Why Do Some Take Such Offense...

[Farlander]

...and do you folks know the German for bagpipes?

Hmmm, looks like it is 'Dudelsack '?

[Father Bill]

Hmmm, looks like it is 'Dudelsack '?

You got it! Gotta love the translation!

[Dale Seago]

In German a kilt is a Schottenrock or Scottish Skirt.

Same sort of thing in Brazilian Portuguese. I was having a live online chat on Facebook with a Bujinkan lass in Brazil who at one point made some comment about the skirts I wear. When I mentioned that the correct word in English is "kilt", she mentioned that in Brazil they only distinguish the kilt by calling it a "Scottish skirt".

[Joshua]

***

In German a kilt is a Schottenrock or Scottish Skirt.

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schottenrock

Regards

Chas

That link, unfortunately also has an example photo with an accidental "exposure"... (the campbell example) and now I need brain bleach.

[The Volusianator]

+like+

to the original topic, intent makes a huge difference! I have on occasion had the word 'skirt' used, when the speaker truly did not know a better word.

In california, we have many non native english speakers who are not familiar with the word 'kilt', but do know the word 'skirt'. To make things more interesting, in spanish, there is not a word for 'kilt'. The closest is 'falda escocesa', where 'falda' means skirt, and 'escocesa' is scottish. So, to be offended by the use of the word 'skirt' is truly silly if coming from someone with limited english speaking skills.

[CDNSushi]

Other languages and cultures can teach us a lot about ourselves and our own worldviews. When a term is uncommon (or unknown) in another context, the people will simply just make up new words or descriptors based on the world around them that they DO know... Kinda like in French when I hear people refer to Passover as "Pâques Juives" or "Jewish Easter." Ummmm... But to be insulted and to get all huffy each time someone says it, you'd spend your days quite miserable I'm sure.

Here in Japan, I get the skirt comments all the time, not for malice, but ignorance. And most of the time, a simple comment like: "The preferred word is 'kilt' rather than 'skirt,' or else some people might not understand what you mean" is far better than ANY chastisement or snarkiness or huffiness. I've gotten the most mileage BY FAR from that, than anything else.

Only once, an Ozzie bartender, in a VERY sarcastic voice, said to me: "Nice dress." I simply chose to take his sarcasm at face value, gave him a huge, broad smile, and said: "Thank you!" He never said anything after that. Ever... I love taking sarcasm at face value sometimes -- it really discombobulates the person trying to take the p*ss.

[BKPowell]

Here's me 2 cents. My wife refers to me kilts as "skirts". At first, it bothered me, but later on, when I started refering to my kilts "skirts", both she and I know what we are talking about. As for the clueless folk, well, there's not much you can do about them, except explain to them that there are other ways of wearing what's below one's waist.
I really haven't heard any bad comments when I'm out and about, sure, I get the stares and the wide eyes, but I also get the smiles, mostly from women.
Once, I heard a lad say "What's with the skirt?"
My reply was "Your insecurity is showing."
Skirt? Kilt? As long as I feel good about myself while wearing one, its nobody's business but me own.


Brad

[biblemonkey]

Preface-These are my feelings and no one elses. These comments are not meant to inflame or cause harm but rather to illuminate. Please do not start a flame war.

To those who got all up in arms over the use of "blouse" for female clothing, you know what I meant. A kilt is a manly garment and I feel that allowing english speaking people to refer to it as a skirt just perpetuates ignorance and brings our ancestral garb into the realm of the effeminate. I don't care if you are effeminate, gay, straight, bi, tough, weak, whatever, the kilt is a part of my heritage and I personally view it as a symbol of a strong and manly heritage and will not refer to it as a skirt. Taking my blouse comment to silly ends such as acting like I was insulting the garb of the armed forces is childish. The kilt is, to paraphrase, "the manly garb of the Highlander" and as such is no women's garment such as a "skirt". If you wish to wear a dress then be honest about it and go to Fashion Bug. Leave the kilt to those with an honest desire to wear it with pride and manly dignity.

To the OP, THIS is why some of us take offense. We are usually patient and good natured about it but stand firm in our defense of the "kilt".

[Kintail's Lost Now Found]

Amen!!!!

[Chas]

Preface-These are my feelings and no one elses. These comments are not meant to inflame or cause harm but rather to illuminate. Please do not start a flame war.

To those who got all up in arms over the use of "blouse" for female clothing, you know what I meant. A kilt is a manly garment and I feel that allowing english speaking people to refer to it as a skirt just perpetuates ignorance and brings our ancestral garb into the realm of the effeminate. I don't care if you are effeminate, gay, straight, bi, tough, weak, whatever, the kilt is a part of my heritage and I personally view it as a symbol of a strong and manly heritage and will not refer to it as a skirt. Taking my blouse comment to silly ends such as acting like I was insulting the garb of the armed forces is childish. The kilt is, to paraphrase, "the manly garb of the Highlander" and as such is no women's garment such as a "skirt". If you wish to wear a dress then be honest about it and go to Fashion Bug. Leave the kilt to those with an honest desire to wear it with pride and manly dignity.

To the OP, THIS is why some of us take offense. We are usually patient and good natured about it but stand firm in our defense of the "kilt".

Biblemonkey - if you don't want a flame-war, give up drive-by sniping. You made a mistake in your terminology, my post was to illuminate you.

This whole thread is about semantics - the meaning of words. I would suggest that many of the posters could do with buying a good dictionary.

I have not seen one post where the poster is saying that anyone is less of a man for wearing a kilt. There are those who are intent on taking offence where none has been implied or intended. If people are so upset that their wearing of the kilt could be interpreted as being effeminate, well maybe they should give up wearing it.They would save themselves a lot of stress.

Regards

Chas