Identity in the Scottish Diaspora

[Jock Scot]

Jock,

At this point it seems from my side to be a quibble about words. Obviously there is much subtext that I am missing. Might it be more helpful if we make the noun that is being modified "ancestry", rather than an individual?

So for example:

David is not a Scot. David is an American. [This pertains to citizenship/domicile]

David is not Scottish. David is American. [These adjectives denote citizenship/domicile]

David's ancestry is (part) Scottish. [In this case the adjective denotes ancestry/ethnicity/heritage, not citizenship.]

We would never say, here, "David is American" to refer to ancestry/ethnicity/heritage. That term is pretty useless if used in that way because of the heterogeneity of ethnic groups in America and the relative youth of the country.

Therein lies the difference and the problem.

All the above may appear completely sound and reasonable from your point of view. Sadly for you though, even with your Scottish roots , as far as the Scots are concerned you are an American.