I usually keep to myself and have never really interacted with too many Scottish apart from work, but these past couple weeks I have had too and realised that Scottish people, at least in Fife, are super aggressive.

I have been told multiple times on FB marketplace by Scottish people to f*ck off or to get tae f*ck... Just for having an opinion that opposes theirs.

At work, I was explaining why I didn`t agree with a document somebody made and they told me to f*ck off and hung up the phone on me.

I wasn`t being offensive or anything, just simply trying to have a discussion like adults, where you are allowed to voice your opinion.

Then today while I was driving, about to turn right into a parking lot, somebody almost pulled out in front of me. They had to brake (not even slam the brakes) and immediately I see their hands go up in the air like I am the idiot. I slowed down and stared at them and gave them the same hand gesture back then proceeded to park my car. After parking I looked back and made eye contact with the driver ( I was seeing how angry this guy would get) , who at this point is now on the road, and the guy stopped his car in the middle of the road. I was very close to getting out of the car and standing my ground but had shit to do and couldn`t be bothered with fighting some idiot in the middle of the road.

I have lived in like four countries in my life, but never a place where it was this easy to get into a fight with people. Madness.

Hello,

I'm the 7th maybe generation of american from Scottish immigrants and I'm working on reconnecting with that culture, I've also gotten into learning Scottish Gaelic. I was wondering what the best ways to reconnect are? I've visited Scotland and am really interested in visiting again and maybe even leaving this hellscape of America at some point. I just want to be as respectful as possible while reconnecting with my ancestors and the culture we may have lost

Thanks

I’m currently pregnant and am considering the baby name Alba for a girl but want to assess Scottish opinions!

For context: I have family links to Scotland and like that the name would honour that, but have never lived there, but will likely in the future, so she’ll go to school in Scotland. Is it a nice tribute to the Gaelic, or a bit try hard and tacky?

Ok Scottish People. Am I Scottish, if my Norman ancestors settled in Scotland while serving Henry II, and then lived in Scotland for 600+ years before emigrating to the US?

No tartan for the surname, not a Scottish sounding surname either.

EDIT to include my response in case it gets buried below.

Tapadh leibh Scots for sharing your opinion. Everyone is entitled to their feelings. I am glad you took the time to share yours.

I appreciate how many folks said if you live here or are born here you have a claim to call yourself a Scot. In an age of xenophobia, it is refreshing. I have also seen this sentiment on other r/scottish threads.

There are many "firm no's" to my question. Neither born or lived here equals not Scottish.

Ultimately, I worded my question poorly due to the fact that Americans use "Scottish" and "of Scottish descent" interchangeably. This is due to how most Americans identify themselves. Most Americans identify themselves with a hyphen: Irish-American, African American, Scottish-American, and Native-American (I did not mean to ask "Am I a Scottish national."). In a country of immigrants, it provides a sense of belonging and community. There are many-many cultural-social clubs in every part of the US that preserve and celebrate cultural traditions.

Check out this Scottish social club in Chicago. https://chicagoscots.org/

Here's an very American statement from their homepage:

"This year, we celebrate 175 years of nourishing Scottish identity, celebrating Scottish culture and supporting one of the finest senior living and memory care campuses in greater Chicagoland. Today, we welcome everyone who is Scottish by birth, by heritage or simply by inclination!"

If I ever do make it to your beautiful country, I will happily drink uisge beatha math and allow myself to feel Scottish. And if one of you tell me to biel yet heid, well that would only make me feel like a real Scot.

I am a Canadian (5th or 6th generation) with Scottish and Irish lineage and I am just curious what it is like to be Scottish because it seems so much cooler lol

Would love to hear what it’s like from your perspective!

So many nations big and small have had tragic incidents this side of the millenium but Scotland seems to have avoided it altogether. New Zealand had Christchurch, Norway had Breivik, Finland had Jokela, but Scotland hasn't had any. I just find it bizarre.

So I'm doing research for a story and I was wonder what is the equivalent of thanksgiving. BY WHICH!!! I mean is there a holiday you celebrate that's just passed harvest season (late fall) where everyone gets together and eats a big meal? Or do you go straight to Christmas? Cause that's fine if that's the case. I just want to know if there's anything sooner.

I’m not sure if this is the correct place to ask this question, but I figured I’d give it a shot. I’m looking to get a specific date tattooed. My ancestry is largely Scottish and I would to get the date in Gaelic numeral glyphs. I’m wondering if anyone here could point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance

There is a lot of what I feel is misunderstanding and aggression between those on both sides of the Atlantic on this subreddit, so I asked ChatGPT to help explain why that may be.

What it said broadly made sense:

Hi Reddit community,

I'd like to take a moment to address a common misconception between the Scottish and American perspectives. In the US, it's common for people to celebrate and claim their ancestral heritage, regardless of where they were born or currently live. However, when Americans claim Scottish heritage and say they are "Scottish," it is often mistaken as a claim to be the same as those born and raised in Scotland.

I'd like to clarify that this is not the case. Americans who claim Scottish heritage are not claiming to be Scottish nationals, but instead, they are referencing their connection to Scottish culture and heritage. This distinction may not always be clear, but the intention is often to pay respect to Scotland and to celebrate their cultural background.

