Shetland Isles or just Shetland?

[ParrotFletcher]

Does Shetland use the name Shetland Isles or just Shetland as it's name reference?

[Graeme_Storey]

'Shetland' is correct, and 'Shetland Islands' is also correct.

 

People will tolerate most things, but try to never use the term 'the Shetlands' which makes as much sense as saying someone comes from 'the Londons' for example.

 

Just use the single word 'Shetland' and that does in all possible circumstances.

[JustMe]

This is a reasonable enough question as some companies databases have me down as living in Lerwick, Shetland, Isle of Shetland.

[Graeme_Storey]

This is a reasonable enough question as some companies databases have me down as living in Lerwick, Shetland, Isle of Shetland.

Agreed - I wish more people would ask.

 

Although I have lived here for well over 30 years, I am not a Shetlander, but I still wince when people say 'the Shetlands'

[Guest posiedon]

Graeme_Storey

I am not a Shetlander, but I still wince when people say 'the Shetlands'

Me too, it's odd though that "The Hebrides" sounds OK but the Westerns would sound ridiculous.

[JAStewart]

You wouldn't say The Channels.

[shetlandpeat]

There are two Hebridies, Inner and Outer.

There are two Shetlands, but they are at opposite ends of the globe,

Shetland Isles. Shetland, hmm, in Shetland or on Shetland?

The Shetland Isles are a group of differently names islands.

[Trow87]

This is a reasonable enough question as some companies databases have me down as living in Lerwick, Shetland, Isle of Shetland.

 

Isle of Shetland? D'oh!

[Malc666the1]

I usually refer to myself as coming from 'Shetland Isles'

[RickB]

I can still never get used to the English term "the Shetlands". I only wish more people would take the time to ask us what we prefer to be called.

Many thanks to ParrotFletcher for asking us. For me just "Shetland" is fine.

[Romeo]

I tend to use Shetland for mainland addresses and Shetland Islands for outlying Islands, Bressay, Yell and so on. Scalloway and Lerwick I would therefore say were Shetland.

[Guest posiedon]

I tend to use Shetland for mainland addresses and Shetland Islands for outlying Islands, Bressay, Yell and so on. Scalloway and Lerwick I would therefore say were Shetland.

Correct!

There is only one Shetland and that is the mainland, the rest of the archipelago have their own names but can be termed "Foula" Shetland Isles, Mousa Shetland Isles et al.

[Kavi Ugl]

I submit that Shetland is the correct name. Given that the name can be traced back to the likes of Hjaltland and Hetland one finds that the name forms are singular even centuries ago.

 

In Iceland, Faroe and Norway it is just the singular form.

 

I believe Iceland is Hjaltland, Faroe IS Hetland and Norway is, well, Shetland!.

 

Shetland, and the more we make the effort to use just that the more it will be recognised and accepted.

 

Sorry Posiedon, but I strongly believe that your argument is wrong.

 

Shetland just refers to all of Shetland in it's entirety.

 

[mhutch]

it was 100% Shetland to 100% of the folk when i was at the school n as far as i'm concearned its still the same

[Seaflech]

I tend to use Shetland for mainland addresses and Shetland Islands for outlying Islands, Bressay, Yell and so on. Scalloway and Lerwick I would therefore say were Shetland.

Correct!

There is only one Shetland and that is the mainland, the rest of the archipelago have their own names but can be termed "Foula" Shetland Isles, Mousa Shetland Isles et al.

 

I would say that is incorrect, Posiedon.

If what you say was true then people from Yell, Unst etc when setting off to Lerwick for their helly airents would say "I'm off to Shetland for the day", which they quite clearly don't. The main land of Shetland is called 'Mainland,' on every map I've ever seen.

The way I see it, Shetland, Shetland Isles and Shetland Islands are all interchangeable and mean the same thing. Personally I can't lose sleep over either one, but the term 'The Shetlands' has the same effect on me as chewing tinfoil.