Scotland and the Scots

Scotland takes up one third of the territory of the British Isles, but its population is not very big. At the beginning of the 6^th century Scotland was ruled by Scottish kings and queens but was divided among different groups of people: the Piets, the Celts, the Scots, the Brythons (Britons), the Teutons, the Scandinavians, and the Angles. Scotland was an independent kingdom, often at war with England, until in 1603 both countries were incorporated under the same monarch. In 1707 the Act of Union incorporated Scotland with England in the United Kingdom, hence the two countries were under one Crown and one Parliament.

Edinburgh was created capital of Scotland in 1473. It got its name from a castle called “Edwin’s Burgh”. It has an intensive cultural life and is sometimes called the Athens of the North.

There are only about five million Scots, and most of them live in the southern part of the country called the “Lowlands”, where the major cities are located. Besides, there are the Highlands, the most northern and the most unpopulated area with a harsh climate, and the Southern Uplands with hills that border on

the Celts — Indo-European peoples akin to the ancient Galli

the Britons - the people who inhabited the southern part of Britain

the Gaels — the people who inhabited Ireland and the west and north of Scotland the Teutons - Germanic peoples supposed to dwelt in Jutland. Also included the Scandinavians. the Piets — the people older than the Gaelic and Brythonic who about the 9^th century finally merged with the Scots the Angles — a German tribe who settled in Northumbria, Mercia, and East Anglia harsh - суровый Lowlands - Шотландская низменность Highlands - Северо- шотландское нагорье

England. Scotland has its own language - Gaelic, but the English language is also spoken all over Scotland, though with a variety of accents.

One of the things that people associate with Scotland is the kilt. It is the relic of the time when clan system existed there. Everybody in the clan had the same family name, like McDonald (Me means “son of’); each clan had its own territory ruled by a chieftain and its own tartan.

The Scots are not English. Nor are they British. The two nations derived from mixed sources, racially and historically. Strong national characteristics separate them in custom, habit, religion and even in language.

The Scots are proverbially kindly, but at first glance not amiable. They abhor compromise, lean much upon logic and run much to extremes. They are penny-wise but can be surprisingly pound-foolish. They can be dour and grey, or highly coloured and extravagant in gesture and manner.

The Scots got their name from the invading Celts from Ireland who, incidentally, were called Scots. It is from the Celts that there comes the more colourful, exciting and extravagant strain in the Scots.

As soon as the Celts retreated into the north-west, their place in the east and south lowlands was taken by the Scandinavians, Teutons and Angles. Hence the celebrated division of the Scottish people into Highlanders and Lowlanders occurred. Nearly all Scots living north and west of the Highlands spoke the Gaelic language, lived under the ancient Celtic system and, of course, bore Highland names. It was a division which marked the distinction between people of different culture, temperament and language.

Nowadays, however, the people in Scotland are all so mixed up in blood that most of them combine something of the characteristics of both Highlanders and Lowlanders.

Today Scotland is governed from London. There is a special minister, the Secretary of State for Scotland, who is responsible for education, local government and other important matters in Scotland.

Southern Uplands- Южно-шотландское нагорье

to associate - связывать;

ассоциировать(ся)

a kilt - a checked pleated

skirt (кильт)

a relic - остаток,

пережиток

tartan - шотландка,

клетчатая шерстяная

материя

mixed sources - зд.

разные источники

(происхождения)

racially - с точки зрения

происхождения

proverbially -

общеизвестно

to abhor - питать

отвращение, ненавидеть

to lean - полагаться

to run much to extremes -

впадать в крайности

penny-wise and

pond-foolish -экономный

в мелочах и

расточительный в

крупном

dour - строгий

highly coloured- яркая

расцветка

gesture - жест,

телодвижение

to invade - вторгаться,

захватывать

incidentally - случайно,

между прочим

strain - наследственная

черта