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Alba | Scotland
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Guide gives ‘rude’ Scots a rough ride
SourceScots are rude and superstitious, Ben Nevis, Britain’s tallest peak, is a “biggish hill” and Loch Ness is a “dull waterway”. Welcome to Scotland, according to a new guide aimed at American visitors.
Culture Smart! Scotland bills itself as the definitive guide to the country and its customs. However, the book, part of a series covering 60 countries that has sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide, paints an inaccurate and unflattering picture of Scotland and its inhabitants.
The guide, which has just gone on sale in America and Canada, dismisses Scots as blunt, intemperate and quick to take offence. “To the unprepared such bluntness may seem downright rude,” it states. “Be warned that these same forthright people can be very touchy and extremely easily offended if you speak to them in the same vein.”
It adds: “Scotsmen can indeed be very intemperate. They often have very firm opinions and are prepared to defend them forcefully.”
The book asserts that the sectarian divide means “some Protestants will not allow green objects in their home”.
Scots are obsessed with the supernatural, it asserts. They refer to fairies as their “guid neighbours” and plant Rowan trees outside their homes to ward off witches, it claims.
Addressing food, the guide informs readers that porridge, followed by Arbroath smokies remains the “standard breakfast” and that “Highlanders have no great love for pork”.
While promising readers advice on how to avoid making gaffes when visiting Scotland, the guide is littered with mistakes. It states that the country was once ruled by the “Steward” dynasty, misspells Shetland’s Viking pageant as “Up Helly Ya” and has the name of the Scottish founder of the Labour party as “Kier” Hardie.
The guide also puts Aberdeen in the Highlands.
Turning its attention to Scottish landmarks and icons, the guide states: “People speak of the ‘mountains’ of Scotland, but by international standards Ben Nevis and Ben Macdhui hardly count as more than biggish hills.” Loch Ness is one of Scotland’s “duller lochs”. Meanwhile, Robert Burns is described as having “nothing much to say about religion”. The poet’s 1785 work, Holy Willie’s Prayer, is widely regarded as one of the most eloquent denunciations of the hypocrisy of organised religion.
Dealing with more contemporary matters, the book declares: “The recession demonstrated how much the success of the Scottish Parliament’s policies was based on subsidy from England. Most Scottish businessmen recognise London as the financial power base without which the Scottish economy would collapse.”
Mike Russell the culture minister, described the guide, which will also be sold in the UK, as “spectacularly ill- informed about the realities of modern day Scotland”.
Last night the book’s author, John Scotney, a former London-based BBC producer and historian, apologised for the inaccuracies.
“One does not like to make mistakes, but I take full responsibility,” he said. “I am not particularly worried about one or two of them, but I’m rather embarrassed about some of the others. I hope the people in Scotland will be kind and not think too badly of me.”
A spokesman for Kuperard, the book’s publisher, said: “These are embarrassing mistakes that will certainly be corrected in the next edition.”
“spectacularly ill- informed about the realities of modern day Scotland”.Hang on: "Scots are rude and superstitious", "blunt, intemperate and quick to take offence", "very firm opinions and are prepared to defend them forcefully", "some Protestants will not allow green objects in their home" and “The recession demonstrated how much the success of the Scottish Parliament’s policies was based on subsidy from England. Most Scottish businessmen recognise London as the financial power base without which the Scottish economy would collapse"
I'd say it nearly hits the mark. I say nearly, because I can be 'rude and superstitious' and take offence at the drop of the hat, but then I realised that I was wrong; apologised to myself profusely and looked around to see if anyone wanted to have my seat.
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Originally Posted by moonmaiden
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