Shetland dialect

By and large, consonants are pronounced much as in other Modern Scots varieties. Exceptions are: The dental fricatives /ð/ and /θ/ may be realised as alveolar plosives [d] and [t] respectively,[11] for example [tɪŋ] and [ˈmɪdər] rather than [θɪŋ], or debuccalized [hɪŋ] and [hɪn], (thing) and [ˈmɪðər] mither (mother) as in Central Scots. The qu in quick, queen and queer may be realised [xʍ] rather than [kw], initial /tʃ/ ch may be realised [ʃ] and the initial cluster wr may be realised [wr] or [wər].[12]

The underlying vowel phonemes of Shetland dialect based on McColl Millar (2007) and Johnston P. (1997). The actual allophones may differ from place to place.

1. Vowel 11 occurs stem final.
2. Vowel 3 is often retracted or diphthongised or may sometimes be realised [i].[13]
3. Vowel 7 may be realised [u] before /r/ and [ju] before /k/ and /x/.[14]
4. Vowel 8 is generally merged with vowel 4,[15] often realised [ɛ] or [æː] before /r/.[16] The realisation in the cluster ane may be [i] as in Mid Northern Scots.[17]
5. Vowel 15 may be realised [ɛ̈~ë][18] or diphthongised to [əi] before /x/.[19]
6. Vowel 16 may be realised [e][20] or [æ].[21]
7. Vowel 17 often merges with vowel 12 before /nd/ and /l r/.[22]

Vowel length is by and large determined by the Scottish Vowel Length Rule, although there are a few exceptions.[23]

The definite article the is pronounced [də] often written da in dialect writing. As is usual in Scots, Shetland dialect puts an article where Standard English would not:[28][29]

gyaan ta da kirk/da scole in da Simmer-- 'go to church/school in summer' da denner is ready 'dinner is ready' hae da caald 'have a cold'

Nouns in Shetland dialect have grammatical gender beside natural gender.[30] Some nouns which are clearly considered neuter in English are masculine or feminine, such as spade (m), sun (m), mön (f), kirk (f). This can also apply to dummy constructions, e.g. what time is he? In a study comparing pre-oil Shetland dialect usage from oral history recordings and contemporary speech from interviews, the gender system in Shetland dialect was found to be a stable feature of modern dialect usage, and is not tied to use alongside "traditional lexical items".[31]

The plural of nouns is usually formed by adding -s, as in Standard English. There are a few irregular plurals, such as kye, 'cows' or een, 'eyes'.[32][33]

Shetland dialect also distinguishes between personal pronouns used by parents when speaking to children, old persons speaking to younger ones, or between familiar friends or equals[34] and those used in formal situations and when speaking to superiors.[35][36] (See T–V distinction)

The familiar forms are thoo (thou), pronounced [duː], often written du in dialect writing; thee, pronounced [di(ː)], often written dee in dialect writing; thy, pronounced [daɪ], often written dy in dialect writing; and thine, pronounced [daɪn], often written dine in dialect writing; contrasting with the formal forms you, you, your and yours, respectively.

The familiar du takes the singular form of the verb: Du is, du hes ('you are, you have').

As is usual in Scots, the relative pronoun is that,[37] also meaning who and which, pronounced [dat] or [ət], often written dat[38] or 'at in dialect writing,[39] as in da dog at bet me... – 'the dog that bit me...'

As is usual in Scots, the past tense of weak verbs is formed by either adding -ed, -it, or -t,[40][41] as in spoot, spootit (move quickly).

The auxiliary verb ta be 'to be', is used where Standard English would use 'to have':[42] I'm written for 'I have written'.

Ta hae 'to have', is used as an auxiliary with the modal verbs coud ('could'), hed ('had'), micht ('might'), most ('must'), sood ('should'), and wid ('would') and then reduced to [ə], often written a in dialect writing:[43] Du sood a telt me, 'you should have told me'.

As is usual in Scots, auxiliary and monosyllabic verbs can be made negative by adding -na:[44][45] widna, 'would not'. Otherwise, the Scots negative has no where standard English has 'not'.