Scottish Society

Scottish Society

Scottish national identity is a term referring to the sense of national identity and common culture of Scottish people and is shared by a considerable majority of the people of Scotland.

Scottish national identity is largely free from ethnic distinction, and many of "immigrant" descent see themselves (and are seen as), for example, Pakistani and Scottish: Asian-Scots. Identification of others as Scottish is generally a matter of accent, and though the various dialects of the Scots language and Scottish English (or the accents of Gaelic speakers) are distinctive, people associate them all together as Scottish with a shared identity, as well as a regional or local identity. Parts of Scotland, like Glasgow, the Outer Hebrides, the north east of Scotland (including Aberdeen), and the Scottish Borders retain a strong sense of regional identity, alongside the idea of a Scottish national identity. Residents of Orkney and Shetland also express a distinct regional identity, influenced by their Norse heritage. However many other regions of Scotland, such as the Western Isles and Caithness, also have a Norse heritage.