Wise words!
I'm still writing an Anatomy and Physiology essay, well I'm continuing onto the next one due in 2 weeks time as I am going to be away in London for a long weekend next week and I want to have the bulk of it done, so as I can enjoy my mini-break!
But what popped into my head somewhere in amongst my thoughts was the idea of disappearing language; well really the Orcadian accent and the use of Orcadian words in everyday life.
When I'm out in Shapinsay (30min boat journey from the mainland to get to the island) visiting my grandparents, orcadian words are brought up in conversation and I am asked of the definitions and unfortunately, 9 out of 10 I don't know what the word means! And I feel saddened by it; these are words my grandparents were brought up with and their parents before that...my true heritage. With a change in schooling where there is far more emphasis on true English than that of native tongue, be it Orcadian or Scots, and a large increase of 'incomers' to Orkney the dialect is becoming more and more dilute.
I would like to investigate a bit more into this idea of disappearing 'Orcadian-ness' and had thought about conducting a survey within the college environment. I'm not sure whether it's going back to my Biology studies that has brought about this way of thinking but I feel it would be interesting to see the results between those students and staff who were born in Orkney to those who are 'incomers'. (in that they were not born in Orkney) However, after the symposium the idea of ethics was brought about time and again and it has stuck in my mind, so I am not sure if I would be able to conduct this survey.
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