Guide to
Regional Varieties of
Scots Language
ORCADIAN
In this document you will find examples of Orcadian which have been organised
into film clips, songs, audio, poetry and prose. The links within this document
will take you to sites where there are more examples such as these, not only for
Orcadian but for many regional varieties of Scots.
‘The term ‘Orcadian’ is sometimes used, but the dialect is usually known locally as
‘Orkney’. For example, ‘Does sheu spaek Orkney?’’
Today's Orkney dialect, like that of Shetland, is pervaded with Norse words and turns of
speech. Orkney dialect differs from Shetland in that Shetland follows Nordic stress patterns
whereas Orkney has a rising intonation akin to Welsh or Irish. There are dialectical
differences, particularly in pronunciation and vocabulary, throughout the islands, though
the main distinction in accent is that between the mainland of Orkney and the North isles.
Go to the Scots Language Centre website to listen to Orcadian sound clips, understand
characteristics of Orcadian, read a thumbnail history and discussion of this regional variety
of Scots, as well as examples of prominent writers and speakers:
http://www.scotslanguage.com/articles/view/id/4011/type/dialect/archive/0
FILM
The Ba (1954-1975) by Margaret Tait. Part 4 in Tait's series 'Aspects of Kirkwall'. This hour
long film records the sights and sounds of Orkney’s New Year’s Day game, featuring
interviews with Ba' winners, music and poetry.
http://ssa.nls.uk/film/6225 Click here to watch the clip on the National Library of Scotland’s
Scottish Screen Archive
Away to Westray (2012) by Lorraine McBrearty. Stenness F.C. have the second leg of their
Parish Cup fixture to play against Westray. Music by Ivan Drever, fine Orcadian narration by
Stewart Moar, and plenty of Orkney scenery are on show in this 5 minute football
documentary.
http://hansel2012.org/films/away-westray Click here to watch the clip on the Hansel of Film
website
Caithness Orkney Kirkwall (1965) by Grampian Television. This short clip from a longer film,
discusses why people were leaving Orkney for places like New Zealand and America, as well
as the building of the ‘Churchill Barriers’.
http://scotlandonscreen.org.uk/database/record.php?usi=007-000-002-129C&searchdb=scotscreen_scran& Click here to watch the clip on the National Library of
Scotland’s Scottish Screen Archive
Orkney and Shetland Dialect Corpus Scoping Study (2014) by the Centre for Nordic Studies,
University of the Highlands and Islands. This Connected Communities Project looking at the
dialects of Shetland and Orkney is introduced by Ragnhild Ljosland features interesting
discussion of Orcadian as well including good readings from Orkney texts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fugBXdzZCYs Click here to watch the clip on YouTube
SONGS
Orcadian Lullaby – version by Brian Cromarty
The Selkie o Sule Skerry – version by Sheena Wellington on Kist o Riches(?)
Orkney New Year Song – version by Orkney Song Shop Choir
An Orcadian Lullaby - Flotta Song Share performance by Brian Cromarty and Song Shop Trio
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn3fpshzuxg
Sheena
Wellington's
Version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIymPp2h0p8
of
the
Selkie
New
Year
http://www.orkneycommunities.co.uk/ORKNEYSINGERS/index.asp?pageid=593498
Song
AUDIO
Radio Orkney (2013) BBC Scotland News 18th Feb. Tune in to Radio Orkney this morning to
hear how news and current events are told to listeners across the islands each day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZRZSRmQTmY Click here to listen to the clip on
YouTube
Migration and the Mither Tongue. Tom Rendall talks to BBC Radio Orkney about his
research into Orkney Dialect and his series of talks funded by Scotland's Islands and Scapa
Flow Landscape Partnership.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrCjXXDdkSk Click here to listen to the clip on YouTube
TEXT: Poetry
Home Truths, High Coo & many more. Find no less than 9 superb poems here, written as
part of 2010’s Year o Orkney Dialect. The poetry explores themes of ‘Home’, ‘Humour’,
‘Land’ and ‘Sea’ and are written by a variety of different ages, including primary and
secondary pupils.
http://www.orkneycommunities.co.uk/OHS/index.asp?pageid=592595 Click here to read
the poems on the Orkney Heritage Society’s website
Poetry by Robert Rendall, Chrissie Costie & many more. The Orkney Heritage Society
Dialect Pack is a fantastic source for poetry, discussion on how to write Orcadian, interesting
details and much more.
http://www.orkneycommunities.co.uk/ohs/documents/dialect/ohs%20dialect%20pack.pdf
Click here to read the poems on the Orkney Heritage Society’s website
TEXT: Prose
The Boy That Lived by Simon Hall. “When Mr and Mrs Dursley woke up on the dour, dreich
Tuesday wur story sterts, there wis notheen aboot the cloody sky ootside tae suggest that
queer and unkan things wid soon stert tae happen aal owre the country.” Fine Orcadian
prose for all ages.
https://brisknortherly.wordpress.com/author/brisknortherly/ Click here to read Chapter
Wan as well as other articles on the WordPress site ‘Brisk Northerly’
Interview with a trowe by a special Orcadian correspondent. Anybody ever seen a trowe
before? You have?! Well did you interview him? This special correspondent from Orkney
did. Read all about it right here:
http://www.scuilwab.org.uk/assets/Trowe_interview-1.pdf Click here to read the text on
the Scuilwab page of the Scots Language Dictionary website