The “I Hear Dee” project documents and describes contemporary Shaetlan, the Mixed Language that pre-dates English in Shetland (the northernmost archipelago of the UK), which is currently endangered and which has faced severe stigmatisation for the last 200 years or more. The group is run by a linguist (specialised in typology, contact linguistics and historical linguistics) together with L1 speakers of Shaetlan.

The aim of the project is to raise awareness about the language both locally and globally, as well as to show that it is a structured and fully viable language in its own right. The target audience is primarily the L1 speakers themselves, who have for generations been told that they do not have their own language, but that they merely speak a quirky brogue (at best).

The secondary audience is the global linguistic community, as well as any other minority language community facing similar issues of lack of recognition and stigmatisation. Our aim is to present linguistic data in an accessible manner suitable for the digital era, in the form of online linguistic materials (grammar, dictionary, orthography, etc), as well as digital tools and games. The main challenges have been a lack of acceptance by local authority and educational departments in recognising Shaetlan as a language in its own right, and its value not only as a means of communication but also as a medium of instruction.

Digital content

Contact