When did Norse settlers arrive in the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland to establish Norn?
Norse settlers arrived in the early 9th century. They came from the west coast of Norway in very substantial numbers.
Questions about Norn language
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What year was Orkney pledged to James III leading to the decline of Norn?
Orkney was pledged to James III in 1468. This transfer marked the beginning of the replacement of Norn by Scots.
Who is cited as the last native speaker of Norn and when did they die?
Walter Sutherland from Skaw in Unst died about 1850. He has been cited as the last native speaker of the language.
Which modern languages does Norn share classification with within the West Scandinavian group?
Norn shares classification with Faroese, Icelandic and Norwegian in the West Scandinavian group. It is generally considered fairly similar to Faroese sharing many phonological and grammatical traits.
In what year was the last document written in Norn issued?
One of the last documents written in Norn dates from 1597. It was a mortgage issued over property belonging to Else sister of Anna Throndsen.