A Q. for "True Highlanders"

[MacBean]

I was disappointed when I first came to the States not to find cowboys.
I was disappointed when I first went to Scotland not find kilts.
In an perfect world, I'd agree with Jock on this; I wish the lovely regionalisms of speech, garment, and food were intact.

We can only blame that ubiquitous purveyor of the hamburger and symbolism of creeping globalism: Mcdonalds.

[artificer]

I was disappointed when I first came to the States not to find cowboys.
I was disappointed when I first went to Scotland not find kilts.
In an perfect world, I'd agree with Jock on this; I wish the lovely regionalisms of speech, garment, and food were intact.

We can only blame that ubiquitous purveyor of the hamburger and symbolism of creeping globalism: Mcdonalds.

Aye, but don't forget Hollywood, Nike, air travel and the internet.

Regional variation existed because people "didn't get around". In a closed system you have that Darwinian specialization to better perform within your specific group and surroundings. You ate what was around you, wore what was made nearby, and everyone started to use the same jargon/slang.

As much as I hate the food-service-mass-produced-generic-trainers-levis-blandness that has effected the most of the modern world, I don't want to go back to eating nothing but potatoes, onions, cabbages, pickles and apples all winter (because they were the only things that would keep).

ith:

[Tobus]

I was disappointed when I first came to the States not to find cowboys.

Methinks you didn't come to the right part! There are plenty of 'em around here...

[OC Richard]

My pal did go on to say that the True kilt was in some peril

That makes me recall the "No True Kilt" fallacy we discussed in the Logic class I took in college many moons ago, and happily forgot all about until just now...

[Woodsheal]

This guy's attitude is right out of the 16th-18th centuries, when Highlanders were dimly viewed by Lowlanders as violent, oddly dressed, foreign-speaking, mountain-dwelling barbarians - NOT as fellow countrymen. Strange to note remnants of that prejudice still in existence...!

[Kornkob]

That makes me recall the "No True Kilt" fallacy we discussed in the Logic class I took in college many moons ago, and happily forgot all about until just now...

Well played, sir.

*golf clap*

[JerseyLawyer]

This isn't exactly a new idea. After all, in The Devil's Dictionary, published c. 1906, Ambrose Bierce famously defined our favored garment thusly:

KILT, n. A costume sometimes worn by Scotchmen in America and Americans in Scotland.

So, tell them that the wearing of the kilt by "demmed furriners" has a provenance of at least a hundred years.

[kilted scholar]

A previous poster referred to the population mobility of the last few decades. On my last visit to the western Highlands virtually the only accents I heard were those of London and south east England (wealthy incomers) or Dutch and German tourists; very few locals. On top of that many of the younger generation have moved elsewhere for work or career. Demographically the old divisions are, to a great extent, melting away.

[Arlen]

I have to answer as someone who was brought up in the Lowlands but whose family are from the highlands for as far back as we can trace.

Nonsense!
It's an outdated opinion coming from the sort of person who would laugh at anything he considered old fashioned and thus 'backwards.'

No offence to you or your friend, but it's nonsense.

[Micric]

Arlen,
I don't take offens at much!.....and my pals still a pal whatever his views, so all is well!

Cheers,
R.