Scottish Inventions the Scots did not invent - Help!

CB27 · 917829. Mon Jun 18, 2012 5:41 pm

The etymology of Hogmanay, and the tradition, are actually not clear, and there are a number of possible origins. One of the more accepted is the Frensh connection because of various traditions that used to be observed and are no longer continued. The theory being that it would have been introduced into Scotland during the Auld Alliance, which ended around the 16th century.

The Gaelic connection has a couple of possible origins, one of which is "thog mi an eigh", but it's only because it's included in some songs for new year. There's nothing to indicate this is the actual origin of the word or celebration.

The claim that whisky was invented in China is not something based on the modern trade of whisky, it's about the process of distilling a fermented drink, which is what it's all about. This process is claimed to have first started in China,and Baijiu is thought to have been around for at least 5000 years. I think there is also a possibility it started in the Middle East, but it's hard to prove either way. What we can show is that the process, and the demand for the drink, moved across Europe and reached Scotland at a much later date.