Learning from the media and talking to older people, we pick up a lot of stereotypes about other nations. In every country there are plenty of stereotypes about residents, some are true but most of them are untrue and very wrongful.
Our students have been learning about stereotyping and would love to hear your thoughts on the following. Please leave a comment on:
- What are the first three things which come into your mind when you hear the words ‘England‘ or ‘the English?
- What are the first three things which come into your mind when you hear the words ‘Wales‘ or ‘the Welsh?
- What are the first three things which come into your mind when you hear the words ‘Scotland‘ or ‘the English?
www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/stereotypes.htm
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Posts
I’m working in a school in Catalonia and they all think that it rains 24/7 in England, and that we eat bad food which is ironic because the food over here is terrible!! Oh, and they all think that we must know David Beckham because we are English!
ReplyDeleteThe English do everything in a different way: – They drive on the left – They don’t use kms but miles – They don’t use kilos but pounds
ReplyDeleteSam
Scottish
ReplyDeleteMen wearing kilts. playing the bag pipes and tossing a tree.
hi I am welsh
ReplyDeletepride in being welsh lava bread leeks and countryside
1) Her Majesty The Queen, Big Ben and Beatles
ReplyDelete2) Prince Charles,
3) Kilt, Fish ‘n’ Chips and Whisky
They like to queue for everything.They’re heavy drinkers.They eat very unhealthy food.
ReplyDeleteIt rains a lot in England. They’re very polite and puctual.
Probably definitley fish and chips. Big Ben too and those big red doudle buses. That it rains alot in England. I used to think of an older lady sitting in a big house, eating tea and crumpets.
ReplyDeleteberets, British accent, fishnchips, London, cricket, double decker buses, “Bend it like Beckham”
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteThis site has been very helpful to me. I am teaching English in Japan and it is great to learn about all these British things. Even if I am British myself, it is surprisingly hard to think of all the little details we take for granted.
Anyway, when someone says `English`, I think of Rain, London and terraced houses.
When someone says `Welsh` I think of funny accents, grassy hills and cheese on toast
When someone says Scottish I think of Bitter cold winters, trips up north with my dad and friendly people.
When I think about England, I think abouta beautiful country, full of tourists and attractions. I think about history (the royalty) and culture (English writers).
ReplyDeleteEnglish…tea, rock candy, old ladies in thick stockings
ReplyDeleteWelsh…Welsh rarebit, rolling hills, odd literary characters (a la Robertson Davies), and Tom Jones!
Scottish…toffee, tartan, woollen scarves.
English are great tea drinker and every time there is a problem to fix or a shoulder to cry on first thing they do is put the kettle on.
ReplyDeleteScottish are great friends and do almost everything for you without asking too many questions.
For the welsh well I only can think of, theres lovely… and Torchwood of course.
Im English and living in Maine,USA.
ReplyDeleteI have never met a more stupid bunch of people in my life….they are ignorant of the world….oh and…they all claim to be Irish/Italian/Scottish…yet when you ask which passport they have…US!!
Also….MY GOD THE FATTIES!! They are everywhere!!
When I thought of the English people before coming to the UK, I always imagined the a people with the best spoken English, very sophisticated and polished and modest in dressing, but getting here, I see a people that love shopping, a big dived b/w the older and younger generations, with the older generation being very close to what I had imagined, also I now see a people that love dog walking, using the words, Please, see you later and Thank you a whole lot, crazy about a sunny day, and love to stare if you look just a bit different.
ReplyDeleteIm British (English) and living in Republic of Ireland.
ReplyDeleteIf I think of England I think of Eton, George’s cross, Bath Rugby Team, Support for eccentrics, ‘this green and pleasant land’. And of the english: very diverse, no sense of who they are (most don’t know when St George’s day is), their great strenght is in organisation and thir weakness is in pessimism.
Wales: green rolling countryside and spectacular shoreline, but a grey, heavy land pock marked by castles. The Welsh – a dour lot. Great storytellers and proud to be Welsh but many of the stories are of past oppression and the pride aims to keep Wales Welsh, both of which gets in the way of them getting fully into the new world.
Scotland: Beautiful countryside with fresh air full of the smell of runnng water. But too many midges. If I was Scottish I would want to hold on to that land. The Scots – hardy. Brought up on porridge and whisky makes them immune to the harshness of the northern weather but also immune to the finer things in life. If you were in a fight you’d want a scot on your side but if you were at the opera, best to see them later in the bar.
Immigrated to US in 1957 from England. Daughter of parents and all ancestors from Ireland. But thick Lanky accent made me a Brit, which in US Catholic school meant anti-Irish, even when their version of what it meant to be Irish was pure Hollywood silliness. At uni, British meant cultured despite my working class, mill town upbringing and disdain for Brit snobbery. It was assumed I read the classics and was ever so discerning. I’m afraid I’m still prejudiced against a certain population of Brits from the South–too frosty, aloof–that you don’t find as much in the Midlands and not at all in Lancs. and the North. But do note I’m admitting my own bias. (Note: the person from Maine is observing US folkways re: nationality. Until people come from very mixed families (truer now than even 20 yrs ago), people identify themselves by their immigrant roots. My kids will always be Irish-German, my daughter’s boyfriend half Mexican and so on. In some places, great, great grandparents may have come over from Sicily in the 1800s but in close knit (esp. east coast)neighborhoods, pure Sicilian lineage is maintained through marriage, even when few have traveled to Sicily. Patriarchal thinking. Paradoxically, we get to be “proud Americans” too. Weird, huh?)
ReplyDeleteI’m English living in Colorado for last 2 years, I think of the bloody cold weather, The Queen and the great English Pub.
ReplyDeleteThe welsh… Sheep, Sheep and more bloody Sheep!!
The scots, My dad, worst football team in the world and rain rain rain.
England; 1066, 1666 and 1966.
ReplyDeleteWales; Offa’s Dyke, Snowdonia and homes where they used to send English hyperactive children to be sexually/physically abused.
Scotland; Chippy attitudes at the Glasgow derby, 1707 and the Inverness Sleeper from Euston.
Henry VIII, roast beef, the British Media
ReplyDeleteEngland: tea, the Queen, parks;
ReplyDeleteWales: dragons, the longest words in topononymy I’ve ever heard,Snowdonia;
Scotland: bagpipes, kilts, whisky.
I'm British and living the USA for a while.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of England, the first three things that come to mind are: Hawthornes blooming in the hedgerows near lovely old stone cottages (which in turn makes me think of Shakespeare's poems & "green and pleasant land"), a drizzly day shopping along The Kings Road and Peter Jones in Chelsea then hopping in a black cab to go home,and having a chat with good friends or family over a pot of tea (with a close fourth being picnicing on the lawn of Kenwood House waiting for an evening concert to start.) Wales makes me think of daffodils, the Pembrokeshire coast and the Welsh Dragon on the flag. Scotland brings to mind bagpipes and dancing with friends at a Ceilidh or a proper ball, wandering around the streets of Edinburgh and the Meadows, and seeing the purple hills of the Hebrides or Skye from the highlands.
Home of the Queen! Royal Family… Castles… Palaces… FootBall – David Beckham… Fish and Chips… Most People in England dont eat Rice instead they prefer much the potato as Carbo food, TUBE…. TRains… and most of all ” GREAT ECONOMY ” that’s why a lot of people from all over the world loves to go to England to witness how it is GREAT!
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear England the first things that pop into my mind are big ben, royal family, tube, people walking fast drinking cofee, free tabloids, etc.
ReplyDeleteWales: not too much, actually.
Scotland: ghosts, kilts, bobby
stereotypes i've heard from others
ReplyDeleteWelsh: irrational attachment to sheep, good singers, arrogant
Scottish: tight with money, good fighters, moody
English: stiff upper-lip, tea-and-scones (not true lol), upright (definitely not lol)
Hi I'm from Australia
ReplyDeleteIn Australia we don't say "G'day mate"
seriously, only real bogans say that
you can't talk about stereotypes
Bad weather, castles, villages.
ReplyDeleteFrom Hazel
I'm australian and In australia some people do still say G'Day Mate. My dad says that, my mum, and sometimes even I do, and I'm 12. We hardly have bogans anymore.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of uk i think of london cold and rain plus pubs and great food
Sorry dahlings but I have to disagree about language. I am English and I say "terribly" a lot as well as "splendid". I don't say spiffing very much but I shall try and say it more often now. Lots of my friends and family say dahling, super and splendid a great deal too. We aren't upper class, just boring old middle class.
