Chapter 5:

Britain land of traditions? Public and private life. Stereotypes: This may be true at the level of
public life (annual ceremonies, change of guards outside Buckingham palace), but in their private
lives, they are probably less inclined to follow tradition than the people in most other countries
(the British are too individualistic for this).1."Typical" British habits which are simply not
typical anymore: The London "city gent" wearing a bowler hat. The British/English breakfast
(cereal with milk and toast, butter and marmalade with tea. The British as a nation of tea-
drinkers.the tradition of afternoon tea. English people are not patient : they had to stand in a
queue. British people doform queues when they wait for something, but this doesn't mean they
actually enjoy it.
Suspicion of education. English anti-intellectualism: vocabulary: There is hostility towards and
mistrust of intellect, intellectuals and intellectual pursuits. They are suspicious of education.
Teacher and academic staff are respected, but they do not have a high status in society. Nobody
proclaims their academic qualifications of title. Among the upper-class too much intelligence and
academic prowess is viewed with suspicion. It could indicate a person is not a team player. In the
working- class, intelligence and academic prowess in a man are seen as 'girly'. Upper class:Too
much intelligence and academic prowess is still viewed with suspicion, because it suggests that
someone might not be a team-player. Working class: Too much intelligence and academic
prowess are still sometimes regarded as effeminate.Upper and working class:were not interested
in their children getting to university.
Britain is a multicultural society. Sometimes different set of values: In London, the indian way
of life dominates. They bring new cultures values and costums( indian shops, indian
clothes,indian language)The new british have helped the british to become more informal and
change the nature of the cornershop.
Attitudes to multiculturalism. Salad Bowl or melting pot? New procedures for becoming a
British citizen to take away fears:. Salad bowl: different ingredient,although mixed,together and
making an appetizing whole.Melting pot: the ingredient all blend together,each making their
contribution to single overall taste.Salad-bowl model has been applied in britian.New immigrant
study an official book called'the life in the uk' and take a citizenship test most british wouldn't
pass this test.after they pass they attend a formal ceremony at which their citizenship is conferred
upon them.
Conservatism. Continuity is valued:British do not like change.They like symbols of
traditions.They are rather proud of being different.They value continuity over modernity for its
own sake.
Tokens of Britishness e.g. driving on the left: Driving on the left-hand side.Starting the
financial year in April instead of January.Different time zone than most other European
countriesthey have their own system of measurement
Systems of measurements. The Metric Martyrs Fund: Metric martys fund: for donation to hire
the best lawyers against cases considering sale with measurments and weight.
The British love of nature and the countryside: Britain first country in world to appoint
goverment sponsored conservation body and green pressure group founded (Word Wildlife Fund
1961) They do not like to build things in the nature High-speed link in British side completed late
Conservatism.Gardening popular hobbyStrong dislike for unnatural things.The national trust
(=an officially recognized charity whose aim is to preserve as much of Britain's countryside ans
as many of its historic buildings as possible by acquiring them 'for the nation'
Love of animals: Have local cemeteries for pets.50% of households has a pet.Law: you have to
stop when you run over an animal and report to the owner.The RSPCA (for animal cruelty).Great
foxhunting debate (a lot of people are against it, but hunters don't care)
The National Trust: Fund to preserve as much of Britain's countryside and historic buildings as
possible by acquiring them for 'the nation'. Largest conservation charity in Europe
The RSPCA: Organisation looking after the wellbeing of animals
The fox hunting debate: Parliament voted to make it illegal in 2004. Foxhunting is often
associated with higher class and the rich
The talented amateur and professionalism: Professionalism is regarded with suspicion. One
could speak of the 'cult of the talented amateur'. Society is best served with everybody 'chipping
in'. But in recent years professionalism has more positive connotations.
Formal in public, informal at home: In public: Roles people are very formal,they have to obey
some rules.depends on the role someone is playing. Clothes are a good indicator. formality:the
way they adress and or deal with you. when people are on 'duty' they have to follow rules.
Private: there seem to be no rules at all. People wear what they want.This difference is why
some foreigners experience coldness among the British. But when someone is being friendly they
do not bother with formalities. Being formal: Shaking hands.Addressing someone by his or her
title.Dressing smartly.Saying please.
