Identity in the Scottish Diaspora

[ThistleDown]

I don't think that Scots or Englishmen or Germans or Poles would be happy to stop at saying that they are Europeans. I think that they would want to say that they are Scots or Englishmen or Germans or Poles. When you consider the issue of scale, that's what we're dealing with.

David, I don't think that's the same thing.
'Europe' is a continent, not a nation, just as North America is a continent, not a nation. The EU is an economic entity, but not a nation. For a Scot to say he is European is correct. But for a citizen of Germany to say he is Scottish because both nations are in Europe is not correct. Nor is it correct for the German whose great grandmother's name was Smith to claim to be English.

For a citizen of the United States, Canada or Mexico to say he is North American is correct, too. But for an American to say that he is Canadian because his great grandmother was born in Canada isn't correct.

I think the original question was a reasonable genealogical one. It did recognise that those who call themselves Scottish-American are, as you say, recognising their Scottish roots. The OP asked why those who describe themselves thus believe it to be necessary; in other words, isn't 'American' sufficient? Jock described his ancestry. I was born of a Scottish father and an English mother; my mother's parents were English and Irish. My father's parents were Scottish and Irish and his mother's were Irish and Norwegian. In Scotland, as in America, we are a mixed breed. But we call ourselves Scots without hyphens to anything else. This whole discussion isn't accusatory or confrontational, it's simply seeking information and understanding.