ReplyDeleteHere in Bristol you can buy T-shirts bearing slogans in the local vernacular such as "gert lush" or "they'z be me daps". I have considered getting one printed with the words "super dahling" 😉
Regional stereotypes would be an interesting project. What do we think of scousers, geordies, brummies, yorkshiremen, londoners, bristolians etc.
I like rugby, cricket and cups of tea.
I am rather scruffy. I have a theory that the English can wear the most elegant designer clothes and manage to make them look scruffy. I am not terribly polite and a very long way from being reserved. Outspoken rather than rude.
Drink: I like warm beer and I get more posh the more i have. 😉
food: I think that we eat more curry than fish n chips these days.
Nice project, but it is "suits" not "suites" loveys. Suites (pronounced sweets) are rooms or furniture.
Check out "everything stops for tea" sung by Jack Buchanan on youtube. Big on stereotypes and very sweet.
From Canada
ReplyDeletewhat comes to my mind:
England: great rock music, tea, very mannerly people, people who don't let "loose" much and rain
Scotland: lots of heather, friendly people,
rugged countryside and harsh winters
Wales: thatched roofs, lots of morning mist,
people who keep to themselves
when we think of England in my country we think of rain and ladies who drink tea and trains that dont run on time and the queen and red buses and black taxis. The wether is terrible and damp but everyone wants to live there. This is because you give money and houses to anyone who wants it to live there . We are not sure where you get all the money from if many people who emigrate there dont work? You like to stand in line and are polite but your soccer fans are very violnt and use bad language. Your police are very calm and honest and Respected all over the world i think. you have heroes like robin hood and many kings.your roads are not in good condition but you pay a lot for gasoline and to drive yor cars , maybe this is where the money for the for the free houses is coming from?
ReplyDeleteyou are friends wih america and get involved in other peoples business, your army is very well respected. many pople would like to visit england i think.
As an American:
ReplyDeleteEngland: Very built up in the southern region. Beautiful architecture, expensive to live in, very green. I have always imagined that buildings and homes are very orderly, and that peoples' gardens and lawns are immaculate.
Scotland: Wilder, freer, cheaper, and far more rural than England. Hillier terrain than England. Not poor, but not as materialistic as the wealthier people in southern England.
Wales: Appalachia in Europe. Even wilder, freer, and more rural then Scotland, but impoverished. They DO haul coals to Newcastle nowadays–ridiculous, huh?
Hah! When I was in England (London, York) I learned a lot about American stereotypes. After being called a "Yank" I explained that that's not a proper term to call someone from Texas (they usually didn't get the joke – they are sometimes ignorant to our history.) But if I spoke with an overexaggerated Texas accent I could get free beer and lots of attention and explain stuff about being an American. Moral: Just about everyone has stereotypes, there's ignorance everywhere, and it's best to just be friendly and sterotypes will become less important.
ReplyDeleteengland, british empire, rock and roll and punk rock. football hooligans, people with bad teeth.
ReplyDeletescottish, red hair, kilts, rocky mountains and lakes.
wales, leeks, short dark haired people, with great singing voices, coal miners.
related to the first comment:
ReplyDeleteIt rains 24/7 in England. That's a fact. Im leaving here and I miss spanish sunny weather. 🙁
and no, in spain we do not wear Flamenco Clothes and men dont look like Toreros. XD
I've been millions of times in england and..can you believe I have never find a place to eat fish and chips?? me neither. 😀
ReplyDeleteI live in London since one year. I would say London is very expensive and you have to be a hard worker to work it out and earn your bread and butter. It is very hard to save money here! English-born people are quite proud and prone to mock about others. I wonder – why? They are no more the same as they were in the 18th century, do they know? They owe no more colonial lands abroad, and they are no no.1 in anything except in boozing every Friday night… but they are still strutting about themselves as they were the best. And they are deeply unhappy. I can't say nothing about Scots or Welsh – I have never met one so far. So, I can't have my say about them. But i would give a good advice to English people… You'd better take a look at yourself and see yourself as you really are. You wouldn't strut so much… Of course you are kind and polite… but a bit untrue sometimes… and absolutely not friendly, nor nice. Everybody in the world share my same opinion about you!
ReplyDeleteEngland– crazy soccer fans, tea, warm beer, snobby, good sense of humor, thin and pale, rain, great TV
ReplyDeleteWelsh– dragon, countryside, beautiful singing, wild flowers, cottages
Scotland– friendly, whiskey, kilts, bagpipes, hard to understand, rural, red hair, huge drinkers, fun
as an american
ReplyDeleteGreat Britan: kings &queens harry potter goody 3 shoes rich peeps soccer tea & scones
Wales: dragons
Scotland: man skirts bagpipes
After having lived in Australia for the last 14 years I have to admit I miss my birth place London. I miss silly things like Marmite [although you can get it here now but it's called Our Mate] the beautiful long summer nights sitting outside a good old English pub, the special songs the birds sing [may sound odd but am not the only person who misses this] the buzz of being in London, Oxford Street, Hampstead Heath, but most of all I miss my lifelong friends and my wonderful family.I love Australia too, it is now my home but you'll never take London out of me.
ReplyDeleteEnglish – Sarcasm, superiority complex, reserved.
ReplyDeleteEngland – Rain, gloomy, bland food.
English
ReplyDeleteTolerent, Individualists, Belief in common law for all
Scottish
Hardy,Straight talkers, Pride
Welsh
Hard workers, Good singers, Good moaners
The Queen, King Arthur and Monty Python.
ReplyDeletei'm now living in east midland and it's all days rainning since only 5 min but it's very rare the day who's not rain… during a summer … But i like england : his pubs and friendly and very polite people ! and the french people don't really agry with the national train rail but the sncf is not so bad than uk…
ReplyDeletewhen i think of endland i thing of proud, passionate people all ways do anything to help, the best pie and mash and beer, great football(arsenal) great parks and towns, live music, safe,
ReplyDeletei love england and will never move
England: I think of British accents, rain, fog, and cold
ReplyDeleteWales: I think of Princess Diana (I don't know a thing about Wales)
Scotland: kilts
Where did the tea go on these lists? I was in France at an international language school and everyone asked me whether the tea-drinking stereotype was true. So
ReplyDelete1) Tea
2) Green hills
3) Fish and chips
I live in Wales, in a part of the country where the mother tongue of most people is Welsh. Many foreigners are under the impression (if they have heard about Wales at all) that it is part of England. The best thing about the UK is the countryside. There's more of it – and it's more varied – than you think. As for the British they are the same as people the world over: some good, some bad; some nice, some unpleasant.
ReplyDeleteEnglish/England
ReplyDeleteRoast beef and Yorkshire pudding, beautiful green countryside, rain and some lovely days, roses.
Wales: singing with lovely voices, Snowdon mountains, On particular Welshman we knew.
Scotland: Also beautiful countryside, a nice sounding accent when they speak, Edinburgh.
I'm an American Highschool student born and raised in Texas. In early 2010 i will leave to go to London for 9 days to study abroad, view their culture, see their landmarks,veiw parliament, etc. Therefore, I'm doing as much research as possible before I go. This website has been very helpful to me and reading all the different stereotypes from different types of people has been very hard. I believe that people are going to have stereotypes and judge others regardless of other peoples feelings. I'm leaving for London with an open mind ready and willing to try anything new and veiw the people and places excitedly. In addition, I will return to this website and post another comment to post my thoughts on what has been said.
ReplyDeletewhat I look forward to viewing in London:
Their fashion
The weather
Transportation
Mannerisms
Sports
Culinary Arts
Theatrical Arts
Landscape
Houses
Music
Monuments
Government
I am British and yes we do love fish and chips but we also love the finer things in life. We are well balanced – appreciating our unique heritage and history along with being part of the modern world. Our roads are indeed poorly maintained and we pay high taxes to support the less fortunate but we are happy to do so as our well rounded nature makes us realise that the ‘shoe could easily be on the other foot’ (i.e. it could be you that needs benefit support). We have an envious National Health Service funded by every worker and it means that we have the choice of free dental and medical attention should we not want to pay a private practice. We love our football, we love the sunshine and we love holidays abroad. Our politics will support our allies and strive for justice. I can truly say that I love being a Brit!!!
ReplyDeleteI am French and I lived in England a few years ago. A part of my heart belongs to England. My three words would be: tea, pub and good manners. Going to England is always a pleasure and also the opportunity to get plenty of typical English food -sounds strange for a French person, doesn't it? I just love this country.
ReplyDeleteI´m from Catalonia, near Barcelona and what I think of English, is tea, green countryside, lovely gardens, sweet cottages, mild weather, (they can grow palm trees in most parts of England), friendly people, well, and they love wine! Speacilly Spanish or Catalan wine and Cava!
