How do you spell “scotch” tape? One of the most common terms for adhesive tape

Is it separate or seperate? Occurrence or Occurrance? Definitely or definitley? One thing is certain: when it comes time to spelling without mistakes, with perfect form, doubts almost never fail to plague us.

And this is true for everyone, both for those who write very rarely, and do not feel comfortable in front of a paper and a pen, or in front of a keyboard, and for those who write every day. Yes, because there are doubts at all levels.

There are on the spelling of the most common words, such as on the spelling of more complex words, or perhaps of foreign origin. This is what happens, for example, with the “nickname” of office tape. How do you write scotch?

How do you spell scotch (adhesive tape)?

The answer is obviously already found in the question: you don’t spell it skotch, or scocch, but scotch. And, it should be noted, this is the right spelling for both common uses that this word has, and therefore both to indicate the adhesive tape, and the liqueur, and more specifically the whisky produced in Scotland.

Careful, though: it would not be entirely correct to say that scotch is a synonym of the term “adhesive tape”. This is because the word “Scotch” is a registered trademark, for a particular kind of transparent cellulose adhesive tape produced by 3M.

But why is it spelled scotch? Why was this name chosen, why the “Scottish” connotation? Let’s find out why together!

Why is it called scotch? The history of adhesive tape

To understand why it’s called scotch, and why we sometimes call adhesive tape a synonym for the word “Scottish,” it’s interesting to outline the actual history of duct tape.

It all began in the 1930s: Richard Dew, a young engineer at the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company – which we all know today simply as 3M – is to be credited with the innovative idea. Back then, 3M that wasn’t an adhesive tape manufacturer, of course. 3M was first a mining company, and then converted to sandpaper manufacturing.

Shortly after that change in production, Dew noticed the difficulty faced by painters in protecting areas that were not to be painted or repainted.

It was a stroke of genius: the young engineer developed a powerful industrial double-sided adhesive – which could take hold with just the slightest pressure from a hand – but at the same time was very practical and quick to detach. Nothing similar had existed until then, and it was from this intuition that tape was developed.

The very first tape was made of paper. During in the first months of production, however, this material was already replaced with a transparent film, also invented around the same time, i.e., cellophane, created in 1908.

In the following years, various types of adhesive tape were gradually manufactured, different each time according on the use they were intended for. The development of this tool became particularly lively during World War II, with 3M supplying the army with all the adhesive tape it needed.

During the Second World War the American troops were provided, in fact, with a type of tape meant to repair tents, another kind of tape used to seal, another yet to protect their weapons, and so on. It was in the early forties that the double-sided tape was also developed.

But when, and why, did they start to use the name “scotch” in the context of adhesive tape?

The origin of the name “scotch”

It seems that this product was named after its inventor, Richard Drew. But someone, in a way, lead him to it. Legend has it that Drew was present during one of the very first practical tests of the strong double-sided adhesive tape on the field.

Apparently, some painters who were trying the tape to protect areas that should not be painted were not entirely convinced of the product’s value.

We know that the first double-sided adhesive tapes produced by 3M had the adhesive only on the outer edges – to avoids spending too much on the adhesive itself – thus compromising the effectiveness of the tape.

To underline his scepticism, one of the body shop mechanics said, “Take this tape back to those Scotch bosses of yours and tell them to put more adhesive on it!”.

But why did he use the word “Scotch”? Not to indicate a nationality: the term was used in a derogatory way, as a synonym for the adjective “cheap”. The Scots, as well as the Genoese in Italy, are in fact good-naturedly referred to as a rather stingy people.

Thus came the idea of using the word “scotch”. It is no coincidence that since the middle of the last century, 3M scotch packaging has consistently featured tartan decorations, the same found on typical Scottish kilts.

Now you why it’s called “scotch” tape, and how to spell it correctly!