Prose
Book signing
Over the past fifty years, Shetland dialect short stories have often featured, and continue to feature, in the New Shetlander magazine, and also appear in Shetland Life magazine and various collections of writing. There are two approaches to story-writing: write entirely in dialect, or write the narrative in English and direct speech in dialect.
To date, no novel has ever been written completely in dialect, though several have dialect dialogue. John Graham, in his two novels Shadowed Valley (1987) and especially Strife in the Valley (1992), achieved a blend of English and dialect in the narrative, following a practice begun by other writers, notably Peter Jamieson, at an earlier time.
While a great amount of dialect poetry has been written over the years, dialect prose writing has not been so plentiful.
Latest Prose Additions
- And Darkness Fell
An extract from Christian S. Tait's 2018 novel, set in Lerwick during the First World War, and published by Shetland Library. - Gibbie's Hame-comin
From “LOWRIE” by Joseph Gray, being a humorous account in the dialect of incidents in the life of a Shetland crofter. First published in 1933. This story is a look into the future, written at a time when 1936 represented the future. - The factor's visit, from 'Shadowed Valley'
Extract from John Graham's first novel (1987), a fictionalised account of the 19th century Weisdale evictions. Recording courtesy of BBC Radio Shetland.
In This Section
- And Darkness Fell
An extract from Christian S. Tait's 2018 novel, set in Lerwick during the First World War, and published by Shetland Library. - Biggin da Dess
Hazel Sutherland's essay (2004) recalls a major annual task on the croft: ' Biggin da Dess' (building the haystack). - Da Peesterleeties an da Curse o da Njuggle
Characters from the world of Shetland folklore come to life in Valerie Watt's novel for bairns (2005). Here, two young trows get into real trouble when they befriend a njuggle. - Da Whillie
A boy adrift in a boat is rescued by a fishing boat crew. This short story by John Cumming is from 'White Below: poems and stories from Shetland’s fishing industry' (2010). - Dodie's Phenomenal Pheesic
'Dodie's Phenomenal Pheesic' by Christine De Luca (2008)
Translation of Roald Dahl's 'George's Marvellous Medicine' into Shetland dialect
- Gibbie's Hame-comin
From “LOWRIE” by Joseph Gray, being a humorous account in the dialect of incidents in the life of a Shetland crofter. First published in 1933. This story is a look into the future, written at a time when 1936 represented the future. - Kirsten
In John Cumming's short story from 2006, a coach and his star athlete come to terms with some of the hard realities of life. - Nannie Georgedaughter
A heart-stopping extract from George P.S. Peterson's 'Nannie Georgedaughter', a tale of the Press Gang days, fiction inspired by fact. First published in 2002. - Strife In The Valley
A vivid portrayal of character and nature of gossip. Extract from John J. Graham's 1992 novel 'Strife in the Valley'. - Tang
An extract from the 1898 novel ‘Tang’ by J.J. Haldane Burgess, which portrays life and relationships in a Shetland community.
- The factor's visit, from 'Shadowed Valley'
Extract from John Graham's first novel (1987), a fictionalised account of the 19th century Weisdale evictions. Recording courtesy of BBC Radio Shetland. - The Night that Mouat was lost
Based on true events, this short story by Tom Henderson (1957) became a classic.