Vowel Sounds:
* Broader vowels: Orcadians tend to pronounce vowels more broadly than in Standard English. For example, "cat" might sound like "caht" and "bird" might sound like "byrd".
* Diphthongs: Some diphthongs, like the "oi" in "boy" might be pronounced more like "ee" or "ey" as in "bee" or "bay".
Consonant Sounds:
* Glottal Stops: Orcadians often use glottal stops instead of "t" sounds in words like "bottle" or "butter".
* "R" Sounds: The "r" sound can be pronounced with a slight "trilled" quality, similar to a Spanish "r".
* "H" Sounds: The "h" sound might be dropped at the beginning of some words, like "house" sounding like "ouse".
Intonation and Rhythm:
* Rising intonation: Orcadian speech often has a rising intonation at the end of sentences, even when they are not questions.
* Slower pace: The overall pace of Orcadian speech tends to be slower than standard English.
Other Features:
* Unique vocabulary: Orcadian language has a unique vocabulary with some words specific to the islands.
* Influence of Old Norse: The accent shows influences from Old Norse, which was spoken in Orkney for centuries.
To get a better understanding of how an Orcadian accent sounds, you can:
* Listen to audio recordings: Search online for interviews or recordings of people from Orkney.
* Watch documentaries or films featuring Orcadians: Pay attention to how they speak.
Remember that the accent can vary slightly depending on the speaker's age, location on the island, and social background.