What do you say when Americans tell you they are Scottish?

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

[Alex & Rachel 78]

OMG!

I showed the image to Alex and it just raised his voice about two octaves

[rallybug 17]

Haven't had any of that, luckily - the closest was the delivery guy from RC Willey (department store here in UT) telling me about how he lived in Manchester for a couple years. I have had the standard "Are you Australian?" question asked a couple of times though - not sure how close a Zummerzet accent is to an Antipodean one though

I don't think that Americans tend to mention English heritage very often - it's not as "glamorous" as one of the Celtic nations or other countries where English isn't the native language.

My wife is part Swedish, part Dutch, part Scottish, but makes no real mention of it - her last remaining grandparent is Dutch born (came to the US when she was 5) - she does tend to focus on the Scottish bit though (member of a Scottish society, for instance) although, as she (and her mom) have actually been to Scotland, it is slightly better than some claiming Scottish ancestry.

My family, having gone back to around 1800, are still mostly stuck within about 50 miles of where I was born in Somerset, so we're not huge travelers

[ryna 132]

Interesting conversation...

Although I know that my first ancestors to arrive in the Americas were of English, Scottish, Irish (and French) origin, since the last of them from "over there" arrived in 1720 or so, I have never called or considered myself anything but "American". Since they all arrived in Virgina and stayed there (until my grandparents crossed the Potomac some 300 years later), my heritage, if anything other than American, is Virginian. I do have friends who are 3rd (even 4th) generation Irish, Scottish, etc. who still make mention of their "heritage" in the form of hyphenated-American which, to me, is strange since in most cases they have no more been to those countries than I have.

[wee carrington 33]

I don't think that Americans tend to mention English heritage very often - it's not as "glamorous" as one of the Celtic nations or other countries where English isn't the native language.

Hahah. I remember being about 8 years old and we were assigned to do a little presentation for class on our heritage. I remember asking and being told from various older family members that my family's roots were "primarily English" and actually thinking to myself "Oh man, well that's BORING".

[Alex & Rachel 78]

Haha, it's so true!

It's interesting to watch census maps change over time - for example, the number of people claiming to be of Irish descent has SHOT up over the past few years - and it can't simply all be due to a lot of new babies being born! Meanwhile the numbers claiming to be of English descent have drastically decreased...

I've known quite a few Americans who 'pick and choose' their heritage. For example, I have a friend who strongly associates himself with Ireland. I recently found out that only one great-grandparent of his was actually Irish; the rest were German, but the 88.5% of him that is German is 'abandoned' in favour of the Irish part.

Edited December 2, 2011 by Alex & Rachel

[wee carrington 33]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1iAl5jDVlU

Might I add that I no longer find England boring!

[cmoore25 4]

Hahah. I remember being about 8 years old and we were assigned to do a little presentation for class on our heritage. I remember asking and being told from various older family members that my family's roots were "primarily English" and actually thinking to myself "Oh man, well that's BORING".

Lol That's funny...as a kid I always thought my dad being from England was so cool! Lol I loved visiting at the holidays just b/c I could just listen to my Nanny talk with her "fancy" English accent!! Lol Even at a very young age I dreamed about marrying an Englishman one day and moving to England...lol lol lol

[wee carrington 33]

Lol That's funny...as a kid I always thought my dad being from England was so cool! Lol I loved visiting at the holidays just b/c I could just listen to my Nanny talk with her "fancy" English accent!! Lol Even at a very young age I dreamed about marrying an Englishman one day and moving to England...lol lol lol

Awww! That's sweet! I think I thought it was boring because I was so far removed from it. Like there were kids in the class who had Ukrainian and Swiss ancestors and it just seemed really exotic and interesting to me...

I probably would have thought it was really cool if my dad or mom or even grandparent(s) were from there

[Robert&Karen 264]

You really are self sustaining when you have sweaters! I wonder if the penguins make them or buy them?

[david'sgirl 134]

If you want to meet a lot of people who have never seen Scotland and have a romanticized idea of what it is like you need to go to the NH (or your local) "Highland Games". My husband and I heard a lot of people claiming to be Scottish while dressed in a kilt and full regalia. Meanwhile he really is Scottish through and through and wearing jeans and a Red Sox shirt. He tried to explain to the guys in the clan Gunn booth about what it is really like but they were so not interested. In thier minds Scotland exists as it does in Braveheart and to hear otherwise spoils thier fantasy. We heard a lot of misinformation. The best was a kid asking what Irn Bru was and having the vendor tell him it's a Scottish energy drink! lol

I really don't believe people mean to be insulting or offensive. Being american, unless you are Native American, means being the product of immigrants so we are a mix of many countries and families tend to keep and pass down recipes, traditions, names, stories to keep those ties to the places they left. I grew up in the US and my family emigrated several generations back but since my great-grandmother,grandparents and parents reminded us from where we are descended I've always felt an affinity for those places even before I set foot there. I think thinks like ancestry.com and Who do you think you are have got a lot of people interested in geneaology. Instead of feeling annoyed maybe you should feel flattered that people relate so much and wish they really were Scottish.

[cmoore25 4]

Irn Bru = Scottish energy drink

[NotworkSte 19]

Irn Bru certainly gave me energy after a heavy night session. Hangover wonder cure!

[Robert&Karen 264]

I'm hooked on Irn Bru and need to find a source close to home.

[Jewel-8 21]

mmmm, Irn Bru.. Now I need to stop by for some on the way home.