When visiting Scotland, “Scotch” is a word one should use carefully because it may offend someone. As written in our list of things you should never say to someone from Scotland, the locals here are known as Scots or Scottish but never Scotch which is a term largely reserved for food items.
Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable defines Scots, Scottish and Scotch as “belonging to, native of, or characteristic of Scotland” however their application differs, in some cases even legally.
For example, Scotch Whisky (or in Scottish Gaelic “Uisge Beatha” which means “water of life”) is a famous Scottish export which has been written into law via the Scotch Whisky Regulations of 2009.
Broadly speaking, it’s a safe bet to just use ‘Scottish’, but if we’re getting specific then here are ten times it’s okay to use “Scotch”.
For example, Scotch Whisky (or in Scottish Gaelic “Uisge Beatha” which means “water of life”) is a famous Scottish export which has been written into law via the Scotch Whisky Regulations of 2009.
5. Scotch Egg
A Scotch Egg is a boiled egg that is wrapped up in sausage meat and breadcrumbs before being deep-fried (as should be expected in Scotland where deep-frying food is a well-known custom, look no further than ‘deep fried Mars Bars’...) As written by Jamie Oliver, Scotch Eggs are “perfect for a picnic or a party.” Photo: via WikiCommons
The Scotch Bonnet (or Caribbean Red Pepper) is a type of chilli pepper which is referred to as such because of its resemblance to a Scottish Tam O’ Shanter bonnet. It is closely related to the Habanero (an infamously spicy ingredient) so it should come as no surprise that it has a heat rating of 100,000 - 350,000 Scoville units. Photo: Stefano on Flickr
Scotch Broth is a type of soup that originates in Scotland. It includes beef or mutton, vegetables and a thick texture by using barley. The simple recipe brings out the best of the ingredients with a stock to create a satisfying broth that tastes great and fills up your belly fast. Photo: frenchtart on Flickr
According to Merriam Webster, a Scotch Snap is “a rhythmic figure that consists of a sixteenth note on the beat followed by a dotted eighth note.” Oxford Reference described it as a “feature of the Strathspey” which is “found in some Scottish songs”. Reportedly, it is not found earlier than the 18th century. Photo: via WikiCommons