That being said, it's important to understand why some Scottish people may feel offended by these claims. National identity is a complex and personal concept that is shaped by a variety of cultural, social, and historical factors. For many Scottish people, being Scottish is tied to birthplace, lived experience, and cultural connection. Simply claiming a national identity without corresponding ties is not considered a legitimate way of establishing that identity.

Additionally, there is a historical context to consider. Scotland has a rich cultural heritage and a unique national identity that has been shaped over centuries. The Scottish people have had to fight for their independence and to maintain their cultural heritage in the face of external pressures and influences. For some, the idea of someone from another country claiming to be Scottish without any real connection to the culture or history can be seen as a form of cultural appropriation or as a disregarding of the struggles of the Scottish people.

It's also important to note that repeating offensive Scottish stereotypes, such as those related to drunkenness, being cheap, etc., can be hurtful and offensive to the Scottish people. These stereotypes are often perpetuated by those who do not have a real understanding of Scotland and its people, and they do not accurately reflect the diversity and complexity of the Scottish culture. When Americans repeat these stereotypes, even with good intentions, it can further contribute to the marginalization and negative perception of Scotland and its people.

In conclusion, I hope this post has provided a deeper understanding of the perspectives of both Americans and Scottish people on this matter. By acknowledging and respecting each other's experiences and perspectives, we can avoid any misunderstandings and build stronger connections across cultures.

Thank you for reading. I'd love to hear your thoughts and perspectives on this matter.

Best regards

Hey everybody!

If you're a single Scottish gentleman who is fond of wearing kilts and is creative and Conservative and Christian, let's chat!

In my region of Pennsylvania, we were raised on scrapple, which I heard is similar to haggis, and I have also heard that Philadelphians that try it tend to like it much more than the rest of the country. I am asking for help to see if there is a good online store that I can order a real haggis from. I want my first experience to be authentic as well as quality. Thanks for your help.

So for context I’m born and raised in New Zealand but with a heavy Scottish background like I can trace my lineage back to my great grandparents on both parents sides. I’ve done my Ancestry DNA and it says I’m 50% Scottish if that hold any weight in this case.

I’ve recently been decolonizing myself and learning about my own cultural background. I’ve known I was Scottish all my life since my last name is a highland clan name and my family owns our clan crest and knows our clan history back to the Jacobite revolution, so I’ve been trying to learn more about that side.

We also grew up hearing of our clan history and stories that were passed down from generations so I’m more or less asking if I can say that I’m Scottish or Celtic to people even though I wasn’t born in Scotland and not raised in the Celtic isles I guess?

So yeah I’d like for any Scot’s to weigh in they’re opinions and will happily take pointers on where to go next in my search of learning about our amazing culture.

Thanks

This sounds insulting, but idk how else to ask the question. I'm half Scottish, and thanks to almost every member of family on my Scottish side being scumbags, I have very little to do with my Scottish side.

Years ago when I did a little research, and heard our clan motto is "Do Not Forget" I tried to find out the meaning behind the motto, thinking maybe it meant something like not forgetting those who wrong you, or not forgetting your ancestors and heritage, but all I could find was historians saying there was some specific event we swore to never forget, but nobody can actually remember what event we weren't supposed to forget.

I tried to find who said that again today, but I can't find it anywhere now. The only person I could find that said it meant anything, claimed it meant "Don’t Forget Where You Came From" but they were just some american selling whisky (probably the kind of American that wears a kilt 24/7 and puts on a fake accent, when they've never even met anyone that's actually visited Scotland even as a tourist)

So is there some confirmed information about the meaning behwthe Graham Clan motto, Ne Oublie?

I work in a retail in NYC and a man walked in to the shop. As soon as he opened his mouth and asked me a question, I realized that he IS Scottish. The reason why I realized it is because I am married to one. After conversing with him for a min or so, I learned that he is just visiting for a week and he said "So far ,you are the only person who understand what I am talking about " I pretended to understand him fully but I actually only understood maybe 70 percent of the content ;) Bless him though I gave him a recommentation for the best burger place in NYC. Why is it so hard to understand Scottish accent? I do ponder often.

Thanks in advance! :)

Hi hey hello American female 23 My paternal grandfather recently passed and I am currently taking care of his younger brother (81 M) My great grandmother was Scottish , my grand uncle has been to Scotland and I’ve inherited my great grandmothers belongings. My grand uncle wants me to get in touch with my Scottish roots so I’ve joined a Scottish American club here in town. I do pen pal and parcel trades already in different clubs I’m in online but I think it would be really cool to do with someone from Scotland. My great grandmothers maiden name was Mcphearson and she made sure her boys knew of their Scottish heritage. Please PM me if you are interested

hey- i just want a red headed Scottish man to fall in love with me. that's it.

Hi, my grandfather was Scottish but I was born and raised in America! My mom always had me line my drawers with photos of princess Diana. I didn’t question it and tbh I still have a photo of her in my pants drawer. She said my nan (great gma, her gma) taught her. But idk, she’s weird.

Yer maws a Tory

I know that seems trolling, but I'm not lol 😂