The Shetlands (what's your take on this term?)

[turrifield]

I always wonder if the same is true for the Falklands or the Faeroes should they be refered to as Falkland or Faeroe?

[Ghostrider]

I thought 'Faeroe' was already the commonest term used, or at least it is in the circles I normally frequent. I have heard 'The Faeroes' used, but only very occasionally, and it makes me cringe almost as much as hearing 'The Shetlands' used.

 

'The Falklands' is more likely to be the correct term, as the island group comprises two seperate islands, called respectively East Falkland and West Falkland, unlike Shetland or Orkney who don't even really have one island which bears the collective name. That said, however, I really don't know what a Falklander would themselves tell you, so I stand corrected if wrong.

[JustMe]

Føroyar seems to me to be the singular so I guess Faroe without an S.

 

Hjaltland or Zetland lack the S so Shetland it has to be.

 

As for South Shetland you will just have to ask a penguin.

[vailron]

yes some folk still use the term " the faeroes",, why do we not call the mainland THE SCOTLANDS,

[dollydodo]

Think I might just fly 'down' to The Channels for my hols this year!! Sounds utterly ridiculous. Funny though how The Canaries or The Maldives sound ok but The Shetlands and The Orkneys, very high CRINGE factor.

[Caeser]

Its not 'the Shetlands' that is the worst part of our current identity crisis, it's when the mish mash Scottish/English/Shetland expression 'Shelan' is used, mainly on radio Shetland. Whits up we you, it's 'shaetland' Carol Anderson kens how to say it, but not many more on the wireless.

[motorleague]

I don't see what the fuss is about in the slightest. It's an innocent mistake.

[jeemsie]

I don't see what the fuss is about in the slightest. It's an innocent mistake.

 

i'm with you on a local level, but innocent mistakes are still mistakes.

 

the term 'shetlands' is wrong but folk willna have the opportunity to know otherwise especially if the mistake is perpetuated. I couldn't care less on a local level as i ken what's whit, but i personally don't like being in the wrong which is what a lot of folk (especially sooth) are whether they like it or no, if someone chooses to use 'shetlands' in the knowledge it's wrong then fair enough, but without picking folk up on it we'll just be contributing to another change in our name and (perhaps eventually) how we're perceived.

 

as ever, it's the little things... bring back 'hjaltland'!

[motorleague]

but without picking folk up on it we'll just be contributing to another change in our name and (perhaps eventually) how we're perceived.

 

Like, there's more than one of us?

 

It's a fair point, and I've no problem with casual correction of the term.

 

I suppose what gets me is that that I've seen Shetlanders (outside this forum, just to clarify) on more than a few occasions discussing this subject with such out-of-proportion indignance and offense that you'd think the culprits had got straight off the boat from sooth and started p***ing all over the Up-Helly-Aa Galley or something.

[Lynnie]

If it's any consolation, I've never heard anyone from here refer to Shetland in the plural. And I sympathise with you re. being missed off the map. We get left off all the time, especially on US maps, and on their TV programmes. On their maps we're a blob at the very bottom right corner. No wonder they don't know where we are, and think you can walk from Australia to New Zealand at low tide.... rant rant rant....

 

Back on topic.... .... it's just plain ignorance or laziness to drop "Isles" off if they're wanting to indicate that there's more than one island.

 

It's curious(-ish) that I hear Shetland referred to as "the Shetland Isles", but never hear "the Orkney Isles". It's always singular, even though there's more than one island there, too.

 

New Zealand is ALWAYS referred to as one island, even though there are two big islands (relatively), one small island, and a whole bunch of tiny ones.

[peeriebryan]

you can walk from Australia to New Zealand at low tide

Wow! I didn't know that

[Jimmy Jimson]

It all seems pretty pedantic to me. I am 100% sure that anyone referring to our delightful collection of islands as "the Shetlands", and whoever it was at BBC Scotland that was responsible for writing "on" instead of "in", was not cynically trying to do Shetland down.

[jeemsie]

yup, agree wi de jim, never even crossed my head otherwise. I don't get worked up about it, but from a personal point of view, i don't like to be misinformed over any kind of information & this, although a minor issue, is misinformation that will only ever be expanded upon unless folk are put straight.

 

you'd think the culprits had got straight off the boat from sooth and started p***ing all over the Up-Helly-Aa Galley or something.

 

i'd like to see them try, bloody soothmoothers

[fish]

I agree with the irritation of minomes nomisses oops misnames. Perhaps we should revert to Hjatland Islands or even Zetland Isles, after all our post codes are ZE!!!!

I have had mail redirected to me through the Southern Shetland Islands

 

At least we get a mention even if we are not on the map.

[hjt]

Dis is aa very interestin. I aye correct - wi da best o manners - ony een dat gyits it wrang an spaeks aboot "the Shetlands" an juist canna understaand, in parteeklar, da radio interviewers dat doesna fir dey hae ta mind dat dere's a lok o fok listenin ta dem.