We kindly invite you to reading an article about Scotland and its culture. Our guide will be Linda Kerr, a real Scot from Glasgow. In a few days’ time you will have also the opportunity to read the exclusive interview with her.
Whisky is a Scottish national drink. There are more than 130 distilliers. The second national drink is Irn Bru. This soft drink has an orange colour, sweet taste and 32 flavours inside. The Scotts also enjoy eating sweets. Macaroon and Tablet are the traditional ones. They also like to eat Tunnock’s Caramel Wafers and shortbread.
Slunge!-To your health!
Aye right-no
Aye-yes
Scotland is a country which is the part of the United Kingdom. The official language is British English. Both Scots and Scottish Gaelic are officially recognised as autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, the Bòrd na Gàidhlig is tasked, under the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005, with securing Gaelic as an official language of Scotland, commanding “equal respect” with English. Scottish Gaelic is very similiar to Irish Gaelic. Scotland is called Alba in Scottish Gaelic. Only 15 % of the populations speak that language. It is mostly used in Highlands and Islands. Scots (Scottish) was commonly spoken in Lowlands in the past. Now they borrow some words from Scots and Gaelic in a normal everyday conversations. There are lots of castles in Scotland. Many of them are still inhabited, the other are museums. Scotland is also famous for ghosts and its biggest lake called Loch Ness. The national flag of Scotland, known as the Saltire or St. Andrew’s Cross, dates from the 9th century, and is thus the oldest national flag still in use. Scotland, or Alba in Scottish Gaelic, has many symbols and symbolic artefacts, both official and unofficial, including the thistle, the nation’s floral emblem.
Glasgow (the biggest city that lies on a trade routes from Afirica and America), Edinburgh (Parliament, an acient city, architecture-Gothic, Victorian, modern), Aberdeen (oil industry), Dundee (famous comic and catroon), Paisley, East Kilbridge … are on the list of the biggest Scottish towns, but there is also another very important list in that country. The second one consists the names of the Scottish clans, e.g. Morgan, Suthernland, Mackenzi, Gordon, Campbell, Lewis, Franser, Grant. Each of them has its own tartan-uique checked pattern for fabrics from which kilts are made. It is a tailored garment that is wrapped around the wearer’s body at the natural waist (between the lowest rib and the hip) starting from one side (usually the wearer’s left), around the front and back and across the front again to the opposite side. The fastenings consist of straps and buckles on both ends, the strap on the inside end usually passing through a slit in the waistband to be buckled on the outside. Alternatively it may remain inside the waistband and be buckled inside. Men wear also sporran which helps to protect and hold down the fabric. Traditionally, it is made of leather and fur. Nowadays, some of the sporrans are more elaborate. When you wear kilt, you wear long socks, and in your sock Sgian Dubh (Gaelic)-White Knife.
Today, kilts are worn for football matches and for Ceilidh. Ceilidh is a traditional Gaelic social gathering, which usually involves playing Gaelic folk music and dancing. After weding you often you have disco, Scots have Ceilidh. They learn a lot of Ceilidh dances at school. The have Ceilidh on St. Andrew’s band and on New Year, too. There usually only three instruments in such a band (accordion, keyboard, piano, drum).
Traditionally, kilts are made for about 7 m of fabric and worn for a special official ceremonies like weddings, but not for formal business meetings.
Each official tartan should be registered by the Tartan Society. In an official tartan may have maximum six colours. There about 2 400 registered tartans.
After dancing you need a drink. Whisky is a Scottish national drink. There are more than 130 distilliers. Depending on where it is depend the flavour and taste of a given type of whisky because they use water from a local sources. It should lie in a wooden barrow at least three years. The older it is, the more expencive. Some of the flavour comes also from the wood. The second national drink is Irn Bru. This soft drink has an orange colour, sweet taste and 32 flavours inside. It is more popular then Coca-Cola in Scotland. The best one is this from a glass bottle.
Slunge!-To your health!
Aye right-no
Aye-yes
The things the Scotts enjoy is also the sweet treat. Shortbread, Macaroon (very sweet, outside chocolate, inside-mashed potatoes with sugar), Tablet (similiar to Polish Krówki), Tunnock’s Caramel Wafers are the traditional ones.
Scotland is famous for Highland Games, but you can also play football, rugby or golf there. In Glasgow Catolics support Celtics, Protestant support Rangers so football has a lot common with religion.
Maya M. Kowalczyk