And so we head for the poll with HMG, Hannah Mary Goodlad basically saying ‘vote for me, I’m not really SNP, and anyway, it’s only for five years,’ and Emma Macdonald, channelling Big Al Carmichael, claiming that the Liberal Democrats are the only barrier to evil Indy-dependence and rampant Swinneyism. HME – the Hypnotic Mammary Expansionists, aka Greens – are likely to come third, with everyone else trailing in lost deposit territory.

The Greens miscalculated the effect of what in Shetland dialect is known as claag – noisy cackling, as of a flock of birds – as opposed to braag or bragd, which means to mark ownership by cutting a permanent incision, usually in the ear of a sheep. Or braa (same as Scots-via-The-Broons braw) meaning very good, lovely or excellent, against voust, which means to boast or brag; ‘windy voust’ is particularly boastful bragging . ‘A claag o’ windy voust’ as a description of your political campaign, would not be a good thing.

(By the way, if some of the campaigners for ‘Shaetlan-as-a-distinctive-language’ are reading this, it’s worth pointing out that ‘claag o’ windy voust’ is exactly the same in Scots as Shetlandic.)

There is a particular sensitivity in Shetland culture to people who are seen as noisy, strident and generally rather too proud of themselves. Partly this is about survival in a small, vulnerable rural  community. Do Not Rock the Old Rock. Shetland has always been a place where secrets are both open and unacknowledged. Best to pretend indifference to a slight or a betrayal if you’re going 40 miles out to sea fishing in an open boat with that betrayer next day. Or on the other hand, wait until you’re 40 miles out at the haaf until a convenient drowning settles things…

That is perhaps part of the reason for the reaction to the very public demonstrations against Nigel Farage’s arrival in the isles. And the infantile verbal aggression (anonymous, online and written drunkenly on a stolen campaign placard) against the Greens and their extremely noisy candidate.

The Greens will get something of a sympathy vote because that is also part of the Zetlandic character, an emotional attachment to the underdog – but the voust will stick and in many eyes and ears has already become claag. The question is, has HMG’s consummate campaigning trespassed into that territory too, simply by being too brilliantly visible and audible? Has HMG been too annoyingly good? Too noisy, too much her intimidatingly assured, publicly humble and overwhelmingly nice self?

Someone locally psephological who should know the score is firmly of the opinion that despite a brilliant campaign, HMG will be defeated by deeply entrenched Lib Dem Carmichaelism, with crucial teenage SNP votes going Green and possibly tipping the balance. Every candidate is claiming expressions of support ‘on the doorstep’ but as traditionally most Shetlanders would rather die than disagree with a visitor face-to-face in or outside their own house, that is nonsensical.

For what it’s worth, I  think it’ll be close but Hannah Mary will cut the mustard. Or incise the sheep’s ear. Probably. Would that be braa? I couldn’t possibly comment. But if she does, with Big Al set to retire, it could well be the beginning of the end for the LiboCrats in the Northern Isles.