To wonder if differences between Scotland and rUK are generally known?

[weescotlass]

I see lots of posts about UK and British issues, that seem to refer to England only.

Is it generally understood that Scotland was a separate country pre 1707 and already had its own legal and education system in place, which were retained on the creation of the United Kingdom?

Therefore house buying, school exams, wills, divorce, university degrees, criminal law, policing etc have real distinct differences.

Are people who use the term UK not aware of the differences when refering/advising on something that affects England only?

Genuinely interested and not meaning to cause an argument. I find the differences really interesting, things like inheritance law when people ask about wills, or issues when a buyer pulls out of buying a house. I don't want to comment on new/current controversial legislation!

Only some parts of Scotland. It’s not an issue where I grew up and never has been.

Same here

Interesting. But yours be aware of it elsewhere, presumably?

it certainly is quite a well-kept secret outside Scotland though, so overshadowed by NI yet orange walks and academic and social segregation are going on left right and centre all over Scotland. A lot of people don’t even realise the significance in football and just think Glasgow has 2 teams like Manchester cos it’s a big city.

That's a random difference - I didn't know that :)

As for people in the north of England being closer to the Scots genetically, in the late 90s/early 00s there was a BBC programme called Blood of the Vikings, which found that lowland Scots had the same genetic make-up as people on the south coast of England.

I have a question. Several posters have referred to differences in the US among different states, which is similar in some instances to the differences between Scotland and the rest of the UK. I'm American. Government or civics courses are required in most every state school system in the US, and I began learning about differences (state vs. state vs. federal) when I was in primary school, with greater attention paid in high school civics classes.

So my question is: don't they teach some of the information about differences within the UK, especially devolved matters, in the various school systems in the UK?

Very aware of it elsewhere. Glasgow ( very obvious) Hibs/Hearts in Edinburgh .
Sectarianism. But very little of Scotland looks like the Central Belt, although that is of course where the majority live.

I am from the North East. Aberdeen banned Orange marches after trouble in the 1980s . I think there have been a couple of challenges to that, but it’s not a big thing and not linked to our football teams.

Sorry Heather, meant to add, I am aware of strong religious influences of different denominations and cults through Scotland, but they seem pretty localised ( e.g. Wee Frees, Brethren, etc)

@weescotlass I see lots of posts about UK and British issues, that seem to refer to England only.
A lot of the differences are Scotland and 'UK minus Scotland'
If you mean England & Wales or England, Wales & Northern Ireland, do not call it England.

I know - luckily I live only 35 miles from Carlisle so can catch a train to cross the border to indulge in some Bottomless Brunches etc!

I know. I wouldn't proclaim to know the differences in policies, but I know they exist and why.
I sometimes feel like this being in Northern England. Lots of posts seem to be dominated by Southerners, with a completely different perspective on life in general. Especially on anything that relates to wages, house prices or public transport. "80k a year is a pittance! That would barely cover our childcare costs and commute into the city!" Our laws and policies may be the same, but it's almost like England could be split into two different countries itself!

Years ago I was listening to the uk election results- I lived in Aberdeenshire.
The presenter said they were moving to the NE for the next results -I was surprised as we were usually one of the last - but it wasn’t the actual NE, nor was it the NE if England -it was Humberside 😂

@CarolinaInTheMorning it is covered but in optional subjects - so my youngest is 15 and in Scotland does a subject called Modern Studies which is like a mash up of sociology and politics. They look at different topics and the course is broken down into 3 - so Scotland, Scotland and UK, worldwide. He's looking at democracy/representation in Scotland and how we elect people to the Scottish parliament, how that compares to the UK parliament, pressure groups etc. The UK topic is crime and justice which obviously explores the differences between Scotland and England/Wales and his international topic is the USA, so they have been looking at the democracy system there, and issues like immigration, medical care etc.

But not everyone takes this subject, you have to choose it and more people seem to opt for the more traditional choices of geography or history.

Thanks, @Bargello That's very interesting. In the US, that type of course would be required at some point in a student's high school years. It was called "Government" in my day.

By the way, the term "high school" that is used almost universally in the US for secondary school came directly from Scotland. The first school to call itself a high school was (and is) the Royal High School in Edinburgh. An early school in the US was modeled on the Royal High School and the name spread.

Yes, I grew up in England and went to 'secondary school'. Live in Scotland now and 'high school' is the term here.

All the secondary schools/high schools in my area are academies - Town A academy, Town B Academy, Robert the Bruce Academy etc. Seeing all the talk of academies in the English education system and how it seems to be a plus point always seems weird to me.

where my dh grew all the schools are academies I just went to a .High school. I don't understand the difference.

It was called secondary when i was younger and it still often is

There are only two secondary schools in my town. One is TownName High School and the other is TownName Academy. Most people just refer to them as the academy or the high school because of that. I think we'd probably say secondary to refer to them both together otherwise it just sounds like one of them.

It is usually obvious when a poster is Scottish by their writing style
What now?

Academies in England don't mean the same thing as "X academy" which is just a name in Scotland.
Modern Studies isn't just an option, my S1 child does it though hasn't said what they do!

In my area the state schools were X High, Y High and Z High and the private schools were A Academy and B Academy.
My parents were always very pedantic about the name of their (state) school- it was The High School of X town, not X town High.

Also no fines for taking holidays in term time in Scotland. And yes, the assumption that the whole of the UK has the same holiday dates, and confused by lack of May half term etc.

I'm on another thread where there is total disbelief (and accusations of being snide) because it is apparently universal that pots = dishes

I celebrate local dialect all over the UK and have no issue with people collecting pots (bringing dirty dishes downstairs)

What gets me is the assertion that this is a universal term and if we don't understand it then we are being unpleasant.

So in terms of differences, we all speak English but there seems to be no recognition that we don't all speak and understand the same dialects

Anyway I'm going to get dressed and away to get the messages!

I.was on a thread once and there waa heated arguments about what people call their evening meal
One poster suggested we should all ust agree to csll.it Dinner!
I live in grater Manchester and in my house I we have our tea in the evening

@x2boys , I'm not from Manchester and the evening meal is 'supper'.
(Apparently, on MN supper is a drink and biscuit before going to bed. )

I eat dinner at lunchtime.

Tea is either 'afternoon tea' or a meal eaten in the early evening. It depends on who said it and in what context.