Suðuroy dialect under threat

The Suðuroy dialect, one of the most distinctive local dialects in the country, is in danger of dying out.

This is the conclusion of a survey carried out by Rakul Skaale Andreasen, who studies Faroese at the University of the Faroe Islands. She has analysed the dialects of Suðuroy locals aged 17-21.

Andreasen asked the study participants to listen to words and sentences spoken in the Suðuroy dialect and the Tórshavn dialect. They were asked to report which one of the dialects sounded more reliable, modern and interesting.

“The results were a bit surprising,” says Andersen. “It appears that the Suðuroy dialect is getting weaker. For example, the distinctive ‘-on’ suffix seems to have been replaced by the ‘-in’ suffix we know from other dialects in the country.”

The experiment was split into two parts: one blinded and one open. In the first, the participants were not aware that their dialect was being studied, and in the second they were told beforehand that their dialect was being studied.

The two experimental methods led to significantly different responses.

Many of the participants said that they preferred the Suðuroy dialect when they were aware of the purpose of the study. This, the researcher says, could indicate that the locals think fondly of their home dialect, which may suggest that there is still hope for its survival.

“We mustn’t, however, forget that the unconscious responses give a stronger indication of how things really stand,” says Andreasen. “But it’s good to see that the locals feel some affection for their home dialect. That is an important factor in preserving a language and its diversity.”

Translated by prosa.fo