ReplyDeleteAdam. (I´m half English).
when i think of england i think of londoners slagging of people from manchester and liverpool and just about every city in the north
ReplyDeleteI live in Yorkshire and all the stereotypes are ridiculous. Im not a 'pom' not everyone who lives in England is related to the queen! I dont drink tea and eat scones and OMG I dont support any football teams!! lol it does rain alot but not every single day, and seriously most of the brits dont have good manners!!
ReplyDeletestereotypes work all around the world for example Australians surf alot have bbqs on the beach and say g'day mate, Americans are stupid, ignorant and mostly obese. (Of course I know this isn't true just like the British stereotype.)
and yes the british do tend to drink alot but I have an excuse I am 18!
I think of the great british empire that ruled Europe for centries being the richiest and most powerful counrty,the Golden age. The battle of Britain and how we stood alone during world war 2. We were a counrty know as Great Britain but we are no longer that, We had biggest and best armies and navy. we certainly were a country to be proud of. now we live on a broke rock, full of yobs,and piss heads. that can't even speak the proper english language, will England ever be England again.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't what I think, it's just what stereotypes I've heard.(I'm Canadian)
ReplyDeleteBad teeth
Beatles
Alcoholics
Everyone's polite
Big red buses(I have always wanted to ride one, even if they are only for tourists)
Everyone drinks tea, and eats crumpets.
It's always cold
I live in Canada, and when I hear the words 'English' or 'England' I think of Harry Potter, being able to prevent my friends from getting lost in translation (the slangs are amazing, and I use them regularly), and the beautiful accents there.
ReplyDeleteJune 11, 2009
ReplyDeleteseptember 30, 2009
In England there are a lot of tipical things but we like the very great buildings,very big and beautiful parks,fabulous shops and very interesting museums.
My favourite comment is of July 06 2009, anonimous.
ReplyDeleteEnglish:Fat, fussy, tea and biscuits, dirty, bad police.
Welsh:Rugby, dragon.
Scotland:Kilt, whiskey, bagpipes.
In my opinion the stereotypes of English people are:
ReplyDeleteThey drink much beer, they much love their animal, they are very dirty and the weather is always cold
I like the comment of September 02, 2009 of an anonymous.
The comment that I like so much is of an anonymous person.He wrote it in may 10,2009.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think to a English people…
In the afternoon drink tea always,
I like their double-decker buses,
Red hair and frecles are very beautiful,
They love the beer and bacon with eggs are their typical breackfast.
Mery
june 11, 2009
ReplyDeleteseptember 30,2009
In England there are a lot of another things but we prefer the very big buildings,very big and beautiful parks,interesting museum and fabulous shops.
costanza and lara
when I think of england,I think of:
ReplyDelete– beer
– rain
– royal family
– tea
– bad food
– shakespear
– queen, king
– green park
– traditional dance
– umbrella
– star bucks
– criket
– original buildings
when I think of english people, I think of:
– red haer
– freekles
– bear
– tall
– thin
Elena Zoppi
I said:the English have a bad weather, they always drink , they have a red hair and they have horrible food.I like the comments of Sam.
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear "English people" I think of queen Elizabeth, pub, tea…
ReplyDeleteThe Wales love their sheep and when i think Scottish kilt, red hair and whisky.
September 30,2009
ReplyDeleteI'm italian and when I think about England or Wales or Scotland I want to visit thoose country because of their breakfast and their weather very wet.
I also think of the royal family and the other lords.
September 30,2009
ReplyDeleteI think that alll people have their characteristics.My teacher is English but she does not correspond at all english stereotyps.In effect she's fussy and she has freckles.
I prefer the comment of: August 11,2009
Alberto.
september,5,2009 Adam
ReplyDeleteenglish people are fat, and have bad food habits, they like to drink tea in the afternoon;
scottish people wear kilts, ring bagpipes, they are moody;
the welsh people are Hard workers, Good singers, Good moaners.eleonora
Typical English for italian people:
ReplyDeleteEnglish people are very punctual
The English dress in a strange way (ex. socks with sandals)
Typical English
The English love their pets more than other people
The English are very serious, they don’t use body language
They eat a big breakfast in the morning with bacon, eggs, baked beans…”
Typical English
In England they love gardening and their parks are always clean”
English people have very fair skin with freckles and are red haired”
The English are always drinking tea”
The English do everything in a different way:
They drive on the left
They don’t use kms but miles
They don’t use kilos but pounds
May 23, 2009
ReplyDeletei think the same things of english people. Because, when i'm immagine the people that speak best english than me. I immagine people that love shopping, and fortunatly they not care of the other people. I love their mentality, 'cause i would like to be like them, and not care about the other people.
i am english, and i am proper annoyed about stereotypes. i love my country and these are what i think of:
ReplyDeletex fish and chips
x harry potter
x bulldog
x lion
x the queen
x henry VIII
x beautiful countryside
x friendly people
x we don't all have the same accent (i love the liverpool one!)
x yorkshire pudding
x brilliant food
x cool fashion
I'm Italian but my heart is English. I love London where I studied when I was 20. I miss parks, museums, shops but most of all the freedom I can feel every time I visit London.I'm proud to say that my little boy loves London too, and he would like to live there…
ReplyDeleteMy students think English houses are dirty, weather and food horrible, and language very difficult to learn!
I think a lot of the comments here are quite long because people want to think a bit deeper than just stereotype ideas, which is a good thing. I know it's a way to encourage lots of response to ask for short comments, and asking for stereotype ideas may be effective for this, but the original post starts out by stating the fact that stereotypes do not reflect the truth about anything. It seems odd and contradictory, indeed counter-productive (if truth is what you seek) then to ask people to contribute stereotyped impressions unless there is a further stage in the process, where you compare these stereotype ideas with some other ideas that reflect deeper and broader levels of truth.
ReplyDeleteSteve Lowman, Leicester
Oct. 10, 09: Interesting reading. I'm now a U.S. citizen. Lived here 50+ years. Go back to England to visit of almost every year.
ReplyDeleteSome of the comments are correct: lots of tea — an excellent 'bevvy'– with milk (not cream!). Their coffee is far superior to that in the USA, largely because it is made fresh and not in the uncleaned urns!
English food is very good now. Some terrific restaurants. Much of their food, vegetables, etc.in the market is home grown, or might come from nearby Mediterranean countries — bec. of quicker transport for it than from CA to MASS.
People: generally friendly. I do know that they will open their door to you if you are in trouble. Not true here where people are often hostile to strangers. Where I live, people out walking do not look at you, and rarely say "Good morning!"
Am surprised that NO one has mentioned the abundance of fresh flowers which hang in grand, brilliant, and full displays from houses, pubs, etc. They are to be found in the gardens of even ordinary folk.
Comments made about the English roads AMAZE me! Their roads are good, their Motorways (Expressway) are far superior to any of the U.S. highways we've encountered. And, in England, you rarely find dead creatures by the road side (they are removed quickly!.
Also, by virtue of the Motor Vehicle Inspections (required!), there are no rusty dead cars on the roadside causing a hazard and an eye-sore. Their traffic is much safer because of the MVI.
The NHS (National Health System) is something that should be copied. It works! The crazy stories of people in dire condition, unable to get medical attention? Yes, there are some – perhaps many. But, not like the huge number of people in the U.S. who don't dare show up in Emergency unless they have a solid check-book. The rich-versus-poor situation in this country is DISGRACEFUL.
Lastly, because I've taken up a lot of space, we here MUST stop calling ourselves in the States, "Americans". What the h— do you think the Canadians and the South Americans are? Even the new President, who is very well-spoken and educated, continues to say "…in America…" when he means "…in the United States."! And, in case people think this last remark is political-which it is not! -I voted for him. And, I would vote for him again!!
An ex-Brit by passport, but still English in my heart!
When I think of England I think of good manners, pie and mash and the Queen
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of Wales I think of gorgeous hills, male voice choirs and a beautiful language
When I think of Scotland I think of snow topped mountains, gorgeous islands and people who are very proud of who they are.
I am from Newcastle but am living in Shanghai at the moment. I can not WAIT to be home.
1. Robert Pattinson
ReplyDelete2. tea
3. the English flag
well 😀 TEA:D i like tea too…awesome castles and history… I love all the accents ^^ …i would love to visit UK one day…i really wanna hear someone saying "Cheerio" :))I'd love that.Oh and awesome fashion!
