I have spent 9 summers in Orkney and I just talk like I normally would and the locals do not appear to have any problems understanding me. In fact, they like to hear the American accent and laugh (in a nice way) when try to interject one of their pronunciations and mess it up. They seem better able to figure out what I'm saying than the reverse! After I've been there awhile, sometimes local pronunciation just comes naturally (doon, toon, sooth, etc.) but I don't attempt to speak like a local. Listening to Radio Orkney has helped me in my understanding of what is said. Every year I learn new words but it is still tricky listening to a group of Orcadians speaking to one another! Peggy (a Vermonter living in West Virginia where there are strong southern drawls) --------------------------------- Check out the hottest 2008 models today at Yahoo! Autos.