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Secondary

Dialect in secondary schools

The 1996 Dialect Project.

Every secondary school has a ring-binder folder with a red back and red front cover, bearing the SIC logo and the words "SHETLAND DIALECT PROJECT, SHETLAND ISLANDS COUNCIL, EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, 1996". Inside is a collection of dialect writing, some classic pieces, some more recent, all arranged in themes.

Along with the pack came recordings of some (not all) of the content. Some of these recordings appear on this website in the Literature section, by kind permission of the Schools Service.

Below is the contents list for the 1996 Dialect Project (Secondary). It can be searched by theme, by author, and by the name of the individual resource. An asterisk* indicates that the item was recorded. Links to other areas of this site are highlighted.

Secondary School 1996 Dialect Project Resources

THEMENAMEAUTHOR
Beliefs and Values Böl my Sheep* Rhoda Bulter
Beliefs and Values Da Ill Wind Laurence Graham
Beliefs and Values Da Night at Christ wis Boarn Stella Sutherland
Beliefs and Values Olie an Omar Stella Sutherland
Beliefs and Values Property Values ( a play) Laureen Johnson
Beliefs and Values Why?* Rhoda Bulter
Beliefs and Values Wir Inheritance Rhoda Bulter
Chlldhood Childhood Reminiscence Paul Ritch
Chlldhood Emergency!* George P.S. Peterson
Chlldhood Frisk Waatir Troot* Robert Alan Jamieson
Chlldhood Guisin ( short story) Joan Olsen
Chlldhood Thule Revisited Christine De Luca
Country Life Aald Maunsie's Crö* Basil Anderson
Country Life At da Croft Museum Stella Sutherland
Country Life Da Peerie Burn Hoose Stella Sutherland
Country Life Da Show* Vagaland
Country Life Daa Looks ida Door* Emily Milne
Country Life Fladdabister Rhoda Bulter
Country Life Laeves fae Beenie's Diary Rhoda Bulter
Country Life Röts* Rhoda Bulter
Country Life Saat an Snaa Robert Alan Jamieson
Country Life Stallion* Jack Renwick
Country Life Sundy Buits* Emily Milne
Country Life Tele-tale* Rhoda Bulter
Da Rationale A Skyinbow o Tammy's Vagaland
Depopulation Da Clearance Rhoda Bulter
Depopulation Kwarna Farna?* Vagaland
Depopulation Sang o da Post-war Exiles* Robert Alan Jamieson
Depopulation Starka Virna Vagaland
Folklore Da Sneug Wal Vagaland
Folklore Wan Guid Turn George P.S.Peterson
Gossip Da Ill-makkers Stella Sutherland
Gossip Gossip from Dancin wi da Mune Grace Barnes
Gossip Gossip from Strife in the Valley John J. Graham
Humour Clearin oot da Haandbag* Rhoda Bulter
Humour Da aald Ford an da RadarTrap (short story) Robert Johnson
Humour Der a Moose i da Hoose Stella Sutherland
Humour Gyaan ta da Doctor* Rhoda Bulter
Humour Jubilee Ode* J.J. Haldane Burgess
Humour Maggie learns a Lesson at da Wheel Jim Tait
Humour Observations in a Bar Rhoda Bulter
Humour Twitchers Charlie Simpson
Humour Willie an da Bultin Ram Willie Couper
Love and Relationships A Day atween Wadders* William J. Tait
Love and Relationships Choices ( a Play) Laureen Johnson
Love and Relationships Da Time and da Tune Stella Sutherland
Love and Relationships Dee an Me* Emily Milne
Love and Relationships Fey William J. Tait
Love and Relationships Half a Twalmont* Stella Sutherland
Love and Relationships Hjarta William J. Tait
Love and Relationships Lux in Tenebris William J. Tait
Love and Relationships Marriage from Dancin wi da Mune Grace Barnes
Love and Relationships Midder* Stella Sutherland
Love and Relationships Sonnet pour Helene William J. Tait
Love and Relationships Water-Lilies* Vagaland
Love and Relationships Naar ikki lenger du elska kann Vagaland
Snapshots Aald Daa* Rhoda Bulter
Snapshots Aa my Selves* Stella Sutherland
Snapshots Ann Eliza Rhoda Bulter
Snapshots Celandine* Stella Sutherland
Snapshots Da Leddy Body Stella Sutherland
Snapshots Da Sloo* Rhoda Bulter
Snapshots Da Trooker* Rhoda Bulter
Snapshots Decline and Fall* Jack Renwick
Snapshots High-flyer* Jack Renwick
Snapshots I Miss Dee, Daa ( short story) Robert Johnson, aka Cavy, Aald Daa
Snapshots Liza Rhoda Bulter
Snapshots March-past at Arromanches* Laureen Johnson
Snapshots Me Graandmidder ( short story)* Sylvia Jamieson
Snapshots Scunnered Stella Sutherland
The Sea and Fishing Fishing Robert Johnson, aka Cavy, Aald Daa
Flans frae da Haaf* Laurence Graham
The Sea and Fishing Gyaain tae da Eela Christine De Luca
The Sea and Fishing Muness Sixareens ( from Hogmanay Sermon)* William J. Tait
The Sea and Fishing The night that Mouat was lost Tom Henderson
The Sea and Fishing Ode to a Fishy Bunk Paul Ritch
The Sea and Fishing Seine Netters* Jack Peterson
The Sea and Fishing Wheel of Fate Paul Ritch
Town life Bidin ida Kloss Rhoda Bulter
Town life Kirsty Caddel, from play Christina Sandra Voe and Sheila Kelley
Town life Da Street, from Dancin wi da Mune Grace Barnes
Town life Da Street (30s)*, from play It wis Herd Wark but.. Shetland Youth Theatre and John Haswell
Town life Up- Helly-Aa, from Dancin wi da Mune Grace Barnes
Weather and Seasons A Coorse Day* Rhoda Bulter
Weather and Seasons Hjalta* Vagaland
Weather and Seasons November Rhoda Bulter
Weather and Seasons Voar Rhoda Bulter
Weather and Seasons Voar Wadder* Vagaland
Weather and Seasons Winter comes In* Jack Renwick
You towt we wir forgotten… Scranna* J.J. Haldane Burgess