ReplyDeleteEngland – humour only british people will understand, wearing shorts in february, lots and lots and lots of beer, best music in the world BAR NONE (this applies to UK), Football is a religion, sceptical of the French, Germans, and Americans. We like the Dutch, Spanish, and the Italians we think are just greasy and sleazy. Generally being English has 3 different classes to it aswell. Working class people are friendly like to have a good time even if it can be a bit rough and ready, its all in good fun though. Middle classes desperately try to be upper class, kids are all posers, no university education is a sin, everyone is a liberal and is supportive of immigrants only because they do the jobs they dont want too. Upper classes are a good laugh but have no clue about real world, kids just bugger off wherever they go, they think they know how to party when in reality upper class parties are crap and about who u know
ReplyDeleteHi guys, I'm from Colombia
ReplyDeleteWhen i think of England, I think of a country full of culture, beautiful language and good music.
When I think of Scotland, I think of the most gorgeous hills in the world.
Sorry for my English… 🙂
I'm a Brit and I have travelled thoughout Europe. Things people have said to me which suprised them about Britain when travelling over here are:
ReplyDelete*Amount of security cameras.
*How "green and pleasant" Britain actually is in spring and summer.
*How dull and dreary it can be in the winter. (A woman from Alaska once said "I didn't pack any extra jumpers because back home we have regular temperatures of -30. I guess we didn't think of chill factor")
*Dry stone walls.
*Nobody apart from the uber rich has a Butler!
*How local Brits seem to think air Turkmenistan have a steerage class for people with goats and chickens as hand luggage.
*How old and traditional everything looks.
*How king Arthur was a Welsh hero before England even existed.
*The dawn chorus.
*Lack of snow at christmas, despite a global market of traditional English snow scene christmas cards.
*How expensive it is here.
*How dark the humour can be.
*The number of vintage and classic cars appear on the roads in nice weather.
*Good TV programmes.
*The sheer wealth of history and attractions on offer, and how the locals appear to be oblivious to them.
*the demise of the red telephone box due to mobile phones.
*Why Brits rarely bother learning a foreign language, even when travelling abroad.
*Why British parents shout at their disobedient children in the middle of the street.
*Why Britain even considers being out of the Euro.
*Why Australians insist on doing bar work in London, then moving further north in cities such as Manchester when they discover that London is way too expensive.
On my twenty mile drive to work, I pass the worlds first industrial factories, Beautiful scenery, the ruins of a roman city, A country estate complete with deer park, two medieval monestaries, more Beautiful scenery, a castle, many tudor houses, and the birth place of Charles Darwin. Many consider me to be living in a rural backwater.
Sounds like you are in Shropshire… Ironbridge, Attingham, Wroxeter, Buildwas, Wenlock, Shrewsbury!
ReplyDeleteBritish, not any part:
ReplyDelete1. Tea (as everyone else said!)
2. Self-depricating humour
3. Supporting the underdog,even if we didnt like them when they were the overdog!
(English lass, lived in Scotland for the last 14 years)
I live in the Pacific and spent seven weeks in England this summer, ten days which were in France. This is what comes to mind:
ReplyDeletefabulous historical and cultural sites to see
cathedrals
fantastic museums (free)
polite people
wet weather
tea and lots of it (with milk)
butter on toast and in sandwiches
Tesco's
biscuits (cookies)
marmite
zebra crossings
expensive petrol
tube
trains
red double decker bus
black cabs
outrageous London traffic
pubs (pub meal deals)
lots of young mothers pushing babies in strollers
beautiful gardens
birdwatching
people taking walks despite weather
terrific "offers" on produce
bed and breakfast
caravanning
NHS (very satisfied with their service)
word "lovely"
loyal football fans
wine enthusiast
Loved my visit and will return for the fourth time!
Warm Beer, soccer, loyal soccer fans, tea, strollers, pubs, left driving, accents, guitar, polite people, the word Loo, slang and school uniforms
ReplyDeleteReally polite if they're old. Extremely rude if they are young. In their worst behaviour when they drink. Look down on the rest of the world. Hooligans when they travel abroad.
ReplyDelete-English language (I swear most Americans don't realize it came from England, first.)
ReplyDelete-The Tube
-Harry Potter! 🙂
If you tell me England, I think :
ReplyDelete– Big ben
– Queen
– Beautiful landscapes
– Rain (sorry)
– Pub
If you tell me English, I think :
– Humour
– Intelligence
– Musician in a brass band
– Shy
– Proud
james bond, tea, cricket
ReplyDeletethe lullaby junkies, seaside, coal, chips
ReplyDeleteThe 5 things that come to my mind when someone says "English" woud be:
ReplyDelete1: British Queen
2: 100 Pubs on every street
3: A weird accent
4: Warm beer
5: Cricket
PS. America is better!!!!
I am English, and have grown up here in Hertfordshire (South-East England, near London) since day One. I really love my life here; of course I wish to travel to many more places in the world, but this is the place that I will always return to as it is my lovely home. The people here are very polite, well mannered, yet have a very good and versatile sense of humour. The largest stereotypes of us which seem to be Tea, Fish and Chips, pubs, red buses, big ben and red post boxes are certainly true. People here drink a lot of tea each day, and when ever you visit friends or relatives, you will always be offered a it. Also if you have builders or workmen over it is almost essential that you offer them Tea, and they usually accept it lol. Many people, including my family, find it almost a ritual to get fish and chips from the local fish and chip shop for dinner every Friday. And then the Sunday Roast on a Sunday afternoon. Curry is becoming increasingly popular, although I don't like it myself, and would choose Fish and Chips over it any day. Football must be the most common sport, but Rugby and Cricket are also popular. We are a nation of Regional accents, with Southern accents being portrayed more on television programmes of other nations, therefore Southern accents are more "stereotypical" of an English person. We are famous for our Royal family, Queen and History. Also, people seem to think of England as a very grey, dull, rainy country. Where as in fact growing up here I don't think it rains often at all. We actually have less rain fall than a majority of the worlds countries, including the United States, New Zealand and many warm countries. The sun shines here often, and we get beautiful, colourful seasons. Never too hot, nor too cold. And we have lovely flowers and plants. I must agree that English people are reserved as an overall nation, but many people are also outgoing. Getting on the bus, train or tube, you will always see people sitting down, keeping them selves to themselves with a newspaper. It does not mean we are rude or unhappy, we are just reserved and easily occupied lol. People are willing to give up their seats for Old people, and pregnant ladies. And when I read that queueing is a stereotype of us English, I was surprised that other nations do not queue as much as we do. We must be very ordally and polite in our nature. Many people do not enjoy pubs, where as many people also do. Also, we are quite famous for the NHS. Which I think we are priveliged to have, also having the option of private health care. It is untrue that we are unhygeinic and have bad teeth; everyone I live around is very health concious, and it is considered unpleasant if you do not wash or brush your teeth regularly. At the end of the day we are all individuals within this country, as every country has. I am very proud to be English 🙂 Much love from England, to every other nation. 🙂
ReplyDeletewhen i think of English people i think of tea, zero sense of humor, gentlemen, boring, and big ben.
ReplyDeleteThe first three things? Mmh…
ReplyDeleteLet's say 1)Harrod's, 2) Fashion, 3) Buckingham Palace & Big Ben (you said three, so i put them together :P).
Then i think of The Beatles, tea, University of Oxford, rainy days and people who drive on the left side of the road. Arrogant too (no offence).
When we think of the British , we think of their wry sense of humour, their special food , their white complexion, tea time, fish and chips.
ReplyDeleteMrs Jules and the Euro4 class of Catherine de Vivonne School in Rambouillet
3 things i think of when i think of england…
ReplyDelete1. morris dancing (my dad does some morris-spring grove morris men- they have a website under construction)
2. tea and tea TIME (lol, Americans are all like, tea is great. yeah, lets go to england they actually have TEA TIME!! yeahh! lol.)
3. fancy fat old ladys (come on, take a sick day and just look at your street, you will see about 1000 old fat lady tottering past!)
thanks muchly for your website and all that because i needed it for my homework!
from jenny messer england 13yrs. (twickenham rugby stadium is 2 mins away but i hate rugby, lool)
When i think of the English i think of:
ReplyDelete1. Old Ladies having tea and Crumpets
2. The Queen and Her Royal Family
3. Everyone Waving a Union Jack and having a Union Jack on there Roofs.
4. Not Caring what others Say about them.
5. Polite, Great Humored
6. Playing Cricket , Fish and Chips,
7. Dog Lovers, and Sitting around watching tv All Day,
8. Old Men Carrying a News Paper Under arm,
and Wearing Bowler Hats.
