Another way of looking at this, despite what MacColl told us because this very much applies to his career anyway. If you stand on a stage to sing you are more following in the tradition of a stage performer, rather than a traditional folksinger. In other words you are putting on an act. If this act involves at different points taking on the persona of a Scotsman, an Irishman or any other person that is not yourself, surely this is perfectly acceptable. You are in a way showing respect for that culture from which you are borrowing the song.

In my own case I spent a lot of time and energy in the 60s going round the local countryside recording the folk songs of the area. I liked some of them very much but as a city dweller my dialect/accent was considerably different to those I'd recorded, some from less than 5 miles from my home. I don't feel at all ashamed that I adopted their dialect and accents when I sang their songs, and I think those people would have been glad that I had done so.

I also as a semi-pro singer was in various bands and we played a lot of Irish music. We often did bookings for local Irish communities on St Pat's Day. I sang Irish songs in what to me was a reasonable imitation. Nobody ever took me to task on this. They just sat back, joined in and enjoyed the music.