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Shetland Man?


Kavi Ugl
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I think it is possible to be a bit too protective of the term Shetlander.

 

I think it is common knowledge that at a meeting about the Bressay bridge someone was classed as an incomer despite having moved there when he was just (I believe) three months old.

 

I know of someone who was told that their children were not shetlanders, despite their being born and bred here with Shetland heritage.

 

I have met and worked with many people that have moved here and are passionate about Shetland and what it is and have done much more re: it's culture, history and heritage than I (born and bred) am ever likely to. Some have lived here longer than I have. To my mind some people that have moved here are Shetland in every way but accident of birth. And Shetland has benefited by them being here.

 

Is it possible to be a shetlander by adopting it as your home? Because I for one can't see why it shouldn't be.

 

Z - you nailed it.

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From the Oxford dictionary…

-man

•comb. form

1 in nouns denoting a man of a specified nationality or origin: Frenchman.

 

Would “Shetland resident, Lerwick resident, etc†not be more appropriate in these cases?

 

Also, as far as I understood, growing up in the 50s and 60s, ‘soothmoother’ was just the Shetland term for ‘incomer’.

It’s a shame that some of the innocent language of our childhood has now taken on a different and alienating interpretation.

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Anybody who's never had a permanent address or permanent employment in a locality where they're lifted for an offence, is described as a migrant/transient/drifter/hobo, and probably numerous other things as well, in various parts. How and why someone suddenly becomes a "Shetlander" or "Shetland (wo)man" virtually the minute their feet is allowed to land at Holmsgarth, is beyond me.

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^^ Anyone coming to Shetland and settling here, with the intent to stay, or at least stay a while, because they like the place, and want to be here, is always going to be welcome. So long as they accept the place and folk for what it is, and make a meaningful effort to become an inclusive part of that, or at least respect that things are the way they are for a reason, and let them be.

 

Its the fly by nights who end up here because its gotten too hot somewhere else, or they've heard staying here is an easy ride, and doss down wherever they can, while they take advantage of whatever they can get their hands on, but give nothing back, Shetland can do without. Once the heat rises on them here, or they find that they've fallen for a long standing urban myth that its an easy ride here, they're out of here again, leaving the place only poorer for their ever having been.

 

We have more than plenty of home grown fly by nights already that we have to put up with, simply because they've always been here, and we can't persuade anyone else to take them, before we start inviting and welcoming more of the same to come here.

 

here here

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I agree that 'they' should not do this (as under). Do they mean, "a Latvian, now a resident of Lerwick ................ " However if he has taken the oath of citizenship and become a Brit, Shetlander, I apologise.

 

Quote

13 December 2010

 

A LERWICK man was released on bail after appearing from custody before the town’s sheriff court on Monday morning on a charge of domestic violence.

 

The case against Sergejs Davidenkovs, originally from Latvia, of 17a St Magnus Street, was continued without plea until Wednesday.

 

The 28 year old was arrested on Saturday following a disturbance at a house in St Magnus Street.

 

Unquote

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Oh weel, at least da Shetland News has worded it a bit better.

 

"Christopher Readings, who is from Clifton Hampden, Oxfordshire but used to live in the islands".

 

As a side note, when I was down at Garthspool today with my work two young "women"(i.e aged about 21) and both pushing prams approached me and one asked me in a broad english/London accent "how do we get back to the main road from here?."

 

And where was I and where were they?. Just on the bend at L&M Engineering.....

 

Come on SIC, hurry up and get building those hundreds of "social housing" houses :roll:

 

Need I say more......

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Guest CyprusPluto

As a side note, when I was down at Garthspool today with my work two young "women"(i.e aged about 21) and both pushing prams approached me and one asked me in a broad english/London accent "how do we get back to the main road from here?."

 

And where was I and where were they?. Just on the bend at L&M Engineering.....

 

Come on SIC, hurry up and get building those hundreds of "social housing" houses :roll:

 

Need I say more......

 

Know the feeling of those two lost women. I'd lived up here for about 2 months when one of my family members visited. I parked the car in a side street and made of mental note of the streets name.

 

But could I find it after shopping, could I heck and had to ask someone how to get to the street where I'd parked my car. She was very polite and didn't even mind when I pronounced it wrong.

 

Been here 18 months now and still haven't a clue how to find most places in Lerwick :oops:

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Been here 18 months now and still haven't a clue how to find most places in Lerwick :oops:

 

Glad I'm not the only one who still gets lost (and I moved up here June 2009) - ah, the jokes that were made when I said I had bought a second-hand Sat Nav but blimey, does it come in handy for finding places where I haven't been before, the occasional shop in Lerwick, etc. :lol:

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Been here 18 months now and still haven't a clue how to find most places in Lerwick :oops:

 

Glad I'm not the only one who still gets lost (and I moved up here June 2009) - ah, the jokes that were made when I said I had bought a second-hand Sat Nav but blimey, does it come in handy for finding places where I haven't been before, the occasional shop in Lerwick, etc. :lol:

I still find it funny heading up a random lane and getting folks lost/confused, my routes through Aberdeen have a similar effect (but they work!)

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