Lerrick?

[Ghostrider]

Lerrik.

 

Linna.

 

Trossik, Levenik, Shanderik, Sannik, Husik....

 

Maeweek, Gulberweek, Breyweek, Hillsweek, Oattarsweek, Haraldsweek....

 

Da Ness, bit no da laich Ness.

[Frances144]

Ok, so how do you say Sumburgh and Scalloway?

 

I say Sum-Brer

 

and Skaller-wur

 

Does it piss you off if a sooth-moother uses Shetland dialect for place names?

 

(actually that might be a whole new thread)

[Rasmie]

Sum- burrah - annoys me a little when folk say soom burra

Scalla wah.

 

No I think we should embrace attempts at our dialect

[Ghostrider]

Sumbra and Skalawa.

 

It doesn't bother me if non native speakers use local names, in the worst case scenario it at least shows they're trying to make an effort. The greatest risk for someone doing so though is that they may not be able to make themselves understood. It works mostly, but the difference in vowel sounds etc of Shetland compared to English if combined with certain accents and certain local words, can end up sometimes in something unintelligible.

 

e.g. the Shetland/Scots 'bairn' sounds something like "bairr'n" in Shetland, but most English accents make it sound something like "bayn" - something like that can be hard going to catch on to what is being said.

[groilick]

Du da Scousburgh folk hae a Scous twang?

[matlo]

I think folk sometimes concentrate on learning and using words rather than learning the sounds first - that's how bairns learn after all.

 

When visitors get pronunciation wrong - saying 'bod' instead of 'bød', for instance - it can really interfere with understanding. Do you (politely) correct them or do you ignore the mistake?

[Ghostrider]

Du da Scousburgh folk hae a Scous twang?

 

I doot dat, fur dir nidder Wastie nur Bichtin.

[EM]

Does it piss you off if a sooth-moother uses Shetland dialect for place names?

Certainly not.

 

The two mispronunciations which bug me are Walls rather than Waas, and Aith rather than Eid. Both are of course understandable given the crazy OS spellings.

[EM]

Do you (politely) correct them or do you ignore the mistake?

I expect what I do will probably not be considered polite, but I usually ask why they choose to use the wrong pronunciation.

[groilick]

Does it piss you off if a sooth-moother uses Shetland dialect for place names?

Certainly not.

 

The two mispronunciations which bug me are Walls rather than Waas, and Aith rather than Eid. Both are of course understandable given the crazy OS spellings.

 

Da warst offender is Radio Shetland News, even da Shetlan spekers say Walls and Aith.

[Frances144]

Does it piss you off if a sooth-moother uses Shetland dialect for place names?

Certainly not.

 

The two mispronunciations which bug me are Walls rather than Waas, and Aith rather than Eid. Both are of course understandable given the crazy OS spellings.

 

OS? what is that.

 

Now I do say Walls. I live near there and I would think it sort of "affected" to say Waas since i am not a Shetlander. From a Shetlander, it is, of course, the perfect Shetland dialect pronunciation but from an English person, it sounds, well, errr..... affected.

 

It would be similar if you (a Shetlander) went to London and called it Laandern like in Eastenders because that's where you are imho.

[EM]

OS? what is that.

Ordnance Survey. The culprit for the way-wrong spellings of Shetland placenames. They came to Shetland and dined with the various lairds and other nobs. Instead of finding out what the placenames really sounded like, they asked people who themselves didn't even know the correct pronunciation.

 

... but from an English person, it sounds, well, errr..... affected.

I think not. Indeed, I would suggest the opposite. When I was a kid people who said Walls were considered a bit snobby. Perhaps you could give Waas a try. You may be surprised, it is a corker of a word .

[Kevin]

Lerwick: Lerrick, Lerweek or Da Toon - I think I 'chop an change' between da 3

 

Sumburgh: "Soombra"

 

There wis a pile o' names altered ower the years, Clousta wis usually spelt Clusta until the mid - late 1800s

[Staney Dale]

I think non-Shetlanders can be forgiven for failing to understand place name pronounciation as neither do we. Waas was what I said but not Eid. Both were probably horrible anglicizations of local words, bearing no relation to the original - but I said Waas as I had relations there, but accepted Aith as it was foreign territory anyway. Now I bide Sooth and continually knap.

[Frances144]

OS? what is that.

Ordnance Survey. The culprit for the way-wrong spellings of Shetland placenames. They came to Shetland and dined with the various lairds and other nobs. Instead of finding out what the placenames really sounded like, they asked people who themselves didn't even know the correct pronunciation.

 

... but from an English person, it sounds, well, errr..... affected.

I think not. Indeed, I would suggest the opposite. When I was a kid people who said Walls were considered a bit snobby. Perhaps you could give Waas a try. You may be surprised, it is a corker of a word .

 

We were talking about it this evening at supper.

 

Few call it the Waas Shop - it is The Walls Shop (remind me to ask them if I ever leave my house).

 

When did the OS folk come up and do all this "damage"?

 

So do you say Laandern when you go to the East End of London?