9. Love of Horses
10. Men in the Pub
11. Julie Andrews
12. Julie Walters
13. Maggie Smith
14. Princess Diana
15. the Queen Mother
16. All Men wear the Sash and Sing Orange Songs.
17. Queen Victoria
18. Queen Elizabeth I
19. Jack the Ripper
20. the NHS, The Brue,
21. The British Empire
22. Westminster, White Hall
23, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace,
24. Downing Street
25. Black Taxis.
26. Big Red Buses
27. Tower of London.
28. Everybody Lives In Castles
and has Big Gardens, and Butlers and Servents.
29. Shoe Shine Boys.
30. Mary Poppins
31. Everyone Calls each other Sir, or Madem, or Lord or Lady.
32. Everybodies Related to each other.
33. All Men remove there Bowler Hats when a Lady comes.
Wales: Sheep Lovers, Dragons, Speak Funny.
Scotland: Kilts, Speak Funny, Great People,
Vampires. Mary, Queen of Scots.
I would like to know what you think the north of ireland is like id like to see the steriotypes for us.
Australia i believe is:
say Gd D'Y Mate All the Time,
they have BQ'S Everyday and Drink Wine a lot.
have Kangaroos Running Around and Kicking People,
it never rains,
have alot of snakes in the house,
everybody lives in a Mansion
Crocodiles everywhere
The United States:
Tornados
Good Mannered People
Drinking Coffee at Star Bucks everyday .
Beautiful People where no body gets fat, growns old, or has a Hair out of Shape.
Proud People
Everybody Flys the United States Flag on there house,
Nosey Neighbours
Funny Accents
Wives Stay at Home and Cook for there Husband
while he goes to work and get the Bacon.
Sweet Potatoe Pie
Everybody Carry's a Gun.
Everybody sings Country and Western Music.
Everybody Goes to Church on a Sunday and Sings and Claps.
SterioTypes happen all over the world.
you cant believe everything,
The first 3 things about England and the English:
ReplyDelete1. pride
2. tastefulness
3. good-looking people
England: Manchester United, a charming accent & JK Rowling
ReplyDeleteWales: Ryan Giggs
Scotland: kilts, whiskey, pubs
England:
ReplyDelete' They have egg and bacons for breakfast nearly every morning.
' Football (Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds etc.)
' The school students use schooluniforms.
England: Egg and bacon, football, school unifoms, queens guard,
ReplyDeleteThe scottish people are great. I just love their accent, it is so cool. Every time I'm watching the movie Braveheart with Mel Gibson, I just lay back and enjoy it. The landscape is so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteKaycee
England: Egg and bacon, Football, School uniform and queens guard.
ReplyDeleteThe first tree thing I tink when I hear England is tea-times, big breakfast and fish and chips.
ReplyDeletePrince of Wales (Charles), Cardiff and huges green fields is that I think when I hear Wales.
I associate Scotland with bagpipe, kilt and green fields.
Linn
I associate the English people with; Eggs and bacon at breakfast, tea time at noon and school uniforms.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of the Scottish people the first things that cross my mind is; men with skirts, a bagpipe and the lochness monster.
– Inga, from Norway.
I associate England with obesity-fedme, school uniforms and red call booth.
ReplyDeleteWales I associate with dragons, prairie, golf and castles.
And the first I think at when someone sais Scottland is kilt, bag pipes and riverdance.
Ingrid
* The first three things that come into my mind when I hear the word England is:
ReplyDelete– Politeness, I have always thought that you are a very polite people, maybe because of your courteous language, you are using words like: excuse me, please, sir, miss and so on. I wish that the norwegian people could be a bit more polite too..: )
– Jane Austen, a beautiful writer.. what more can I say, love her stories!
– Heartbeat – this tv series has gone since I was a little child. It is such a cozy series.
The first three things I think of when I hear the word Scotland is:
– Kilt – the cooool garment x)
– The beautiful and calm nature, I want to go there some day.
– The Loch ness Monster.
I really want to go to England some day too, you are charming: ))
And the nature of yours is so beautiful!
BEATLES! The 70's. It's like you are stucked to the 70's.Clothes, cars and so on..
ReplyDeletePeople are being very polite. Stereotypes of foreigners tend to be patronising, and British stereotypes are no exception.
ReplyDeleteI really don't think it's a good idea to teach erroneous stereotypes, or to hold back as to how people stereotype the Brits from outside England (ie drunken, dirty, arrogant people sleeping around and rambling about an imaginary empire).
Of course it's a stereotype, which is why it's a bad idea to teach it.
A very good page on stereotypes: http://www.michellehenry.fr/civistereotype.htm
ReplyDeleterain, afternoon tea, gardens, puddings
ReplyDeleteThe English,
ReplyDeleteWarbows of Yew,
St Georges Cross,
Morris Dancing
I'm from the USA and I can say that I am not fat and I hate McDonald's. I don't like country music too much, although it's not all that bad. And we don't fly our flag on every house! I'm a very quiet person too. I'm hardly loud. I read those things and giggled really hard when I saw those were some stereotypes of the average American. Although I do have blonde hair and blue eyes. I also have pale skin. 🙂
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of England, I think of:
1. Tea and crumpets or any type of pastry really.
2. punk and wild clothes.
3. soccer, or football.
4. the Union Jack.
5. those red double-decker buses and the red phonebooths.
6. I also think of aluminium instead of aluminum. 🙂
Rain, Burberry, Big Ben 🙂
ReplyDeleteHey im english girl (i know my name isnt english and i hate it) but i didnt know american think english people do sarcasm! Do they do it there?!!! im moving there soon, and im scared im gonna get picked on cos of my accent, but if any one knows what americans (southern) think of the accent please say!!!! I live in Stratford on Avon (well near there) but i was raised in Birmingham so i have a brummy accent. Please tell me what you think because im really scared :/ Also Yeah we all love fish and chips. I have it every week!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking as a Briton…I think this my clear up any stereotypes
ReplyDeleteThe English stereotype is very much defined by our class- however ALL English people (in general) love sport, love drink, love moaning, love satirising other races, cultures and classes… politically it again differs due to class BUT a large amount present a centre-righ veneer that occasionally dips into liberalism when bigotry arises. We are very much a paradoxical country- caught between progressivism and conservatism, compassion and harshness, patriotism and hatred of our nation, contentment and outrage and other sentiments on a daily basis-
CLASS WISE
Lower Class- general regarded as 'chavvy', yobbish, use patois, brash, tribal, love football (soccer) but in their own way loyal, well mannered and proud- most political extremes are found here
Middle Class- laughed at in huge amounts- very socially awkward, influenced by europe, quietly pretentious, generally filled with intellectuals, enjoy rugby, cricket, tennis and other such sports, mannered but also shallow- mostly a split between centre-left liberals and conservatist
Upper Class- brash, arrogant, blunt, yobbish, classically educated, ostentatious but then also subtly charming and endearing, participate in the sports of old public schools such as Eton and Badminton and also equestrian sports. a huge amount are tories but some lefties do arise
Hope that helped…
Tea, rain and sticky sweets
ReplyDeleteThere are not just three things that pop into my mind when I hear “English” or “England” but more:
ReplyDeleteThey…
– adore the Queen
– drink tea with milk
– eat everything mint-flavoured and fish ‘n’ chips YUMMY!)
– have a strange humour
– all look like Mr Bean
– have certain prejudices against people with read hair (which is quite mean!)
– all live in typical British terraced house
– love Tesco
– can be very loud and aggressive, especially when they drank alcohol or watch football
– can’t save a penalty kick (haha, I’m German)
– drink a lot of alcohol when they are on holiday
– easily get sunburn
– love football
– drive on the “wrong” side of the road (though, I have to admit, it’s better than right-handed traffic)
– wear kilts and play the bagpipe (just the Scots)
– are either polite or rude
The country
– dirty former mine towns
– beautiful in Scotland, Wales, and Cornwall
– crowded in London
What else?
– The Beatles
– Harry Potter
– Lady Diana
– Elton John
– Banoffee Pies (YUMMY!!!)
– Nessie (the monster)
– red busses and telephone boxes
– white cliffs in the south
– Rosamunde Pilcher
England: Tea time, proper accents and manners, really cute old houses and streets, fog and rain. Don't know where you come up with the idea that an entire first world country serves bad food?
ReplyDeleteI'm Vicky from Greece. I've never been to England but it's a place i've always wanted to visit. What i think of England and English people? I love them!! England is an ideal destination for me because:
ReplyDeletei like rainny weather
i like tea
my favourite colour is red
and most of all English people 've got an amazing accent!! I wish i could sound like them!
tea
ReplyDeletefish'n'chips
daffodils
marmalade, back gardens and tennis
ReplyDeleteFish and Chips, Tea, peppermints.
