A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Nords, Noords, n. and a. [MDu. no(o)rdsch: cf. Nors(e and Norish.] Norse, Norwegian, as applied to the old native language of Orkney and Shetland. —c1650-1700 Descr. Zetland 4.
They speak among themselves a corrupt Nords tongue (called Norn) but not so much now as formerly 16.. Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. III. i.
It is very probable that the inhabitants of the Orcades of old did only speak Noords or rude Danish, but now … all speak the Scots language
