IT'S a familiar story for Scots – a clip featuring someone speaking in one of our stronger accents goes viral online, and the comments are filled with very confused Americans.
Usually this is fairly contained ... but when the video is for an upcoming Disney blockbuster and has more than 13 million views, the stakes are a bit higher.
A trailer was recently released for Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2, and one scene features iconic Disney princesses relaxing together.
Merida, Brave's Scottish princess voiced by Kelly Macdonald, gives them a quick run-down of her history.
— David ⚡️ (@akaspidey) August 11, 2018
"I gave my mammy a cake, she turned into a big bear, my auld yin tried to dae her in. If that's no a pure mess I don't know whit is."
"We can't understand her," says Moana.
"She's from the other studio," replies Anna from Frozen – Merida is actually a Pixar character.
A poll with almost 25,000 votes asked if people could understand Merida. A total of 52% said they could, and 48% said they could not.
Can you understand Merida?
— David ⚡️ (@akaspidey) August 12, 2018
Though not everyone was convinced by those results...
Folk only joke about not understanding Scots because they're intimidated by the patter disparity. It's obviously nonsense, and should be treated as such.
— Yellow Robot (@yellow_robot) August 12, 2018
It seems "auld yin" was what threw off Twitter users the most, with many people assuming she meant kin, though there were a few suggestions of "Odin" too.
I only understood: "I give my mom a cake and she turns into a bear then [someone] tries to [something] her. If that's not a mess I don't know what is"
— (temporary owner of Liho the cat) (@ASHNrCsRrAcSk) August 11, 2018
I think she means about how the hunting people came after her mother after that 😂
And tbh she isn't wrong 😂😂
— sᴜʀᴇ, ᴊᴀɴ. (@OfDiaphanous) August 11, 2018
“ i gave my mum a cake she turned into a big bear, my own kin tried to do her in, if thats not a pure mess i dont know what is”
— 🏳️🌈gabinickolau💥 (@Dontdenymyoj) August 11, 2018
I hope i got this right
Translations provided by Compel (a Scot): "I procured a baked good for my mother who transformed into an ursine creature. My father attempted to remove her from this mortal coil. If that is not a confusing set of circumstances I am unaware of the definition."
— Compel Bast (@Compel_Bast) August 11, 2018
Limmy got in on the act too ... and more than a few took the bait.
My accent is not your punchline. #cancelled #fuckwreckitralph #gettingpirated #fuckamerica pic.twitter.com/dJYyDQQhRX
— Limmy (@DaftLimmy) August 12, 2018
Calm doon ya fanny it’s only a joke
— Scot Bowie (@scotbowie25) August 12, 2018
Hold my vodka!
— L.A. Volya (@ArmadaVolya) August 12, 2018
Oh, wait, it's just a joke. Never mind, I won't ask my bear to tear up the Disney studio just because someone is a little sensitive. Now give me my vodka back. I wasn't done with that.
Can't tell if you're actually mad or just joking since you've done the same thing.
— :V (@vinestime) August 12, 2018
Doesn't matter how wound up you are over a dialect gag (which Brave itself had a few of). Support the official release. Being that petty just makes you the bad guy and vidicates every joke made at your expense.
— Jack Mowat (@UltraLewis) August 12, 2018
If you steal money over this, your accent deserves to be a punchline.
Merida, if you'd like to do a guest slot as one of The National's Scots columnists, just get in touch.
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