A Question of Semantics?

[kimmer]

QUOTE(Highmac @ Jul 11 2010, 10:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Since we're on semantics.... Saying someone is "either British or Scottish" is a bit like saying someone is "either American or Californian"     The Britain bit of the UK (full title The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), is made up of England, Scotland and Wales. So all Scots, Welsh and English are British – whether or not some of them like that fact
So the Scots are unlikely to object if you call them British. Just don't, whatever you do, call them English!    

Here endeth today's lesson

A few weeks ago we were having coffee at a local diner, and there were only 2 other tables with customers. A 'mannerless-local-guy' occupied one table, and a family of 4 was seated at the another table. We all struck up a conversation, and as they were tourists they asked about places to visit. They spoke with the loveliest Scottish brogue (is this the correct way to say this?) -- and I could have listened to them talk all day. In the midst of sharing tidbits about places to visit, the 'mannerless-local-guy' said, "Say, are you Brits?" To which the lady rather icily replied, "No. We're Scottish. We live in ..." (and they named their town which I've now forgotten).

The 'mannerless-local-guy' then said, "Well, I thought all you folks were Brits."

Boy-oh-boy, I could have made ice cubes in that room about then.

The Scottish gent was very gracious and shared a brief history lesson with the 'mannerless-local-guy'.

'Twas an interesting exchange.

[gunug]

Kimmer - I have a "disability" that often causes me to speak in the accents of people I talk with (my aunt and uncle in Wisconsin for example); I can find their accent creeping into my voice.  This is not me making fun of anything but rather paying homage to the other accent.  I would probably do the same around some Scots who were speaking English.  I might draw the line if someone were speaking a non-English language; it's the accent on English that draws me this is because I can't speak the other language.  My wife and relatives do notice the voice change and maybe their was something of this sort in your conversation (would you even realize it, I don't always until someone notices it and tells me).  I'm sure that the guy was an idiot in saying the things about "Brits" vs "Scots" though!

[Highmac]

QUOTE(kimmer @ Jul 12 2010, 09:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In the midst of sharing tidbits about places to visit, the 'mannerless-local-guy' said, "Say, are you Brits?" To which the lady rather icily replied, "No. We're Scottish. We live in ..." (and they named their town which I've now forgotten).

The 'mannerless-local-guy' then said, "Well, I thought all you folks were Brits."

Boy-oh-boy, I could have made ice cubes in that room about then.

In New York we found ourselves sitting next to a couple from New Jersey and said hello. "Say, are you guys English? We're so pleased to meet you!" Frankly, it would have been churlish to respond to such a warm welcome with "Well, actually I'm Scottish", and we just went along with it, until the conversation turned in a way that made it easy to mention in passing that while Caroline is English I'm a Scot by birth. And that actually added to a very pleasant meeting.

Brit is not bad - we use it ourselves over here. We even have The Brit Awards for pop music.

[kimmer]

gunug, I'm not following. I don't think these folks were faking their accent, and none of us were speaking with a fake brogue.

Neil, great story.  This family was very gracious and Sneakers and I had a great chat with them. Personally the 'mannerless-local-guy' was annoying in more ways than one. I wanted to shout, "We're really not all 'ugly Americans'!"

[gunug]

Kimmer, I wasn't accusing you of anything; this is about human nature and I don't think I'm alone in slipping into another accent.  I also don't think people necessary know when the accent is broadening out or when it disappears entirely like a friend of my fathers (a guy from Panama) who almost sounded like he was from the American South at times.  I've heard the Scottish accent spoken by people from the Chesapeake Bay; there is an island out in the middle of it that has people who speak with a broad "English" accent.  Also there are people with accidental brain injuries who speak with a variety of accents or purportedly in another language (although how that could happen without knowledge of the other language I don't know)!

[dboh]

QUOTE(Highmac @ Jul 12 2010, 02:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So the Scots are unlikely to object if you call them British. Just don't, whatever you do, call them English!    

Here endeth today's lesson

Sorry, it's the ex-history major in me, misusing the word "Brit," and I apologize for having conflated Brit with English Having known a few Scotsmen over the years (and programmers at that), I know very well that they don't consider themselves to be English. But because I found that the author was using both Scottish and British expressions (therefore not being sure where he was from), I couldn't be sure what he was referring to as a "rucksack."

[kimmer]

QUOTE(gunug @ Jul 12 2010, 11:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Kimmer, I wasn't accusing you of anything; this is about human nature and I don't think I'm alone in slipping into another accent.

Thanks for 'splaining, gunug. Sorry I misunderstood. As to slipping into other accents ... years ago I spent 2 days in South Carolina visiting friends and went home to Chicago with an accent that drove my grandma nuts. She finally yelled at me to knock it off. I wasn't even aware I was speakin' Southern as she put it. Now if I spend an hour on the phone with family from Chicago, my twang is back. If I hang around the Canadian relatives, I'm very quickly sounding like them; and yes, I could easily have started imitating that Scottish family. So, no, you're not alone.

[sokukodo]

"...years ago I spent 2 days in South Carolina visiting friends and went home to Chicago with an accent that drove my grandma nuts." ... As a South Carolinian, I must say that it's y'all that have the accent!

[sokukodo]

Today, my "rucksack" arrived, and, I must say, is really quite like a "sack" (albeit an attractive, ultra-durable one), and the first thing that one notices is the absence of a zippered main enclosure: there is a drawstring that can be cinched tightly with a large flap that covers that which has been cinched. Relative to a backpack, which usually zips at the top and is a sort of rectangular solid, the rucksack (at least in LL Bean's version) is more of a cylindrical solid. And, of course, there is the usual array of pockets, both inside the enclosure and out.

[gunug]

I went to a camping supply store yesterday when they were having the "annual" event known as the sidewalk sale.  It was wild but the wildest thing was the number and variety of rucksacks and backpacks.  I now think a rucksack may be a smaller backpack (whatever it's color) that is without the frame.  I think you may think of the kit bag as a sort of purse or day pack you wear over one shoulder.  I didn't ask "anyone else" their opinion so I'm probably all wet!

Rucksack if you Google it: http://www.google.com/search?q=Rucksack&am...lient=firefox-a

Kit Bag: http://www.google.com/images?q=kit%20bag&a...l=en&tab=wi

Backpack for good measure: http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=e...ack&spell=1