Letters: Scotch watch

Congratulations to John Tudhope on his finding "plain braid Scots" in The Twa Brigs (Letters, 8 November). I wondered when someone would find that one. Now I challenge him to tell us how many times Burns uses Scotch. I have not the slightest objection to him calling his language Scots or others calling their language Scottish. I just wish he and his fellows would extend the same courtesy to me.

To claim that I speak "whisky" is plain stupid. If Mr Tudhope will study Scottish literature from the 18th to the 20th century, he will find that Scotch is the normal word. The name Scotch for whisky is a late import from abroad.

Robert Pate

Newton Stewart

Wigtownshire

As Robert Pate writes (Letters, 6 November), Robert Burns sometimes - though not always - referred to his language as Scotch. Usages have changed.

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The late writer Oliver Brown remarked that the term "Scotch" - as opposed to "Scots" - is now reserved for things which are bought and sold, like whisky, potatoes and (some) politicians.

So it has become a bit like the "N" word, which it is no longer acceptable to use for African-Americans.

David Stevenson

Blacket Place

Edinburgh

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