ReplyDeleteI'm English, live here etc. I love tea. It does not rain 24/7, it's been hot the past couple of days. Some of the stereotypes are adaquate
ReplyDeleteI'm an English woman living and working in Sierra Leone, West Africa and I'm shortly due to come back to the UK for a couple of weeks to visit my friends and family, which I'm really looking forward to as I have not seen them for a year now. There are many things about Britain that I love, and some things that I do not love. As I've spent time in a developing country, the differences are quite marked in certain areas.
ReplyDeleteThe things that are typically English I am looking forward to are:
– My Mum's cooking (fish and chips, Sunday roast, curry, fruit crumble with custard, strawberries… I am getting hungry at the mere thought!)
– Being able to go to the fridge / cupboard at any time of day/night and see lots of different types of food that I can eat
– Shops, supermarkets and restaurants with a massive variety of goods and foods from all around the world
– The beautiful countryside, rolling hills, riverbanks, hedgerows, wildlife such as rabbits and pheasants, roses, daffodils and going for walks
– Hot running water, having a really nice long bath
– Our wide proliferation of entertainment, media and literature, newspapers with opinions on everything under the sun, quality TV programmes, going to the cinema and eating popcorn, rock music, dance music
– Being comfortably cool (it's very hot and sticky in Sierra Leone, for a Brit like me)
– BBQs in the summer with friends and family
– Visiting the seaside – 'Sunbathing' in clothes, rock (candy), Mr Whippy ice cream with a flake, fish and chips eaten from a newspaper
– Traffic lights and road signs (this may seem strange but imagine the chaos without them – I've seen it!)
– Police that are (for the most part) fair and uncorrupt
And finally – a really nice cup of tea 🙂
The things I am less fond of:
– Lack of time to have a chat for the sake of it, we tend to be too busy trying to earn a living to really enjoy our lives
– Watching too much TV, as an escape from the daily grind
– Work and commuting related stress and ennui
– Constant monitoring by CCTV and Health & Safety overload
– Idolising the state of being young and being physically flawless, not having respect for age and experience
– City/Town centre no-go areas at pub/club closing time
– Traffic congestion
– Dark winters
– Not appreciating all of the wonderful things we have – our average life expectancy is way over that here in SL (the age of 45!). People here are amazed when I tell them that my grandparents are still alive
I can't wait to come back for my holiday – but then again when I am there I shall probably be looking forward to being back here in SL. We English are full of contradictions and we like adventures!
P.S. We are famous for our sense of humour, particularly laughing at ourselves. But that doesn't mean that we like other people laughing at us without also laughing at themselves in turn… it upsets our sense of fairness!
I think of Lady Diana Spencer. I miss her. Pubs, gardening, fish & chips, and of course the Tube!
ReplyDeleteReiner Goldring
ReplyDeleteFreud liked the English very much. He said they were "so sensible, wonderful sense of humor, and mostly rational."
I think of great literature, Shakes, Bertrand Russell, Elliot, Auden, V. Woolfe, James Herriot,
and Milton, Donne, and on and on already.
I think of england when I drink my tea at 4 pm, and rainy days with Virginia Woolfe.
I think of propriety, good manners, and much war, a rich history. I am probably an Anglophile but don't know it yet. I was born in Germany, but I wish I were born in London.
That it is always raining and they English always drink tea..
ReplyDeletecody
ReplyDeleteenglish
i think fish n chips double decker buses and big ben
•What are the first three things which come into your mind when you hear the words 'England' or 'the English?
ReplyDeleteManners, their very interesting history, and haunted castles. 🙂
•What are the first three things which come into your mind when you hear the words 'Wales' or 'the Welsh?
A country similar to britain, and the animal wales actually. I don't know to much about wales so I can't say much.
•What are the first three things which come into your mind when you hear the words 'Scotland' or 'the English?
Bagpipes, Scottish history, and their cool accents. 🙂
When I think of England, I think of my home.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of the English, I think of Me.
Lived in the north England all my life the first things that spring to mind about this place are
ReplyDelete-The Hairy Bikers and there wonderful cooking program(seriously take a look at these two, brilliant cooks and bloody barmy to boot)
-The Big Issue sellers in the high street
-Terry Pratchett
(and Parmos)
Wales
-Rugby!!
-Daffodils
-Very good whiskey
-Slate
Scotland
-Deep fried Mars Bars
-Aberdeen Angus
-Thistles
-The SNP
I'm English and know that lots of these stereotypes aren't true, but i think of tea and cake, fish and chips, traditional English pubs, Shakespeare, good manners, gardens, red telephone boxes, red London double decker buses, bad weather, strawberries, beautiful countryside, cornish cream teas, village fetes and summer holidays to the seaside in Skeggy!
ReplyDeleteI'm english and when I think of us I think of a proud, hardworking people with too much on their plate always thinking away instead of just taking the time to relax and take in the world. Add to this a hint of insanity that forces us to laugh when angry, sad or insecure instead of dealing properly with emotions which causes quite a few of us to really lose it at football matches (but really most of us are halfway there anyway) then you have us
ReplyDeleteThe first think that comes into my mind when you say english is the Georges cross amd pagentry trooping of the colour at london, parliment and the tower of london. For welsh I think of rolling beautiful valleys and mountain ranges. For scotish I think of tartan kilts and hagis.
ReplyDelete1. Wimbledon
ReplyDelete2. Red double decker buses
3. Beeeeeeer :)))
When I think of England, I think of English people 🙂 They seemed to be pretty polite, patience and funny! Really nice sense of humor as well.
ReplyDeleteBut the only really ugly thing is their drinking habits. Its just ugly, how even English girls get drunk!!! its pretty sad to see that :S they are loud and out of control. In Europe, obviously they have the biggest alcohol problem.
Many guys are handsome, nice and funny, but English girls are not the most beutiful people in the world at all. Thats just the fact as everyone know.
Mostly fun place to visit, maybe someday even to live there. Nice, different culture and London is just amazing.
I think of beautiful architecture, tea and of course the Union Jack. Kudos from Holland 😀
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear about England, the first things that appear in my head, are Union Jack, double-decker bus, Elithabeth II and the Burberry check. But in general, for me England is associated with good manners and ubiquitous cleanness and order. I don't beleive that English are cold and composed. I hope, that in the future I'll attend this country. For the present it's only dream…
ReplyDeleteAndrew, Ukraine, 20 years old
When I hear the word England, I think of proper and etiquette and fish n Chips. I think of people asking if I want any "tea" or "biscuits".
ReplyDeleteI'm an expat living in Malaysia for 5 years, and what do I think of as English?
ReplyDeleteProper beer. The stuff that isn't fizzy or ice cold, and most certainly isn't, 'warm', as some would describe!
Cold weather. It might sound a bit crazy, but I actually miss the cold, fresh weather of England. It rains, but not all the time. There may be days or even weeks when it's just dull and cloudy, but there's also plenty of times when the sun is out and it's not too hot. Autumn, there, is definitely my favourite time of the year.
Our self-depreciating sense of humour. We can laugh at ourselves and see the funny side of things. Some people from other countries tend to see this as being, 'sarcastic', or simply as, 'whinging', when it's actually our way of trying to share common experiences and to show humility as human beings.
Some people seem to think we can't cook – let Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver deal with them! ^^
ReplyDeleteThey also think we're snobs, but we're not. We simply are proud of our little country.
Oh, and I have never said 'tally-ho' in my life, except when joking about the English stereotype.
People think we are quiet, polite people. They just haven't heard the Saturday afternoon markets!
ReplyDeleteMarried to a Brit (I am American)
ReplyDeleteThings tat I have noticed
-Indecisive
-People Pleasers
-Emotionless
-Describe food as "nice" , "gorgeous" and "lovely". This makes my skin crawl
-love to watch tv on the couch while eating
-think they are the best at football, did you see Robert Green!
-Eat sandwiches with butter on each piece of bread-sick!
-Love to eat
-love to eat Cadbury chocolate…now an American company.
-They are now ruining the ocean and people's lives in the south.
-BP SUCKS!
-This list can go on and on
Most British stereotypes come about due to the media portraying people who live in the UK, (England in particular), as somewhat quirky, eccentric, posh-spoken, in some cases a little effeminate, odd-ball type characters. They're all related to the Queen in some way, (or, at least come from the same class system, or even share the same heritage), say things like, 'jolly good show', 'spiffing…', call people, 'old bean', and also say, 'what?', at the end of their sentences.
ReplyDeleteAll of which is total nonsense. The vast majority of people do NOT live in London, or anywhere near it, for that. They have no association with the Queen or any of the royal family. They're not in the least eccentric or any of the things mentioned above.
