This is not quite on topic, but I am reading (slowly) the 19th century
novel "Piltur Og Stúlka" by Jón Thoroddsen, and I am uncertain of the
translation of the verb "sitja hjá" and corresponding noun "hjáseti"
which, from the context, seem to have meanings of "watching over
(sheep)" and "(sheep-watching)" respectively. My Modern Icelandic
Dictionary translates "sitja hjá" as to "abstain (from voting)" (I can
see how it gained this sense!) and Zoega's Old Icelandic Dictionary as
"to be present at" or "to sit idly by." I was wondering if anyone could
confirm my specific translation of these words (as used in a mid-19th
century farming context) and tell me whether these meanings still
persist in modern Icelandic?

Thanks
Alysseann

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