The Kist/A'Chiste: sccc

Resource pack issued to all schools in Scotland in 1996. Contains an anthology of writing in all kinds of Scots including seven Shetland dialect texts, and a few Gaelic texts; two sets of copymasters giving background information on the texts plus suggested activities; a Teachers’ Handbook (brief info here) and tape recordings of all texts. All contained in brown wood-effect strong cardboard box, (made to fit A4).

Designed to be used with pupils of all abilities in the upper primary and lower secondary school, including pupils working beyond Level E.

There is a wide variety of texts including, for example: The twa corbies, The jeely piece song, Sharleen: Ah'm shy  and Crowdieknowe.


Other resources:

Individual schools are likely to have a stock of dialect resources, which may include

 Dancin wi da Mune, by Grace Barnes.  Full text of the 1990s play. Two extracts appear on this site in the Drama section.

 A Shetland Anthology, eds John and Laurence Graham, 1998. Poetry from the earliest times to the 1990s.

Still Life, an anthology of new Shetland Dialect writing 2003, eds  Johnson and Sinclair

Shetland Plays, by Marsali Taylor, published by Fair Play Press, 2009, contains two play scripts, 'Suspeecion' and 'Da lasses o Haaf Gruney', which are suitable for secondary age groups.

Bright Pebbles, eds Blance and Johnson, 2010. An anthology of poetry and prose, depicting Shetland from the 1950s onwards to the present day. Illustrated. Accompanying CD.


Collections by individual poets: for titles, see list of Writers/Readers

 

 

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