Why is it ok to call scottish people jocks?
A “Jock” is an expression from Army slang, and it refers to a Scottish, especially a Highland, soldier. The name “Jock” is actually Scottish for Jack. I do not think it is necessarily a racist term at all. It is just a nickname. It could be that those who find objection in it are being oversensitive. It could a lot of times be meant affectionately, as a lot of nicknames are. For example, the word ‘Limy’ for an Englishman is another form of army slang, derived from the light green colour of their uniforms. It is not always intended in a pejorative sense. Sometimes they might refer to themselves as Limys. It depends on the context of the remark and how it is said. Some people just use words like it informally to refer to others and to refer to themselves. Irishmen sometimes are called Paddies, and they sometimes refer to themselves the same way. It just depends on how it is used.
