the information that Dorcha speaks Scots Norse"