Why are Dwarves Scottish?

[tetsujin28]

Because if it's not Scottish, it's CRAP!
Had to be said...

Aye!

 

[Pbartender]

Blame Tolkien.

Hobbits - English
Elves - Welsh
Dwarves - Scottish

Read his books again. If you look carefully, Tolkien based everything dwarfish off Norse mythology. Aside from using practically the exact same runic alphabet, read the Voluspa from the Eddas, and you'll find a list of dwarf names from which Tolkien blatantly stole...

10.
Then Módsognir became
the greatest
of all the dwarfs,
and Durin the other;
they made many
manlike figures
dwarfs of earth,
as Durin said.

11.
Nýi, Nidi,
Nordri, Sudri,
Austri, Vestri,
Althjóf, Dvalin,
Bívor, Bávor,
Bömbur, Nóri,
Án and Ánar,
Ái, Mjödvitnir.

12.
Veig and Gandálf,
Vindálf and Thorin,
Thrór and Thráin,
Thekk, Lit and Vit,
Nár and Nárád,
I have now correctly,
Regin and Rádsvid,
reported the dwarfs.

13.
Fíli, Kíli,
Fundin, Náli,
Hepti, Víli,
Hanar, Svíur,
Frár, Hornbori,
Fræg and Lóni,
Aurvang, Jari,
Eikinskjaldi.

14.
It is time to tell of the dwarfs
in Dvalin's lineage
for the descendants
lead back to Lofar,
those who sought
from halls of stone
the home of Aurvangar
to Jörumvellir.

15.
There was Draupnir
and Dolgthrasir,
Hár, Haugspori,
Hlévang, Glói,
Dóri, Óri
Dúv, Andvari
Skirvir, Virvir,
Skáfid, Ái.

Humans...um...humans...?

Depends on the humans. Rohan is vaguely Germanic, Gondor is arguably Norman France, the Easterlings are obviously Sino-Indian, the Southrons are definitely Moorish, and the Dunlanders are fairly Pictish/Gaelic.

 

[The Shaman]

The dwarves in the campaign-world I assembled are based on a number of African tribes, most notably the Karagwe.

 

[kolvar]

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

"Der" Ring der "Nibelungen", please
With Tolkien Elves, I allways found them more irish than welsh, reminding me more of the Tuatha de Dannan than anything else.
About Welsh: What a beautiful accent (but cymraig is even more beautiful)
About Dwarves: as a non-native english-speaker, I look more on the culture and that seems to me to be havily influenced by the nordic dwarves, as long as you stay with Tolkien.
But to make them bavarian is rather evil. Do they yodel? (Just the image of a Dwarf, standing "tall" on a rock, one foot put forward, in his armor, battle-axe shouldered, head thrown back and yodeling (the dreaded war-yodel)... I don't know, if I should laugh or cry. And even worse: yodeling in mine-shafts. probably even more dreadfull than backpipes in small chappel)

 

[Bloodstone Press]

I've always associated them most with Norse mythology.

 

[Geoff Watson]

IIRC the Scottish-parody dwarf from Warhammer Fantasy Battle.

Geoff.

 

[The Persian]

Dwarves must be Scottish! Anything else is SACRILIGE!

 

[Jupp]

IMC dwarves are Scandinavian. Also due to the fact that its hard for me to bring a Scottish accent to a german speaking game table Aaaand...Scandinavians are the ones drinking insanely large quantities of beer and strong aquavit. Never read of a dwarf drinking whiskey

 

[mythusmage]

Way long ago, before many of you were born, I recall a person referring to dwarfs' lives as being "british and short". That be the case I would think being Scottish would be an improvement.

 

[Turjan]

My dwarves are the Norse type. This fits the old germanic image of the magical smith.