WELCOME TO THE WEBSITE OF
SHETLAND FORWIRDS
Welcome to the website of Shetland ForWirds, a group dedicated to promoting and celebrating Shetland dialect. This unique dialect has both Nordic and Scottish roots. We invite you to explore our website.
- North Unst
- Yell
- Fetlar
- Hillswick
- Mossbank
- Skerries
- Brae
- Whalsay
- Papa Stour
- East Burrafirth
- Sand
- Lerwick
- Bressay
- Scalloway
- Burra
- Cunningsburgh
- Quendale
- Fair Isle
We aim to promote and celebrate the use of written and spoken Shetland dialect as a valued and essential element of Shetland’s distinctive heritage and culture.
In our website you can listen to the dialect and see it written.
If you’re interested in the history of the dialect or just curious about words, go to John Graham’s dictionary; if you want a taste of dialect literature, there’s poetry, prose and drama to choose from; if you want to find out what we sound like in conversation, click on the map and listen to people who live in different parts of Shetland.
The learning section includes resources for teachers and students of all ages. Explore oral tradition for stories, songs and proverbs.
We hope after browsing through our website, you'll want to join us in helping keep Shetland dialect alive.
Whatever you choose, enjoy your Shetland experience.
Wir blyde you’re come ta wir door – come in trow da hoose an bide a start.
Wylcom ta da website o Shetland ForWirds. We bide in Shetland an wir taen up wi promotin an celebratin da Shetland dialect. Da unique tongue haes baith Nordic an Scottish röts.
Come your wis an explore wir website.
If you want ta keen foo da dialect cam aboot or juist curious aboot wirds, dan geng ta John Graham’s dictionary; if you want a taestin o Shaetlan literature, dan you can wale trow poetry, prose an drama; if you want ta keen whit we soond laek spaekin among wirsels, dan click on da map an listen ta folk at bides in different pairts a Shetland.
Da learnin section haes resources fur skule teachers an students o aa ages. Oral tradition haes yarns, sangs an sayins.
We hoop efter hunsin trow wir website, you'll want ta join wis in helpin keep Shaetlan alive.
Whitivver you pick, enjoy your Shetland experience.
We are very pleased that you’ve come to our door. Come inside and spend some time with us.
We are grateful to Jonathan Church, Associate Professor of Anthropology, and colleagues of Arcadia University for their help developing the idea of the website in the early stages.
