Which Clan?

[Morris at Heathfield]

Really? Are you kidding? With all due respect MoR, I normally find your post enlightning and thoughtful but couldn't disagree more with this portion of your post.

That's funny, because he essentially agreed with an argument that is more often made by those on the other side of the debate.

Perhaps it's because I'm a student of language, but I see his point...and don't entirely agree with it. It's sort of like arguing over British vs. American English. The British will say we've changed English, and they are undoubtedly right about that. Then they'll imply they haven't, and they're undoubtedly wrong about that. If such a person as Robin Hood actually existed, he didn't sound like Kevin Costner, and he didn't sound like Cary Elwes either. But he most likely did pronounce all his r's. Sometimes I wonder where the British think all those post-vocalic r's in their written language come from. MacMillan of Rathdown is essentially agreeing that the British (in most English dialects) have dropped their post-vocalic r's, calling it "moving with the times", while implying that the Americans haven't also "moved with the times" in some ways as well. (I don't mean to trivialize the subject of clans and their symbols, but let's just say that some people get het up about language as well.)

My own very vague opinion on the matter is that wearing the kilt in the UK is a matter of custom, whereas in the US, where kilties are more widely scattered, custom has had less of an opportunity to grow on its own, but is not entirely nonexistent. What one may do in the US may not be what one does in the UK. Is the US starting to create its own separate set of customs regarding the wearing of the kilt? Maybe, maybe not, as the kilt will probably always be seen as a Scottish form of dress. However, just as one ought to be aware of some of the differences between UK and US English when visiting the UK, one also ought to be aware of local custom when visiting Scotland, even if one doesn't observe it while in the US. On the Internet, nobody knows what you're wearing unless you post pictures. Also, if someone wants advice on the wearing of the kilt from someone who lives (or has lived) in Scotland, he should be prepared to receive it. That doesn't mean he has to follow it, of course, but then why did he ask?