Why are Dwarves Scottish?

[STARP_JVP]

I was wondering about this last night. From Jackson's version of LOTR to the Order of the Stick and everything in between, Dwarves are Scottish. The stereotypical Dwarf speaks with a Glaswegian accent. He drinks, a lot, and headbutts people. Sometimes Dwarves are portrayed as sort of Nordic or Viking, but most of the time, especially in comic fantasy, Dwarves are always Scottish. Here's my question.
Why?
Does anybody know where the cliche came from? Did somebody invent the Scottish Dwarf and it caught on or is it one of those unexplainable things? Anybody? Does anybody know? Anyone at all?
(sound of crickets)

 

[Crothian]

because a welsh accent is to hard to do

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Armchair Academia Strikes Again

Because RPG dwarves are a pseudo-historical reference to the Picts?

 

[Psion]

I blame it on the Bugs Bunny episode that casts Yosemite Sam as a Scottsman.

 

[Eternalknight]

Hey, in my world, they even wear kilts.

 

[Silver Moon]

Clans Laddie, it's the Clans
Dwarven society = Clans, Scottish society = Clans

In my alternate-Earth Western world (with D&D races) I made all of the Viking-influenced societies dwarves.

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

Dwarves are always Scottish. Why?

They're not Scottish in my game: they're Chinese.

Okay, well, actually, I do have some Scottish dwarves, and some Korean dwarves, some prominent German dwarves, and a few Viking dwarves, but the Chinese dwarves are by far the most prominent right now.

 

[Felix]

For your comparison:

Groundskeeper Willie:
"Ach, brother an sisters arrr naturul enemies... like tha Eanglish and tha Scots. An tha Welsh an tha Scots. An tha Japaneeese an tha Scots. An tha Scots an tha Scots. Bloody Scots! Th' r'ooont Scotland!"


Dwarfs:
Don't like elves.
Don't like giants.
Don't like orcs.
Don't like humans.
Don't like halflings.
Don't like dwarves from other clans.



Besides, dwarf legs are so stumpy, they'd look like Calvin wearing either pants or shorts. Might as well wear kilts.

 

[Baron Opal]

From Jackson's version of LOTR to the Order of the Stick and everything in between, Dwarves are Scottish.... Why?

In my game they're German if anything. Das Ring des Niebelungen and all that.

 

[Macbeth]

Maybe it's because Scots are cool?

Honestly, I don't know if there's a real reason, but if you need a basis for a society of clans that drink a lot, are angry, and are legendary warriors, the Scots seem as good as any...