It's true to say that the English attitude is one of being more reserved, particularly when showing their feelings or concern for something in a direct way. They have a self-depreciating humour which can be very dry and quick-witted. Something which can be easily mistaken for sarcasm but is actually a way of garnering sympathy, rather than to deal with the situation in a more direct and confrontational way.
I am form Russia. Three things which come to my mind when I here the word English or England are: The Beatles, P.G. Woodhouse, Monty Python.
ReplyDeletewhen i think of England i think of:
ReplyDeleterain
tea
fish and chips
booze
chavs
festivals
funny people
of course Wales and Scotland have all these things as well
being born and bred in wales when i think of my country i think:
rugby
daffodils
dragons
lush shorelines and countryside
saying 'lush'
and the fact that for every person living in Wales there are 3 sheep.
as for Scotland:
kilts
deep fried stuff
haggis (tastes gross btw)
they also have smaller bank notes compared to the normal british ones. no clue why?
Kathleen
ReplyDeleteI'm a U.S. citizen, born and bred in the Middle West, but have also lived in New England, NY, Texas, Pennsylvania. Over my 60 years, I've developed these stereotypes:
England: Royalty, nursery rhymes, the Tower of London
Wales: coal-mining, Welsh language, valleys
Scotland: frugal people, bagpipes, kilts
I guess it's time to come visit!
I said:
ReplyDeletewhen I think of England, i don't think of an arrogant country. I don't think of us as dirty and snobby. The food is certainty not bad. We are not the best at sports. we don't have the biggest army or the most land or most money. but we are great. don't forget there was a time when we ruled 3/4 of the globe. we have top restaurants in the world, Heston having the best restaurant in the world. we have practically invented most of the sports like rugby, footie, cricket and so on. we may not all be but we are intellectual and have created most of the science; like newton, darwin, flemming and not forgetting hawkins. we have beautiful food, like the good old sunday roast and full english roast, chicken tikka, fish and chips as well as an array of desserts to die for! maybe not the healthiest but alot more so on average and statistically than the americans with their mcdonalds and kfc. we have some of the best scenary and design here, the weather is alright, not as bad as we are accused of. we do have people that ruin our image, like drunks, footie fans and vandals. most countries have them. we are relatively clean and we are well spoken. not all of us are arrogant enough to go to a country and speak english. that is wrong. our literature and music is some of the best bar none and best selling; beetles as the most successful band ever, j.k.rowling and other real music like led Zeppelin, ozzy, iron maiden, queen and gorrilaz. i could go on. our humour is unique. it is some of the funniest. lee evans, mock the week ali g etc. we may not be as great but we can still do it. we have won the football before, the rugby twice and about to win f1 yet again. british people; we are great!
1. Felching
ReplyDelete2. Rimming
3. Spitroasting
England
ReplyDelete1 London Taxis
2 Hob Nobs
3 Royal Guardsmen
Wales
1 The Mabinogion
2 Vowel Shortage
3 Roald Dahl Plass
Scotland
1 My Grandfather McLaren
2 Self Sufficiency
3 Castle Stalker
I'm from the USA, State of Alabama.
ReplyDeleteReally bad gas comes to mind. Being from the south I know what happens when you eat too much cabbage. As for the person from Maine, come to the south for real Americans and if you still don't like it, skip back across the pond. I am full Cherokee indian who can speak Iroquoian language, so I AM American.
I am from South Wales and would just likee to say that we are not just welsh speaking and countryside (hardly anyone speaks wsh here), we are known for having one of the best rugby teams, love usuing phrases like 'be there now in a minute' and allso like talking a lit ti randoim people, saying their 'tidy'. We are a very simple country, which is why iits a relief to come home from busy airports to our simple half empty cardiff airport (the only main one in. Wales'. We can often judhge english people as 'snobs' because we see them as quier and ti far 'up themselves', even though ive met loads of tidy english people. British people in general loive ti watch great soaps likee eastenders, and, seeing from there you americans can see that not all Engkish/British people are stuck up, although we do have our tea cause its lush 🙂 so if ever you come ti wakes, im sure you-ll like it, from our welsh pride, our sayings that dont make sense, the tidy, chatty people and our little villages with our llittle terraced houses!
ReplyDeleteWhen I here the word England, I think of its rich history including the legendes, King Arthur, and Robin Hood. I also think of Harry Potter, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, British chocalate, and better english spelling. (I beleive that the way british spell the words surpasses the American way of spelling in many ways) Sorry folks. No offence.
ReplyDeletePersonaly I find colour more inviting than color. That word color never did look right to me from the beggining, (I'm American) Same goes with neighbour and labour etc… (Yes I use the british way of spelling)
When I hear of Scotland I think of my Scottish born grandparents,elves, Lord of the Rings(don't ask why) and brownies(mythical nighttime house cleaners)
P.S. Did I use the british spelling as I should?
As a Canadian of Anglo-Scottish heritage who lived in England for one year (and visited Scotland twice) my impressions are:
ReplyDeleteEngland: Beautiful countryside and towns, historic architecture which the people are adamant about preserving, a congenial climate where it is seldom below 0C or above 25C and doesn't rain as much as one might think (contrary to the stereotype), always something to do and excellent nightlife. Very safe. Unfortunately, extremely expensive.
The English people: Reserved, it's hard to make friends there, many are not terribly neat and tidy and somewhat lazy in general. On the positive side, very polite and a terrific sense of humour. Like the Canadians, far too politically correct and reluctant to speak the truth about the changes that are rapidly changing the country, often for the worse.
Scotland: Beautiful scenery. More wild and much less populated than England. Clean. Felt very at home there.
The Scottish people: More friendly and egalitarian than the English but also more inward-looking, provincial and dour. I'm of the view that Canadians are more similar to the Scots than to the English.
I'm british and I just wanna say one thing.
ReplyDeleteWhen you're stereotyping our country from the people you've met… Please don't do it from chavs. Everyone in england who isn't a chav I can guaruntee that they hate chavs.
chavs are a huge problem in england. they're rude, can't seem to grasp the concept of grammar or the pronunciation of "th" and binge drinking/getting pregnant every weekend. chavs make up for about 90% of young people here, which is why every older generation stereotypes young people as rude uneducated drunks.
meanwhile, the rest of us are pretty respectable. I'd say the tea thing is accurate, and football is popular, i dont know where the bad teeth thing comes from, and personally I'm a huge harry potter fan.
BRITIAN
ReplyDeleteCups of tea (founded the B.E)
The BBC
sunday dinner
cowboy builders
del boy and rodney trotter
brummies sounding hilariously thick
scowsers sounding like theyre gonna mug you
glaswegians sounding like gibberish
quaint little villages
lazy summer sunday afternoon drives through the country
the rain
old people everywhere
bargain hunt/dicko's real deal/flog it
fish and chips
indian takeaways
indians in general
peter kay
blackpool illuminations
red postboxes
red telephone boxes
staffordshire bull terriers
greasy spoons
statley homes
arga's
roses
council tax
the dole (state unemployment benefits)
the NHS
darts
corner shops
tesco
the great escape
football
JJB sports
fattest nation in europe (scotland)
family fortunes
Eggheads (except CJ i wanna slap him up)
spain
benidorm
magaluf
pale-skinned people
welsh choirs
caravans
top gear
hammonds accident
the pub
princess diana
the queen and royal family
the ROYLE family
larger-framed ladies gloriously under-dressed
britpop
british music in general
boris johnson
british justice
reliant robins
tvr
aston martins
the house martins
happy hour
ginger people with freckles
the peak district
the lake district
snowdonia
the highlands
the pennines
the south downs
dartmoor
exmoor
london town
brick lane
the r. albert hall
wembley
2012 olympics
the eastend
eastenders
coronation street
cadburys chocolate (allthough now owned by KRAFT)
easter eggs
easter bonnet parade
jamiroquai
anglo-saxon treasure
When someone say Wales I think of:
ReplyDelete1. Valleys
2. Curry Sauce
3. Welsh Lamb
I couldn't think of just 3 so how about 5 for England?
