The Shetland dialect
If you have been to Shetland, or heard any Shetlanders speak, you’ll notice that on top of a very distinctive accent, a lot of the words used are quite different to the rest of Scotland. The Shetland dialect is influenced by Old Scots and Norn, which was spoken in Shetland until the 18th century.
Some of the words are recognisable, and others, totally different! See if you can guess what these Shetland words mean. The explanations are given further down the page.
Peerie
Hamefarin
Fantin
Gansey
Draatsi
Tammie Norie
Muckle
Shilpit
Peerie-wyes
Peerie – small
Hamefarin - homecoming
Fantin - starving
Gansey - jumper
Draatsi - otter
Tammie Norie - puffin
Muckle - big
Shilpit - sour
Peerie-wyes – carefully
You can read much more about the Shetland dialect on the fantastic Shetland for Wirds website.