Privacy and sex: tolerance and embarrassment: The modern attitude to sex is an example of
how the habit of privacy is still deeply ingrained. Important is the individual's right to keep
personal information private. At the public level, Britain seems to have dispensed with sexual
Puritanism almost completely. Until quite recently, references to sex in popular entertainment
were clothed in innuendo and clumsy double entendre. At the personal level, sex isn't bad
anymore but still a private matter
Chapter 4 Identity
Loyalist of Scottish, Welsh , Irish: Is a little more than a matter of emotional attachment.They
have their own clubs. Folk music, parties on special days & doing things different from the
English.
Scotland and the constant reminders of its distinctiveness: The education and the legal and
welfare systems, are organized separately, and differently, from the rest of Britain. they even
print their own banknotes.A Scottish way of speaking Gaelic.The Scottish way of speaking
English is very distinctive (dialect also known as Scots) There are many symbols of Scots which
are well- known throughout Britain (such as killts). 25 January burn suppers.Have a high value
about education for all classes.
Highland & lowland Scotland: The feeling of being Scottish is not that simple. This is partly
because of the historical cultural split between Highland and lowland
Scotland.Highland:Mountainous,A lot of nature,Economy depends on
tourismLowland:Southern, uplands, central plain,80% of Scottish population,economy depends
on sheep,farming and industry.
Scottish, Gaelic, Scots: a modern form of the dialect knowns as scots.Is spoken in everyday
life by most of the working classes in the lowlands.Cannot usually be understood by English and
welsh people.A specifically Scottish Gaelic sense of cultural identity is in modern times felt
only by a few tens of thousands of people in some of the western isles of Scotland and the
adjoining mainland. These people speak Scottish Gaelic(Gallic)as a first language.
Burn Suppers: 25 January every year.Way of celebrating Scottishness.Robert Burns (18th
century poet) Kilts.Traditional songs & dances ''reels''.Haggis (made from sheep's heart, lungs
and liver)
The Wales: People of wales do not has as many reminders of their, welshness in everyday
life.The organization of public life is similar to that of England.Do not consider to be welsh at
allOwain Glyndwr: captured all castles that ruled wales to make wales independent.
The Welsh language:20% of the population mother tongue in welsh.Children learn it in school,
local newspapers and Welsh tv channels.
British identity Vs English identity:This confusion can still be found in the press( the bulldog
spirit).And in public life, for example at international football or rugby matches when the players
stand to attention to hear the anthems of the two teams.Scot, wels, irish has own songs : English
one is just god save the queen. The same as the british anthem.Now English supporters wave the
cross of George flag and not the union jack.
Identity in Northern Ireland complex: polarized society. Protestants and Catholics: You are
born in and stay in.You are catholic (Irish) and want the Ireland as a whole.Or you are a
protestant ( other)2 strong communities:different house state,radio & tv,doctors,anniversaries.
newspapers,school for children's,rugby teams.
Other ethnic identities: Black Caribbeans, Asians. Waves of arrival, present ways of life:
Black Caribbean: 1948, great wave of immigration Jamaica and Barbados.after they had fought
for Britain in WW2. Their immigration remained significant until the mid-1970s. They have
adopted to the British way of life, but retained some of their cultural identity. Language (creole
and patwa) and music (ska, reggae end calypso). The Notting Hill Carnival was started by them.
Indian( the Asians): second between late 1960s and early 1970s. There is a continued rate of
immigration. Asian describes people whose cultural roots lie in and around the Indian
subcontinent. Members stick closely together and marry amongst themselves. They retain their
language, their non-Christian religions, their music, their dress and food. Parents expect to have
more control over their children.
Geographical identity: identity associated with a city or a county: Local pride is there, fighting
to keep it and are happy to live there. Liverpool:Known for national part and consequent cultural
mix.New castle:Geordies position of city in far north.-Londoners:Claim allegiance of
someone:people from England identify themselves as northern.people from north are warm
hearted, honest and thouger.people from south are soft hypocritical, unfriendly.Northern saw the
rich southern as living of their hard labour.