ReplyDelete1. Good old English pubs 🙂
2. Tea
3. Roast Dinner
4. Fish'n'Chips
5. Football
I'm English, from Cumbria, when I think of Wales I think of realy nice accents, Gavin and Stacey (how could I not?), dragons, cool language and beautiful countryside. Scotland: midges, Midge Ure, Caber Tossing (bad spelling) kilts, edinburgh castle, farms, sun up til pratically midnight (in Skye, anyway) Scottish flag and scottish nationalism. When I think of southern England I think of the West Country, land as flat as a pancake, hot weather, sun, brown grass, tourists trying to get the guards to move and Southampton, my birth-place. When I think (from expirience) of the north I think: rain, lakes (lots and lots round here) stone circles, tea, everyone loves tea, exept me, farms, ceilidhs, which are very fun, Lancashire, Blackpool Illuminations, Liverpool which leads to the obvios, The Beatles and when I think of England in general I think: curry (we love chicken tikka!) rain, loads of bands that have suddenly sprung up (that applies to Scotland and Wales as well, Amy McDonald, Duffy, etc.) comedy, Black Adder, fishing, the Queen, Harry Potter and when I think of the UK i think of Britain's Got Talent, Euro-dodging (there's no better way of putting it), a stupid flag that is non the less aesthetically pleasing, Sherlock on the BBC and Doctor Who.
ReplyDeleteWE DO NOT EAT TEA AND CRUMPETS(: we eat fish n chips pizzas everything everyone else eats tbh ( to be honest ) when people have a problem we always put the kettle on and have a nice cup of tea/cofee.. we are not posh unless your rich.. most of us come from poor backround on middle class ones. we do like the pub alot tbh and summer and that,, and we dnt always have red hair -.- We could say americans always have black hair.. when they dont… despirte the awful wether im proud too be british.
ReplyDeleteWe have a awesome sense of humour:D
ReplyDeletebut hwere did you get the bad teeth thing from?
Wales? Rugby, Male Voice Choirs and Clarks Pies
ReplyDeleteThe Beatles, the oatmeal and red hair)
ReplyDeleteENGLISH:
ReplyDelete1) My English friend saying 'cellar door' (I don't know why I find it funny. But I love it)
2) Tea. Lots of tea. Not sweet tea, either. Black tea with no cream.
3) An English man and an American man hurling stereotypes at one another. As me and my English friend do.
SCOTTISH:
1) KILTS.
2) ROLLING HILLS.
2) WOMEN IN WHITE DRESSES DANCING WITH MAN IN KILTS. AND BAGPIPE MUSIC.
WELSH:
1) I have no idea. I seriously know nothing of that culture. I feel kinda bad because I'm part Welsh. But mostly Irish. And English. And French. But I don't know about France either. My friend does. She speaks French. I speak Spanish. Which is ironic.
2) I know a lot about Spanish speaking countries though… If that helps.
3) I dunno. I think of Hungary, because both of those countries are named after things you'd see in an alphabet book.
I seriously doubt that helped anyone in any way, shape, or form, but that's my extremely American view of other countries.
I'm off to do very American things now in a very American setting, (which I assume everyone in England thinks I'm now going to go get fat in a McDonalds. I'm not. I'm going to Wendy's. Just kidding. Or am I? Is my grammar wrong? I don't care. At least I'm spelling things right.) . And I'm proud of that. >:)
english- St Geoerge, Football hoolganism, The ability to conduct a proper and fair que.
ReplyDeleteScottish – Drunken Angry people shouting alot, haggis, tartan.
Welsh – Sheep, windy hills….sheep
Alot of people on here have defended england and english people against stereo types saying that they are not true.
ReplyDeleteI untill recently would have agreed but after going to quite a few places and meeting a lot of people from alot of different countries (european festivals, very international attendance) i have realised that nearly all stereo types are true in a way.
In general english are far less outward with there feelings, we do drink a lot of tea and although we dont enjoy queueing we would rather queue than have a bar/pub situation everywhere we go. Plus we are polite, though to us it is them that are occasionally rude or at least abit forward.
What i came to realise is where we live here, to us it is not that we are a certain way, but that the foreigners are and it is the same for them. So for example although we may be emotional and outward going at times, in general we are less than other peoples in Europe and the US.
So we should not judge people by stereo types because that is not all they are, as drinking tea is not all we are. At the same time that does not mean we should deny it is true, I like my emotions controlled, i prefer a fair queue and i need tea to get through a day.
If we know that a certain nation is likely to act in a certain way or if we know how we will come accross then we have a greater chance of overcoming those differences and getting to know the person underneath.
I have rambled a lot but i hope it made sense basically stereo types are only bad if we judge people on them, otherwise we can use them to better understand ourselves, the way we come accross and other nations.
Eldred Blackwell
The first three things I think when I hear the words England or English are:
ReplyDeleteLondon-Big Bent and Red Buses…and as a stereotype: reserved people, educated and boring but I don't think that anyway, but it's what comes to my mind immediately!!!… 🙂
First three things popping into my mind when I hear the word 'England' or 'English' should be:
ReplyDelete1- Great manners
2- amazing history and culture
3- Sophistication and etiquettes.
First three things popping into my mind when I hear the word 'Wales' or 'Welsh' should be:
1- The late Princess Diana
2- Difficult accent!
3- ermm.. I don't know ! 🙂
First three things popping into my mind when I hear the word 'Scotland' or 'Scottish' should be:
1- Unique Accent
2- traditional costumes
3- Glasgow!
Surprisingly, the one stereotype which English people have evaded is that of being thrifty and mean – time and time again I notice this, particularly in the middle classes.
ReplyDeleteEngland –
ReplyDeleteApple orchards.
Spitfires and hurricanes swooping through blue and dangerous skies, evacuees, people sleeping in the Underground. Indomitable Blitz spirit when GB alone, in the entire world, was facing the might of Nazi Germany.
Pride and humility rolled into one.
Ditto that on reserve and arrogance.
Shakespeare, Austen, the Brontes, Byron, Wordsworth and Coleridge. Wilfred Owen, Sassoon, Auden. A plethora of poets, playwrights, and authors too numerous to mention.
Great music – ancient and modern. Not even going to mention the B-WORD here . . . much prefer the Rolling Stones, or Kate Bush, or Vaughan-Williams or Bowie.
Roses, gardens, the National Trust, village fetes, Morris Dancers. Pubs with beer gardens, canal banks and railway bridges.
Good beer, great tea's, cider (alcoholic, not the neutered US equivalent which calls itself by the same name) and great food . . . seriously, have any of you nay-sayers eaten out in Britain lately?
Best cheeses in the world – Stilton, proper Cheddar, Stinking Bishop, Smoked Applewood . . .
London – not as beautiful as Paris, but she wears her scars with more pride and self-respect. Bath – just gorgeous (home to a great Rugby team) and numerous other cities, towns, villages, some good, some bad, filled with a basic core of decent, orderly people. Most of whom would help you if you fell in the street, most of whom would answer your questions and assist you politely. Not always the easiest folk to befriend overnight; can be stubborn, abusive and fiercely aggressive if threatened.
Cricket, the best Rugby Team in the world (cough), and yup – the ubiquitous passion for football and all its associated tribalism.
Black taxis, red buses, mini's (the cars – not skirts, although we invented those too!) Choked roads, too much traffic, no parking spaces. Speed cameras (no really, I love them too!)
Quirky, off the wall fashion. Mods and Rockers, Punks and Goths, other sub-cultures too varied to mention. Great shops, thank God, some are still in High Streets, but too much VAT.
Patchwork fields and chalk downs, White Cliffs of Dover. The sea – rough and cold and grey. Esplanades filled with games arcades, cheapjack shops, and ice cream booths. Seaside holidays with sticky peppermint rock, cockles, chips soaked in vinegar, and buckets and spades.
Too much . . . too much . . . I could write pages of the stuff.
Wales –
A very sad rugby team.
Rain, rain, rain . . .
Six years of mispent youth as a student living in Cardiff.
Sorry, Wales, couldn't resist. There must be a passionate Welshperson out there who wants to brag-up their country and indulge in some Sais bashing?
There usually is . . .
BUT seriously – I could go on and on and on waxing lyrical about England before even starting on its myriad of faults – however, these are all simply my opinions. That's why stereotyping can be so dangerous – because it's always partially subjective. So many generalisations, some quite right and irrefutable, others so malicious and quite horribly wrong, that maybe we ought to try and avoid them and approach things with fresh and open minds.
Just try asking a German in the 1930's or 40's to describe a stereotypical Jew . . .
Welsh- Sheep shaggers, Prince Charles, Sheep shaggers
ReplyDelete•What are the first three things which come into your mind when you hear the words 'England' or 'the English? The Queen, stiff personalities, hung up with rules and protocol on even the most insiginficant things…
ReplyDelete•What are the first three things which come into your mind when you hear the words 'Wales' or 'the Welsh? Whaaaaaaaaaatttt??? What did he say? What are they talking about?
•What are the first three things which come into your mind when you hear the words 'Scotland' or 'the English? Scotland= those gorgeous plaids everywhere, kilts and unusal food. The English = stiff personalities who take themselves way too seriously…no wonder we left for America….