Scottish vs Scots

[Whickerman]

Ok, I know Scotch is a drink and not a person's nationality, but when do you use 'Scots' over 'Scottish' and vice versa, or are they interchangeable?

[Dris]

Yeah I am Scottish individually but as a nation we are referred to as Scots-not Scottishes.
Just down to proper use of grammar of which I am not so expert as to attempt to explain on a Saturday afternoon after a few glasses of wine lol

[douglas9401]

I'd say they're interchangeable but I'm from Ecuador.

[Dris]

Aye so you are Douglas -dont listen to him Whickerman.Im right they arent interchangable although now you mention it it doesnt really apply to the English,Welsh and Irish -never hear 'the' Scottish before.
Learn something everday.

[DTCwordfan]

they are interchangeable when one has downed a bottle of your national amber liquid, Dris.

[heathfield]

'Scot' and 'Scots' should be used with reference to people. 'Scottish' should be used with reference to things - e.g., tweed, silver, highlands,...you name it.

[wolf63]

I would just use the one that sounds right in the sentence.

[douglas9401]

"You won't find a Scotsman referring to whiskey as Scotch" he might though, refer to whisky as such. :)

[Dris]

We never use Scotch in any termanology.
Scottish is not the term used in Scotland for our interpretation of English -as much as it pains (joke ;) we speak English with regional dialects.
If someone asks I say im Scottish-dont ever say Scot but may say I am a Scot.
Scotts porridge oats is a brand name -nowt to with being Scottish -its a surname.

[seadogg]

Can you still get Piper Toasted Oats up there Dris?

[douglas9401]

Only when he's playing a pibroch with his back to the fire! :)

[seadogg]

Och aye!

[Quizmonster]

Some claim nowadays that ‘Scotch' should be used only in reference to whisky and perhaps certain foodstuffs such as Scotch Egg or in phrases like ‘Scotch mist'.
Regarding people, 'Scotch' was used as an adjective, regularly and quite happily, by Rabbie Burns as well as Sir Walter Scott, two of Scotland's major writers. The dislike some modern Scots have of the word in this context is really just based on a silly nationalistic affectation of the late 19th/early 20th centuries. There is no truly historical or etymological reason for ‘Scotch' to be considered demeaning or wrong at all.
However, nowadays it's just a harmless quirk with us Scots, so just humour us, but you're free to call ME a Scotchman if you like. If it was good enough for Rabbie, it's good enough for me!

[Whickerman]

Thanks all! - Reason for asking, I was dealing with a branch of the Scottish Parliament and the person there corrected a document referring to 'Scots people' to read 'Scottish people'

[Dris]

Woop I was right :))

[whiskeryron]

Just in passing, not sure about my facts here but I heard that if you ask for a scotch in a Northumbrian pub you will be handed a Scottish beer.Ron.

[scotman]

Whickerman

Regarding the source of your question. I would also have changed 'Scots people' to something else. Probably I would have just used 'Scots' as the preferred option.

[Conleth]

from Swots corner :


What is the difference between "Scotch" and "Scottish"?

(Fine shades of meaning)

Scots' preferred adjective for Scotland and for themselves is "Scots". "Scottish" is also acceptable. But "Scotch" (although used by Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott, and still used by some Americans of Scots descent) is now considered offensive by many Scots. Certain Scots hold that only three things can be "Scotch": "Scotch whisky", "Scotch egg", and "Scotch mist". They are not interested in considering additions to this list, although many other terms containing "Scotch" can be found in dictionaries.

(extract from "Usage Disputes" by Mark Israel)

[Quizmonster]

The point, as I mentioned earlier, Conleth, is that there is no REAL reason for considering Scotch offensive. Even The Oxford English Dictionary refers to (quote) "Scotch...falling into disuse...out of deference to the Scotsman's SUPPOSED dislike of it."
Clearly, the editors of that publication understand no more than I do just WHY it became 'offensive'.

[mike11111]

As Scots is a noun and Scottish is an adjective, then yes, Scots people is linguistically wrong - it's like saying 'Poles people' instead of 'Polish people' As far as Scotch v Scottish is concerned, as has been said, it doesn't make a lot of difference and only certain Scottish people (or Scots) seem to get upset by it. As far as the use of the word Scotch to describe beer in Northumberland, then yes, it became a generic name for a certain type of beer years ago, originating from McKewan's Best Scotch. Even when drinking Newcastle IPA we would ask for a pint of Scotch.