FOLK-LORE FROM UNST. 183 



ears that it is quite impossible to convey to an English 

 reader the correct pronunciation of some of those strange 

 utterances. Indeed, the Shetlandic " tongue " would 

 be more vigorous than pleasing if it were not for the 

 tender and most plaintive intonation which softens all 

 harsh sounds into musical accord. Before giving an 

 example of the dialect it may be useful to mention how 

 some of the principal letters are usually pronounced. 



A is usually spoken long, as in " far," or as " au " in 

 "haughty," when it occurs in such words as dale or 

 vale, thereby converting them into daul and vaul. 



I frequently becomes e ; for example " die," " dee." 



and 00 are generally pronounced as eu is in French, 

 or il and in German. 



Ing seldom gets justice, for it is invariably cut short 

 at n ; but r is never permitted to hide the smallest 

 flourish of his barbarian person, and is even obtruded 

 sometimes where he ought to have no place, as in 

 " fatigue " which is pronounced " fortig," the r being 

 rolled under the tongue like a sweet morsel. 



D always takes the place of th, as in " that " be- 

 coming " dat," and a favourite sound is the guttural ch 

 as in loch (Scotch), so that " thought " is said " tocht." 



Sch (German pronunciation) is often used for sli. 



J takes the German sound of that letter generally, 

 and there is a tendency to emphasise the endings of 

 words by the use of firm-sounding consonants, so that 

 " Jaspar " becomes on the natives' tongue " Yaspard " 

 in spite of kirk and clergy. I think this y sound of/ 

 is a great favourite, for it is found twisted into words 



