Can you still say "scot-free?"

[Anonymous]

My Scottish husband says it. We live in the UK and nobody considers that phrase racist. Relax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My Scottish husband says it. We live in the UK and nobody considers that phrase racist. Relax.

Scottish people are allowed to say it. Everyone else, not so much.
Thank god my Grandfather was from Scotland or I’d be throwing out a whole lotta tape and entirely revamping my vocabulary.

[Anonymous]

The word is scot, not Scot.

The archaic word "scot" meant "a payment similar to a modern tax, rate, or other assessed contribution."

So scot-free basically meant no tax added. It had nothing to do with Scottish people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My Scottish husband says it. We live in the UK and nobody considers that phrase racist. Relax.

Scottish people are allowed to say it. Everyone else, not so much.
Thank god my Grandfather was from Scotland or I’d be throwing out a whole lotta tape and entirely revamping my vocabulary.

Agree. If you are not Scottish, do not say this. It’s offensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The word is scot, not Scot.

The archaic word "scot" meant "a payment similar to a modern tax, rate, or other assessed contribution."

So scot-free basically meant no tax added. It had nothing to do with Scottish people.

The word niggardly has nothing to do with “the-N word,” but people still avoid it, so as not offend anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The word is scot, not Scot.

The archaic word "scot" meant "a payment similar to a modern tax, rate, or other assessed contribution."

So scot-free basically meant no tax added. It had nothing to do with Scottish people.

The word niggardly has nothing to do with “the-N word,” but people still avoid it, so as not offend anyone.

Yes, but Scot is not offensive whereas the N word is.

[Anonymous]

Political correctness has gone amuk!

[Anonymous]

It has definitely jumped the shark.

Time for political correctness to go away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Scotch tape was supposed to be economical because it saved on adhesive. The stereotype of the Scots as stingy is, of course, offensive, but it doesn't seem to be a major issue -- at least my grandmother never mentioned it.

Are you kidding? I am half Scottish and am proud of the stingy stereotype. It's 100% true in my case, and in my father's family. We are frugal. If you're offended by that, get over yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The word is scot, not Scot.

The archaic word "scot" meant "a payment similar to a modern tax, rate, or other assessed contribution."

So scot-free basically meant no tax added. It had nothing to do with Scottish people.

+1 https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=scot+free

scot (n.)

"royal tax," a term that survived in old law and in scot-free; late Old English, "municipal charges and taxes," also "a royal tax or contribution sometimes levied for support of local officers." This is from Old Norse skot "contribution," etymologically "a shooting, shot; a thing shot, a missile" (from PIE root *skeud- "to shoot, chase, throw"). The Old Norse verb form, skjota, has a secondary sense of "transfer to another; pay." It is related to Old English sceotan "to pay, contribute," Middle English scotten "to bear one's share of;" Dutch schot, German Schoß "tax, contribution.

Also via Old French escot "reckoning, payment" (Modern French écot "share"), and via Medieval Latin scotum, scottum, both from Germanic, as is Spanish ecote.

From c. 1300 as "payment for food or drink at a social gathering," also figurative (late 12c.), a sense also in the Old French word. Hence scot-ale (n.) "a drinking party, probably compulsory, held by a sheriff, forester, bailiff, etc., for which a contribution was exacted" [Middle English Compendium], attested from late 12c., with ending as in bridal. "Scot implies a contribution toward some object to which others contributed equally" [Century Dictionary]."

[Anonymous]

Scottish here. Don’t care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Political correctness has gone amuk!

Just because someone started this absurd thread doesn’t mean a thing for the rest of society. If I wanted to make political correctness look bad I could start a thread asking about “ scot free”. - scottish pp

[Anonymous]

I am like 60 percent Scottish. Am I allowed to say Scotch tape? Cuz I’’m gonna.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The word is scot, not Scot.

The archaic word "scot" meant "a payment similar to a modern tax, rate, or other assessed contribution."

So scot-free basically meant no tax added. It had nothing to do with Scottish people.

The word niggardly has nothing to do with “the-N word,” but people still avoid it, so as not offend anyone.

Anyone but the poorly educated.

[Anonymous]

God you all are easily taken in by trolls.