Reciprocals

Whit’s caaed reciprocal claases is tae dø wi pairtnership. In Standirt English dis is shaan wi “each other”:

– They spoke with each other for a while.

In Shaetlan yun can be expressed wi da object form o da pronoun:

– Dey spak dem a start.

Dis is proper Shaetlan grammar an tae “correct” it widna be richt. Hit’s seemlar (but no identical) ti’ da Old Norse wye, at haes a speecial form da verb (action wird) alang wi da dative object form o da pronoun:

– Talask þau við. (‘Dey spaek dem’, lit. “spaek dem wi”)

Da Old Norse ‑sk verbal endeen ultimately gings back ti’ da pronoun sik ‘eensel’. Hit’s still fun idda Scandinavian passive forms: Sw. talas (vid), Da./BoNo. tales (vid), NyNo./Icel. talast (vid/við).

Da speecial verb form is geen fae Shaetlan, bit da pronoun object form bides on. Hit isna impossible at da Shaetlan reciprocal could be a substratal Norn feature at’s bøn hoidin afore wir very een.