Residents' peculiar slant surrounding Scottish island (9)
I believe the answer is:
nationals
'residents' peculiar slant surrounding scottish island' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this definition defines the answer.
'peculiar slant surrounding scottish island' is the wordplay.
'peculiar' indicates an anagram (a peculiar or strange ordering of the letters).
'surrounding' indicates putting letters inside.
'scottish island' becomes 'Iona' (island of the Hebrides).
'slant' with letters rearranged gives 'natls'.
'natls' going around 'iona' is 'NATIONALS'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for nationals that I've seen before include "Stan, a lion (anag.)" , "countrymen" , "Country folk" , "Natives" , "Subjects" .)