Before Scotland trip...

Scots speak English- with their own distinctive accent and lots of unique words and phrases that will make it sound alsmost nothing like the English spoken in London or the USA! It is both softer and more gutteral, and the turns of phrases are very picturesque. It will also sound more 'old fashioned'- for example they still use 'ye' a good bit rather than 'you'. Some Scots will know some Gaelic (and it is slightly different from Irish Gaelic), but won't expect you to. Hello is Scots Gaelic is Halò. Good morning is Madainn mhath. Good evening is Oidhche mhath. Good Bye is Beannachd leat ( or several other phrases depending on the situation). Don't even ask me how to pronounce these! I found them on the website "Useful Scottish Phrases" at http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/gaelic.php The one you might find most useful is Slàinte! (health) It is used when one drinks whisky as a sort of toast. The best I describe its pronunciation is "Sl-an-ge" The above website also has links to other Gaelic sites and some of them even have audio so you can hear how to pronounce it. It is a very 'different' language- more gutteral and back of the throat. And definetly NOT phonetic!
Sealbh math dhuit ! (Good Luck !)

No.....you don't need bug spray..in all my trips to the UK I have never been bother by any bugs. This is the last thing I would worry about. Also, they speak English in the UK!!!!

Midges are a fact of live in Scotland in the summer, especially if you are anywhere near bodies of water - so yes to bug spray and some after-bite stuff - they can be very persistent! No need to learn any new language - only in the far North and places like the Shetlands and Hebrides will you hear Gaelic spoken. Be warned that the Glasgow dialect in particular is incomprehensible to most Scots, let alone Sassanachs (the English). Enjoy Scotland - its a beautiful country.

Gio, You might find it helpful to have a look at This Website. Whether you encounter Midges may depend on both the weather and where you'll be in Scotland. I was in Edinburgh last August and had no problems at all with them. Buon Viaggio!

Grazie mille, e tutti!

If you plan on walking in the countryside you may need bug spray. Until I wrecked my knee, I did a lot of walks in Scotland. I always had a Midgie Hat (Mosquito Netting that goes over your hat and down to your shoulders) and some REI Jungle Juice. Midges are like Mosquitos, but smaller and so a bit more annoying. They act like gnats, but can bite. But, in ten plus trips to Scotland of 7-10 days each, I've only needed the Midgie Hat a half dozen times. It really does depend on the weather and time of day, and water--just like mosquitos. If you've traveled to Minnesota or northern Wisconsin, you know what to expect. ; ) Pam

Yes to bug spray!!!!! They are so annoying. Some people don't get bit though...

Have you found the website undiscoveredscotland.co.uk ? It is a great help in many areas.

If the Glasgow accent is a problem, you can take lessons: Parliamo Glasgow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_Lk7qivXbw ......

Some people get bothered by midges and some don't. There are certainly plenty of them about. I do get bitten and do react quite badly so I would advise anti-histamines and cream so it is to hand ready and try some repellent, although I don't find them very effective. (Fortunately I don't think there is any health risk, just the bites look unpleasant.) On the whole, all Scottish people speak English and that is what their day to day communication is in. That said if you could say something in "Scottish" it would surely make friends and amuse.