General Chat

Geoff Thank you very much! Jacquie

Someone posted this as a possible translation- There are many misspellings, which make it hard to read - I am not certain if it is Danish or Norwegian either. I guess it means something like: 'If you wish to see me, it can happen on the day which you prefer. I cannot come to Halifax before saturday, as I travel to bradford on friday. I must go to the club tonight. You must believe me. My best regards to you and your wife'

Wasn't fresian, old friesian, almost the same language as middle english? didnt wasisface (bloke, comedian, transvestite, cant remember his name) do an experiment for a tv programme a few years ago, he learnt some old english, went to friesland and bought a brown cow and they could understand each other perfectly well?

Why couldn't he have used French!! Makes for an interesting puzzle though, the same man had sent a card in English apologising for something!! I wonder what he'd done- either women or money I suppose! Jacquie

I've just found out, that 'Om', is a danish abbrevaition for 'Omani'.

I am toying with the idea that he travelled from London to Bradford and is going on to Halifax on Friday. Reisen is to travel in German and Friday was named after the godess Fria I think. Definitely not German or Dutch or Afrikaans or Finnish. It looks Scandinavian but I have never seen Icelandic.

Jacquie - I just thought about something. What if its talking about the location of a buried treasure?? Better keep it hush hush!

I'm determined to get this. Its 'Onkser' which is annoying me. I've had translations of 'Truth', and of 'Which'. I'll make a few variations and you choose whichever you like! lol!

Went through Websters online dictionary - Danish Tror - believe,think Om - about,within,into, inside (Norwegian-about) De - they, you Skal - shall,should,must go,have to, peel, stab, skin (Norwegian -should,shall) Dette - This (Norwegian -this) Ikke -Not (Norwegian- not) Til - to,of,on,towards (Norwegian- until, to) Hils (Norwegian -greet) My mother came from the far north of Germany, just across the border from Denmark. They spoke a dialect that was a combination of both languages. I think this is a similar regional dialect - but with a Norwegian/Danish flavour. Some words have no meaning in either language. You really need a linguist who deals in old languages. Will have another look tomorrow evening. Elaine x.

Perhaps it is in some sort of personal code. Perhaps the /d is the key. Just a thought. Dave

I'm starting to think i may have mistranslated something. It could possibly be hard because its Old Friesian, and translation is difficult. I think it might be 'Because of the reasons, of which..........'

It's copperplate so I probably misread some of the letters!

Now i'm confused. 'Om de onsker, at ser muy' roughly translates into 'Because of the reasons that the truth' from fresian. But after that, non of the main words in the sentances translat correctly.

My dad tried for a few years(that was pre internet though)!!

'Because of the reasons that the (Onkser = Possibly 'Truth')' I think thats the first line. This may take a while. This is fun!! Having real trouble finding a definate translation for 'Onkser'. No language seems to have it in it'. All apart from Norweigan, but I can't find what it means. I think it must only mean something when its actually with other words, rather than on its own. Very difficult!

Thank you Paul He was a right one that Great Grandfather!! I've been itching to find out what they were on about - hope it's something good!! Jacquie

OK, now i'm positive its a language called 'Old Friesian', which apparently came to a stop around 1800ish. It has a mixture of German, Danish, and Dutch, spoken in 'Fryslan' in Holland. Fryslan was an independant European state a few Centuary's ago, took over by the Dutch. I'll try and find a translation for you. Paul.

I'm now starting to think its Friesian, (Apparently a language spoken by a few in Holland.)

and Jourde it tuesday in some language right (Cant remember which one)

Well if it's Dutch it's still jibberish:- For the onsker ser my, ate dette the maa jourde the paa endoy huilket there bedste til stupidly. Jes skal ikke bleve til Halifax for Lordas sum?ey skal reiser tel of Bradford paa Freidas. Yes maa til klubben caftes. The maa tror mi?, med bedste hils tel of dem ogderes kore/d. this will sound stupid but reading it aloud it sounds romanian but I can't get any translation web page to work that can do Romanian. It could be a combination of 2 or more languges or in a collogialisum (local dilect) or it is spelt as it sounds. It looks like a latin based language. I am pretty sure that Lordas is London. This is from a spanish translation:- Om of onsker AT to be my, dette of maa jourde of paa endoy huilket er bedste til Sunday. Skal Jes ikke bleve til for Halifax Lordas som skal?ey to reiser tel Bradford paa Fried. Til Yes maa klubben caftes. Of maa tror my, med bedste hils tel dem ogderes kore/d. Lunar xXx