Something Strange

[Flosshilde]

Are you sure that's the right figure? Allowing for immigration, there must be at least 2.5 million in Scotland alone.

[ahinton]

Are you sure that's the right figure? Allowing for immigration, there must be at least 2.5 million in Scotland alone.

It was a hastily quoted guesstimate and some 1,350 might be rather more accurate than 1,500, but the point that I was making nevertheless holds good, methinks.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It was a hastily quoted guesstimate and some 1,350 might be rather more accurate than 1,500, but the point that I was making nevertheless holds good, methinks.

Is there a differentiation between "Scots" and "Scottish" involved here?

[ahinton]

Is there a differentiation between "Scots" and "Scottish" involved here?

No! Just a guesstimate, that's all - the point being that the Scots / Scottish people constitute a vanishingly small proportion of global population but, whilst accordingly not the "norm" among humans in statistical terms, there's nothing "abnormal" about being a Scot / Scottish person per se...

Abnormal people in Paradise? Abnormal person on the Shore? Abnormal fruit? Truth is more abnormal than fiction?

[Flosshilde]

It was a hastily quoted guesstimate and some 1,350 might be rather more accurate than 1,500, but the point that I was making nevertheless holds good, methinks.

Yes, the general point's fine, I was just questioning your actual numbers. Even the most exacting requirement for 'pure blood' must give a rather higher number than 1,500 - did you perhaps miss a few naughts of the end of it?

[P. G. Tipps]

When I was at school I learned that there were around 5,000,000 Scots living in Scotland. I doubt it has changed much even in that long time.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

No! Just a guesstimate, that's all - the point being that the Scots / Scottish people constitute a vanishingly small proportion of global population but, whilst accordingly not the "norm" among humans in statistical terms, there's nothing "abnormal" about being a Scot / Scottish person per se...

Abnormal people in Paradise? Abnormal person on the Shore? Abnormal fruit? Truth is more abnormal than fiction?

But only one thousand, three hundred and fifty Scots in the whole world?! There's more than that just in Skipton!

[vinteuil]

... I suspect Hinters meant 1 : 1350 in the world is Scotch/Scots/Schottische

[P. G. Tipps]

I'm afraid your reliance on dictionary definitions (some of which are very dubious, btw - I note you don't reference the particular dictionary you draw them from) has let you down again. There is a world of difference between 'norm' and 'normal'. It is normal to be homosexual, for example, but it might not be 'the norm' in the sense that everyone, or the majority of people,
is.

No, you are simply wrong. If homosexuality (once again your choice, not mine) is 'not the norm' it cannot possibly be described as 'normal' surely?

I haven't checked the latest official statistics which may well reveal that heterosexual marriage itself is increasingly becoming 'abnormal' compared to cohabitation. It certainly has been heading in that direction in recent times.

This is not a judgement on lifestyles simply statements of fact.

That is why dictionaries and definitions are so important. You assumed that I meant 'abnormal' in a derogatory sense when I simply employed the literal meaning of the word, ie "atypical".

I'm perfectly happy to use 'atypical' instead of 'abnormal' if you prefer?

[greenilex]

Can't help it. Just waiting for someone to mention leaven and lump...

[P. G. Tipps]

#96

For the forum pedants I should amend that to read around 5,000,000 PEOPLE living in Scotland!

Phew ... one can't be too careful around here.

[MrGongGong]

No, you are simply wrong. If homosexuality (once again your choice, not mine) is 'not the norm' it cannot possibly be described as 'normal' surely?

Only if you confuse the words "norm" and "normal"

Tebbit is "Norm" and Henry is "Normal"

That is why dictionaries and definitions are so important. You assumed that I meant 'abnormal' in a derogatory sense when I simply employed the literal meaning of the word, ie "atypical".

I'm perfectly happy to use 'atypical' instead of 'abnormal' if you prefer?

"abnormal" IS a derogatory expression regardless of what your dictionary says
don't be such a lubberwort

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... I suspect Hinters meant 1 : 1350 in the world is Scotch/Scots/Schottische

Aha! That makes perfect sense!

(And "scotch" that is one part in 1350 water sounds about right, too.)

[Flosshilde]

#96

For the forum pedants I should amend that to read around 5,000,000 PEOPLE living in Scotland!

Quite; not all of them Scottish by birth, which is why I suggested that 2.5 million were. I'm probably over-estimating the number of immigrants.

[Flosshilde]

(And "scotch" that is one part in 1350 water sounds about right, too.)

Sounds like an almost homeopathic Scotch & water.