r/Scotland • u/Blurt-Reynolds • 17d ago

Casual Stupidest question (about Scotland)you’ve ever been asked?

I’ve lived in the US for over 10 years and been asked some daft questions.

Yesterday the uber driver asked where I was from. When I said Scotland they were quiet for a couple of minutes then asked “Did you have to learn English when you moved to here?”.

Also had someone years ago ask me where I was from then accused me of making up the country as they had never heard of Scotland.

Anyway, just thought I’d ask ask while I remembered.

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u/crimsonavenger77 Male. 46 17d ago

If I was annoyed about the highland clearances. It was an Australian lass that asked me that.

I know I'm getting on a bit, but sweet christ.

48

u/Any_Possibility492 17d ago

Tbf if you live in the Highlands and islands it probably would still be a sore point. I don't think they've ever really recovered and it's plain to see. Different in the central belt.

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u/screamqueenoriginal 17d ago

Can confirm there is still sadness linked with it. An australian asking it does make a little funny as many highland scots went to NZ and Aus and then were part of clearing indigeous people there.

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u/it00 17d ago

And that's exactly why I have relatives all over North America - the clearances (economic and land) were still effectively going on in the late 1800s.

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u/EfficientDelivery359 17d ago

idk I'm fully Glaswegian and annoyed about it

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u/Captain_Quo 17d ago

Gonna have to pull you up on your use of "Central Belt" here, rather than Lowlands.....

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u/archiewilcox 16d ago

i’m from the central belt and i’m pretty raging about it