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Nord Naagauk

English translation: Ill-starred Northerly Call of the Gowk

17:44 May 29, 2004
Norwegian to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Music
Norwegian term or phrase: Nord Naagauk
song title. Norwegian metal band.
Jeff Fahnestock
English translation:Ill-starred Northerly Call of the Gowk
Explanation:
Acccording to the Norwegian tradition, to hear the cuckoo from the north was an omen of death. "Nåsfall" = "dødsfall".

Ancient names for the cuckoo in England are "gowk" and "yeke", derived from OE "yéac", cognate with ON "gaukr", and OHG "gouh". OED suggests that they are derived from OTeut. *gauko-z


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Note added at 2004-05-31 21:34:46 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

For explanation of \"Naagauk\", see Roald\'s answer, to which I am indebted for putting me on the right track. If you understand any Norwegian, you may also be interested in the following article from Dag og Tid by the Norwegian journalist, Herbjørn Sørebø:
http://www.dagogtid.no/arkiv/1997/27/herb

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-06-01 11:26:17 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

There has been a tendency among lexicographers, such as Johnson and later Skeat, Brewer, etc., to confuse the words \"gowk\" and \"gawk\". Both \"gowk\" and \"gawk\", like cuckoo, are also used to mean \"fool\", \"simpleton\" or \"halfwit\". However, \"gowk\" is probably derived from an Old Teutonic form that, like \"cuckoo\", is imitative of the sound made by the bird, whereas \"gawk\" is more likely to be cognate with G. \"gauch\" and F. \"gauche\", where awkwardness is related to left-handedness. In the northern English dialect word \"cack-handed\" (left-handed, clumsy), the element \"cack\" is almost certainly a corruption of \"gawk\", and not the word \"cack\" meaning excrement.

Interestingly, the English tradition regarding omens relates good and bad omens with hearing the bird from the right or left, as opposed to compass points. Equation of right and left with good and evil is, of course, an ancient tradition reflected in many languages.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-06-01 22:20:57 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The 10th Century poem \"The Seafarer\" has the lines:

Swylce geac monað geomran reorde;
singeð sumeres weard, sorge beodeð
bitter in breosthord.

In modern English:
So the cuckoo warns with a sad voice;
the guardian of summer sings, bodes a sorrow
grievous in the soul.
Selected response from:

Richard Lawson
Local time: 18:35
Grading comment
Thank you all so very much for such in-depth research to a tricky title!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4Nord Naagauk
Per Riise (X)
3 +1intranslatable
Roald Toskedal
4Ill-starred Northerly Call of the Gowk
Richard Lawson


  

Answers


11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Nord Naagauk


Explanation:
It's a proper name and impossbile to translate (I've never heard of Naagauk in any connection ever, anyway)

Per Riise (X)
Norway
Local time: 18:35
Native speaker of: Norwegian
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

18 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
intranslatable


Explanation:
This is a quote from an old folk song, pertaining to the omens derived from the position of the first cuckoo's in the spring. I can't remember the whole text, but the first line goes something like: "Vestagauk er sågauk, nordagauk er någauk, ..."

Gauk = cuckoo
Vest = west
Nord = north
nå- = bad omen, death...
Så- = sowing

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Note added at 18 hrs 29 mins (2004-05-30 12:14:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Ammm, that should be \"the first cuckoo\'s song...\"


    Reference: http://it-student.hivolda.no/prosjekt/h99/primstaven/36gaukm...
Roald Toskedal
Norway
Local time: 18:35
Native speaker of: Norwegian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Richard Lawson: In Britain, it is regarded as a bad omen to hear the cuckoo's call from the left and a good omen to hear it from the right. Incidentally, an old English word for cuckoo is "gowk", so what about "The Ill-starred Call of the Northern Gowk"?
1 day 3 hrs
  -> 'fraid we both have to thank our Danish friends and neighbors for the 'gauk/gowk'... :)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 days 2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Ill-starred Northerly Call of the Gowk


Explanation:
Acccording to the Norwegian tradition, to hear the cuckoo from the north was an omen of death. "Nåsfall" = "dødsfall".

Ancient names for the cuckoo in England are "gowk" and "yeke", derived from OE "yéac", cognate with ON "gaukr", and OHG "gouh". OED suggests that they are derived from OTeut. *gauko-z


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-05-31 21:34:46 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

For explanation of \"Naagauk\", see Roald\'s answer, to which I am indebted for putting me on the right track. If you understand any Norwegian, you may also be interested in the following article from Dag og Tid by the Norwegian journalist, Herbjørn Sørebø:
http://www.dagogtid.no/arkiv/1997/27/herb

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-06-01 11:26:17 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

There has been a tendency among lexicographers, such as Johnson and later Skeat, Brewer, etc., to confuse the words \"gowk\" and \"gawk\". Both \"gowk\" and \"gawk\", like cuckoo, are also used to mean \"fool\", \"simpleton\" or \"halfwit\". However, \"gowk\" is probably derived from an Old Teutonic form that, like \"cuckoo\", is imitative of the sound made by the bird, whereas \"gawk\" is more likely to be cognate with G. \"gauch\" and F. \"gauche\", where awkwardness is related to left-handedness. In the northern English dialect word \"cack-handed\" (left-handed, clumsy), the element \"cack\" is almost certainly a corruption of \"gawk\", and not the word \"cack\" meaning excrement.

Interestingly, the English tradition regarding omens relates good and bad omens with hearing the bird from the right or left, as opposed to compass points. Equation of right and left with good and evil is, of course, an ancient tradition reflected in many languages.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-06-01 22:20:57 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The 10th Century poem \"The Seafarer\" has the lines:

Swylce geac monað geomran reorde;
singeð sumeres weard, sorge beodeð
bitter in breosthord.

In modern English:
So the cuckoo warns with a sad voice;
the guardian of summer sings, bodes a sorrow
grievous in the soul.


Richard Lawson
Local time: 18:35
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Grading comment
Thank you all so very much for such in-depth research to a tricky title!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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