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Highlander taking European friend through part of UK (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

nepali

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'highlander' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?

'european friend through part of uk' is the wordplay.
'european' becomes 'E' (abbreviation e.g. EU).
'friend' becomes 'pal' (pal can mean a friend).
'through' means one lot of letters goes inside another (inserted letters go through the word).
'part of uk' becomes 'NI' (Northern Ireland).
'e'+'pal'='epal'
'epal' inserted inside 'ni' is 'NEPALI'.

'taking' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for nepali that I've seen before include "Native of a mountainous Hindu kingdom" , "Asian national" , "Mountain-dweller" , "Kathmandu native" , "One from Katmandu" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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