http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlLYnRYgzOQ

Right around 9:22 you'll hear "milk drinking" amidst the many insults that the Scotsman spews out. While funny it also had me thinking, where does the insult stem from? Is it an old Scottish thing? Has anyone ever heard it used as an insult before Skyrim?

It's small things like this that make TES that much more epic, apparently Beth did their homework on even minor things like outdated insults and I assume it's something from medieval times or maybe an old Highlands insult...either way it fits well in Skyrim with the northern men that drink mead

Cool.

It goes way way further back than skyrim...

It's ironic that "Milk drinker" is an insult.

You damn dirty weight lifter!

Indeed. I remember it from several childhood cartoons and comics of the 70s and 80s, and it's most likely way older than that.

One common scene was that the main character came to a bar or some place and ordered milk, and then the bad guys laughted and insulted him for not being a 'real man' who drinks beer or whatever. And then he surprise them by kicking their asses and collect their bounties.

So as far I'm concerned, it's a common trope and quite surprised how this milk drinking insult can cause so much stir here on this forum.

I reckon the Nords are just jealous of the milk drinkers strong bones.

If i recall correctly, the original reason it was used as an insult goes back to the act of "briast Feeding", as such "Milk Drinker" was a way of saying "young" "weak" "Immature" "Inexperienced", etc..

i like milk,, especially fresh and warm from errrm.......

I thought milk was supposed to do a body good.

True but that's a bit different then just an outright insult as a man ordering anything other then alcohol in a bar is considered weak for some reason...you can see this in real life and in funny scenes such as this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORuv1E-71TA%C2%A0

Did all the Mead-swilling Nords know that there is such a thing as Lactomel?

(It's Mead made from MILK !!!)

Giggity.

It shouldn't be surprising. I imagine insults refering to drinking mother's milk are quite common in many cultures. We have a saying "mie膰 mleko pod nosem" (literally "to have milk under your nose'), which means being young and inexperienced. In Spanish there's "tener la leche en los labios", "to have milk on your lips".

Man I want to learn Polish. You should teach me, Rosveen.

true, that's partly why I started this thread as all I can find is Skyrim related stuff pertaining to milk drinking. I also thought it was funny that the Scotsman in that scene used it

http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/seann--seann-william-scott-291797_600_987.jpg

clearly they have never seen the old milk ads from the 80's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ApVq2yG0po

Dat milk.

It is a very old/new, multicultural European insult.

From medieval viking/Norse times at least, though the expression likely dates further back in time.

Personally I really like milk, it is likely one of the reasons why none of my bones have been broken unlike so many others I know and grew up with.

That is why milkdrinker is an even more amusing insult for me since I am one.

Swedes drink lots of milk, though the reason so many of us are weaklings who get our backsides kicked by awesome and strong Finns, Norwegians, Danes and other awesome people is more because of our alcoholism, ramptant drug abuse and all too frequent mental retardation and idiocy.

The Scots, Irish and English have old ties to the North and amusingly many of the oldest words in modern English and Swedish are quite similar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-ZjH6mpbyQ

Better version! Hehe.

http://i.imgur.com/dUJkBSF.jpg

It goes back to ancient scotland actually with this meaning right here.

Of course. I'm Polish myself.

Thats just like german and the word the, jesus, so many words for one thing...

As in "my immediate family member is Polish" or more like "my great-great-great-grandfather was born in Silesia"? Where are you from anyway?

It's more precise sometimes, especially with pronouns. But yeah, it's a pain to learn. Some words are tricky even for Poles.

You teach me polish,I teach you swedish :3

Nah.. Not sure i really have the patience to learn another language right now.