I’ve always heard that it’s an anti-english jab, showing a stronger allegiance with France. Auld-Alliance indeed.
Of course the Cymru example given above for Wales is different, as that is actually Welsh language.
Just a WAG for why ‘Ecosse’ and not ‘Alba’- Ecosse is unambiguous. ‘Alba’ could be misinterpreted as short for ‘Albania’ or, I guess, ‘white’ in Latin.
There is an exact similarity between a Scot having an ‘Ecosse’ sticker and a ‘redneck’ having a confederate bumper sticker.
“Redneck” was the best collective noun that I could come up with - no offence intended.
Given the recent glorious weather, you’re right for the wrong reason!
Wow, a post I wrote almost 16 years ago!
You have caused offense though. There is no similarity between an ‘Ecosse’ sticker (which are pretty rare nowadays, I think) and what is a highly controversial symbol.
So, bob++, you’re saying the word “Ecosse” is a symbol of white supremacy and racial slavery, and that “Scot” has the same connotations as “redneck”?
IAN bob++ and cannot speak for him etc., but I’m guessing his intended analogy was more about people in what used to be (if only briefly) an independent political entity using their former national symbols to express pride in their heritage and to differentiate it from the larger political entity that theirs was subordinated to. No implications about slavery, whiteness, etc., intended.
(Although I personally agree that the Confederate flag is intrinsically a more toxic and objectionable form of symbolism than the “Ecosse” sticker, even while I acknowledge that lots of real-life Confederate-flag wavers don’t actually mean anything more by it than “we like chicken-fried steak and crappie fishing” and so on.)
The logic of Welsh people using Welsh is rather immediately obvious. The logic of French being used for what is arguably the most homogenously English-speaking country in the world is an understandably puzzling thing.
‘Ecosse’ has fewer letters than ‘Scotland’, and so is easier to fit on a sticker. Scottish people on holiday with their cars probably spend more time in France than all other mainland European countries put together (we certainly did, and lots of others I know).
So while there are numerous pedantic reasons to declare it illogical, the fashion (for that’s all it was) was not entirely inexplicable.
So at best it qualifies as a ‘weak analogy, with provisos which were not in the event stated’. In no way does it qualify as an ‘exact similarity’.
Scotland was not “briefly independent.” It was an independent country for close to nine centuries, using Kenneth MacAlpine’s kingship as the traditional founding date.
As well, Scotland today is a recognised separate country within the United Kingdom, exercising considerable devolved powers recognised and granted by the British gouvernement.
How is that an “exact similarity” to a break-away rebellious group, never recognised by the USA or any other country as legitimate, and dedicated to the proposition of racial slavery and white supremacy?
I wouldn’t be so quick to rule out the motorsport explanation. Probably the most prominent use of the term in popular culture was the 1950s-70s Ecurie Ecosse endurance racing team, where Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart famously honed their chops. Scottish drivers, Scottish mechanics, and [mostly English] cars painted Flag Blue.
But anyway, prior to 1992, UK drivers on the continent had to have national identifier stickers to avoid getting ticketed for a non-standard number plate. In 1992, plates were standardized to include a national identifier. Then in 2001 they changed the plates again. I think Ecosse just became popular so that the French (whose territory you mostly have to drive through to get anywhere else on the Continent) would know where you were from.
Écosse
[ekɔs ]
feminine noun
l’Écosse Scotland
en Écosse (situation) in Scotland; (direction) to Scotland
Il a passé une semaine en Écosse. He spent a week in Scotland.
Nous allons en Écosse l’été prochain. We’re going to Scotland next summer.
Um, thanks?
I can’t quote for some reason. It appears that my theory about the origin of the old oval stickers was incorrect. But as has been mentioned I think Ecurrie Ecosse is one likely explanation for the origin of the use of Ecosse. And it is true that the FIA traditionally assigned French abbreviations as national identifications.
Saw another mention of it being a jab at the English. Rampant Scottish anglophobia is a bit of a myth to be honest. It exists, but Scots don’t universally dislike the English. I’d wager that I had more trouble as a Scot living in the South East of England (where I faced constant resentment and ignorance) than most English people will ever experience up here. The media and politicians have made a lot of anglophobia in recent times with the political climate in Scotland, but for the vast majority of people who supported independence in 2014, the issue was with the "democratic deficit” and the resulting lack of impact or representation Scot’s have in choosing governments. Paradoxically a lot of the more militant unionist types don’t have any love for England, but feel "loyal” to the crown and the idea of Britain as a whole, particularly where Britains history as a world power is concerned.
I’d reiterate what I said previously. Most Scots consider themselves to be Scottish as opposed to British. Scottish identity is pretty much as strong as that of any independent nation’s citizens and Britishness is largely synonymous with Englishness. The stickers identify you specifically as Scottish, which does you favours abroad.
On the redneck similarity assertion, I’m not offended. I wouldn’t say that was an accurate comparison however. The confederacy existed for four years having seceded from a another secessionist state in it’s infancy. Scotland has existed in more or less it’s current state (constitutional and sovereign status notwithstanding) for nearly 1200 years, which makes it one of the oldest extant nations.