Waken up Scots everywhere! We are losing our own precious identity.
By Colmuc
@Colmuc (707)
April 10, 2009 6:15am CST
As an exiled Scot living in Germany I am constantly "accused" of being English!
When I point out that I am Scottish the response is usually "Is that not the same ?" Experienced English speakers can identify me from my strong accent as being Scottish but many still think Scotland is the name for North England! When traveling I meet with the same reactions. The Hilton Hotel in Zurich put "English" as my nationality on my registration form! I gave back my passport and challenged them to find the word "England" anywhere in it. There is no such nationality as "English". Years ago I found my son with a school book with a map showing the whole of Great Britain as England! There were several discussions here that covered what Obama gave the "Queen of England" as a present. England has not had their own king or queen in the last 300 years!.
This site uses the Union Jack, which is a combination representing the crosses of the patron saints of Ireland, Scotland and England, to indicate discussions about England. Totally wrong and I find it offensive. They have so many weird censorship rules but have so far ignored my request to correct their error.
What do other Scots think, am I being over sensitive? Can those of other nationalities understand my concern?. I am interested in what you think.
1 person likes this
3 responses
@irene66 (1669)
• Philippines
11 Apr 09
well, when I had my training on a student visa for UK, I was taught that people from UK are referred as "English". it includes Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England. I met some British people in China and they told me the same that is why I'm oriented that UK people are English. what I know is that people from Ireland should be called Irish, Scotland as Scottish, and so on.
@Eskimo (2315)
•
14 Apr 09
Irene, to call someone from Scotland (or Wales or Ireland) English can be taken as a big insult. Almost as bad though is to be called 'Scotch', which is Whisky, and is spelt without an 'e'. Whiskey is from Ireland. People who come from Scotland are Scottish or Scots.
1 person likes this
@Eskimo (2315)
•
10 Apr 09
I agree with you totally. While Scotland is linked with England (in the United Kingdom), it is still a nation with a seperate identity and seperate laws from England although every day sees a dilution of these, especially with EEC trying to make everyone identical.
Most people who mistake Scotland as a part of England do so through ignorance, however as there are so many Scots and people of Scots descent in USA I would have thought that Obama would have advisors who would be able to tell the difference.
'Scot's wha hae!!'
'Scot's wha hae!!'1 person likes this
@xboxboy (5576)
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10 Apr 09
yup, i have spent time working in various countrys and i found the name 'Jock' the most annoying! can they not think of a more inventive nickname?
Back to your issue of being called english. bounce the insult right back at them....if they are american call them canadian or vice versa.
Australian-new zealander
welsh-english
indian-packistani
you get the picture
@xboxboy (5576)
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10 Apr 09
i find it predictably 'mylotian' for them not to correct it when they are so quick to delete certain 'offensive' discussions.
remember Scotland is the spine of great britian. it was us and the irish who got sent in to india and all her majestys commonwealth.
And for such a small country....where do i begin?
pnumatic tyres, road surfacing, television, telephone, penicilin, bank of england, golf, logarithems, radar, steam engine, US navy and whisky.
etc,etc,etc
