LA Times circa 1919

**seanboy** · 2nd January 08, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by Nick

Most things I've seen from that time used "Scotchmen" or "Scotch" to reffer to the people. Did the Scots call themselves Scotch at the time, or was it just everyone else?

And on that (completely unrelated, of course) note, I could use a scotch right now.

I dont think we ever called ourselves scotchmen

**auld argonian** · 2nd January 08, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by seanboy

I dont think we ever called ourselves scotchmen

Oh, I think it's kind of quaint and adds to the period quality of the piece,

Like reading Hermann Hesse and finding the word "esquimo" and puzzling for a few seconds before I realized it was "eskimo" only in Nine-Teen-Teens language.

Best

AA

**Galician** · 2nd January 08, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by seanboy

I dont think we ever called ourselves scotchmen

Perhaps, but it might have been accepted in the American media of that period.

Btw, welcome to X Marks!

**macwilkin** · 2nd January 08, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by seanboy

I dont think we ever called ourselves scotchmen

"The Scotch are hardy and as hard as the granite of our Scotch Hills."

-- Sir Harry Lauder, a native Scot, to a reporter from the Oregon Journal, circa 1920.

Granted, that's just one example...

T.

**Ian.MacAllan** · 2nd January 08, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by cajunscot

. . . to a reporter from the Oregon Journal, circa 1920. . . .

So that appears to be what the reporter thought he heard. My opinion is that "Scotch" is simply a minor mispronunciation of "Scots" unless the subject is whisky, in which case it's the conventional pronunciation and spelling and probably of the same origin.

.

**macwilkin** · 2nd January 08, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by Ian.MacAllan

So that appears to be what the reporter thought he heard. My opinion is that "Scotch" is simply a minor mispronunciation of "Scots" unless the subject is whisky, in which case it's the conventional pronunciation and spelling and probably of the same origin.

.

I think you're going a bit out on a limb to assume that the reporter printed what he heard.
The use of the word "Scotch" was quite common in the late 19th/early 20th century. I have an article in my e-mail files somewhere from Scotland that deals with this very subject, if I can find it, more's the pity.

Case in point: during WWI, the 15th (Scottish) Division had as its symbol, a wheel scotch, hence the 15th "Scotch" Division. (Chappel, Scottish Units in the World Wars, p. 25)

Regards,

Todd