Orkney and Shetland

Abstract

Orkney and Shetland, the Northern Isles, have the satisfying quality of all islands. The sea delimits the land. It is possible to view as a mental concept the amalgam of land and sea, fields and houses and boats, cliffs and sheep holms, sea-birds and fishing boats, wind and mist, wide skies and changing clouds and lights on the water. Language adds its appeal, as well as the consciousness of the people of many nations who have come here, each contributing a little of themselves to the total picture. Others will come in the future. (Alexander Fenton, The Northern Isles , 1978: v) Introduction This chapter describes varieties of English as found in Britain's ‘Northern Isles’, i.e. the Orkney and Shetland archipelagoes, situated north of the Scottish mainland. Although separated from each other by some fifty miles (80 km) of North Sea waters, they are closely linked politically (forming one UK Parliament constituency), historically, culturally, and not least linguistically. Hence it makes sense to give a joint presentation of the varieties, yet not underestimating differences between them, ranging from ways of life to linguistic details. The most important difference is probably the fact that Orkney is much closer to the Scottish mainland (the southernmost point of South Ronaldsay is only about a mile north of Caithness). This is, among other things, reflected in language in that Orkney dialect is less distinct from mainland Scots/Scottish English.