Reasons for double-barrelled names: These are surnames with two parts separated by a
hyphen: for example, Barclay-Finch. For centuries, they have been a symbol of upper-class status
(originating in the desire to preserve an aristocratic name when there was no male heir). Until
recently, most people in Britain have avoided giving themselves double-barrelled names.In 1962,
only one in every 300 surnames was double-barrelled.By the start of the twenty-first century,
however, one person in 50 had such a name.the motivations for the new trend are different. One
of them is feminism. Although an increasing number of women now keep their maiden name
when they marry, it is still normal to take the husband's name. Independent- minded women are
now finding a compromise by doing both at the same time - and then passing this new double-
barrelled name onto their children. Another motive is the desire o f parents from different cultural
backgrounds for their children to haveasenseofboth of their heritages
'northerners' and 'southerners': Proud to be 'Northerners'.They see themselves as tough,
honest and warm-hearted.Northerners think Southerners are 'soft, hypocritical and unfriendly'
This feeling was stronger in the industrial past: Northerners saw the rich Southerners as living of
their hard labour.The difference remains, e.g. Sainsbury's failed Jamie Oliver advertisement.
Class and what determines one's class. Received Pronunciation: 1. upper class received
pronunciation(RP),Public schoolWealthiest members of societyPolitical power.the class of a
person's family circle of friends and acquaintances.The upper class is the social class composed
of those who are rich, well-born, or both. They usually wield the greatest political power.
2. Middle Class:received pronunciation(RP),educated,Well connected.circle of friends and
acquaintancesThe middle class is the most contested of the three categories, the broad group of
people in contemporary society who fall socio- economically between the lower and upper
classes - also known as working class or white-collar class.
3. Working Class:Non-standard English,Low income or even unemployed Little or no
education.Lower class (occasionally described as working class) are those employed in low-
paying wage jobs with very little economic security. The term "lower class" also refers to persons
with low income
The differences between the classes:Hobby's and sports (cricket).Names for people (e.g.
Steward/Roger of Cynthia are typical upper class. John = middle class) Names for things/object
etc. (e.g. lavatory = upper class inst. of toilet or dinner of supper).Eat at different times; the
lower the class the earlier you eat.
Social climbing and inverted snobbery: Upper class doesn't mix with lower class, but middles
class is 'allowed'. Lower class doesn't mix up with upper class, but middle class is
'allowed'Middle class tries o adapt working class values a habits
Cockney: working class, a strong London accent.Anybody born within the sound of bow bells of
st Mary le bow church.Rhyming slang.Adele and Michael Caine.
Class divisions becoming less rigid: A person with a working-class accent is no longer
prohibited from most high-status jobs by that reason alone. Nobody takes elocution lessons any
more in order to sound more upper class. It is now acceptable for radio and television presenters
to speak with 'an accent' (i.e. not to use strict RP). It is also notable that, at the time of writing,
only one of the last seven British Prime Ministers went to a school for upper-class children -
while almost every previous Prime Minister in history did.
Role men, women: -Illegaal to discriminate on the basis of sex.British society; sharper difference
between the sexes.Domestic roles; differentiation between sexes decreased sharply. British men
scored high ( in a 2003 study of attitudes).Public roles based on sexes ceased.Still some notable
exceptions.
Sense of identity: social contacts and work: British people give a relatively high importance to
the everyday personal contacts that they make.British desire to belong.The pub and the sports
clubs etc. play an important part in many people's lives. In these places, people forge contacts
with some people who share some of the same interests and attitudes.
Religion and politics and social identity: In comparison to some other European countries, and
with the exception of Northern Ireland , some people in Scotland and in the Islamic community,
neither religion nor politics is an important part of a person's social identity in modern
Britain.they are not very patriotic and do not feel they represent Britain.
New interest in 'Britishness': The subject britishness, a topic of public concerns in the
country.there are several possible reasons for this. 1. the need to find common values in a
multicultural society. 2. realization that the UK has less influence on the rest of the world than it
used to have.3. the fear that the UK might actually break up
- however is not clear how individuals feel about this concern for britishness. public opinion
patriotic when threatened from the outside.
Personal identity British: sense of humour, bravery (stiff upper lip), and modesty: A sense of
humor: you do not have to tell the best jokes to be humorous, nor is there a proper time or place
for humor. a mildly funny remark is appreciated in all but the most formal situations.it does not
have to be especially clever. it is just an everyday way f taking. people expect it.two other
personal qualities which are generally highly prized in Britain: bravery in the face of misfortune
(sometimes known as the 'stiff upper lip') and modesty. The quality which connects these two is
the sense of humour