The British Character

The British Character
Customs and traditions always reflect the character of the nation. It is a common knowledge that
every nation has a reputation of this or that kind. Here are some views on the British
character or the character of the people who live on the British Isles.
The British people are said to be very polite and well-mannered. “Please, thank you and
Excuse me” are used very often in Britain. They are rather conservative and reserved. They are
considered to be the world’s tea drinkers.
Сontents:
1. Some views on the English Character
2. Some views on the Scottish, Welsh, Irish Character
Newspapers and TV form our opinion about different countries. So, what do you imagine when
you think of Britain and its people?
What are the British like?
 friendly and polite
 conservative and well-mannered
 cold and reserved
The British Character
People who live in Britain are called British. Many people think that ‘English’ is the same as
‘British’. But England is only one of the four nations in the UK. The Scots, Welsh and Northern
Irish are British too. Sometimes They get angry when they are called ‘English’.
There are also millions of British people whose parents first came to Britain in the 1950s and
1960s from the Caribbean, India, Pakistan, Hong Kong and other places. Their homes are mainly
in the big English cities like London, Birmingham and Manchester.
Some views on the English Character
Foreigners have many ideas what the English are like. For example, many people say that they
are cold and reserved, friendly and well-mannered. You hardly find a person in England who
dislikes tea drinking, home cooking and gardening. Their sense of humour is known all over the
world.
As for other characteristics which are associated with the English, they are egoism, self-
confidence, intolerance of outsiders, independence, love of comfort and a strong belief in
private property. Moderation, the avoidance of extremes, the choice of middle way is among
the essential qualities of the English.
The English have a strong sense of individualism which can be explained by the uniqueness of
the British which was isolated from the European continent for a long time.
One thing never fail to confuse foreigners when they come to Britain and it is British meals. The
English are used to certain food and seem never get tired of it. The legendary English breakfast
is a hearty meal and a perfect to start a hard working day. This favourite meal consists of bacon,
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eggs, tomato, fried bread and a variety of sausages. It is usually finished off with slices of toast
spread with orange marmalade and a cup of tea with milk (which is traditionally called English
tea) or lemon.
The English are very fond of tea. They drink tea four or five times a day, but afternoon tea
(which is usually taken at 4 or 5 p.m.) is a special treat.
Dinner is usually at 7 o’clock. It is the most substantial meal of the day and is a very formal one.
Many people even wear special clothes for dinner.
The English are said to be a nation of stay-at-homes. Their famous saying “There is no place
like home” is known all over the world. When the Englishman is free, he likes to be at home
with the company of his wife and children. There is another saying which is typical for the
English — “The Englishman’s house is his castle.”
Undoubtedly, the English are rather conservative. They are proud of their customs and are
reluctant to change them in a way. Examples of the English conservatism, such as eating
traditional English food or reading a newspaper in the morning are well-known worldwide. On a
large scale their conservatism is expressed through the attitude to the monarchy, for an example.
The local conservatism can be easily noticed in private traditions observed at schools and
societies. So, Britain is the country of traditions and they make a nation special.
Such are the English as we see them.
Englishmen are also known for their devotion to animals and pets. The English firmly believe
themselves to be the only nation on the Earth that is really kind to its animals.
Some views on the Scottish, Welsh, Irish Character

Contrary to the English, the Scotts, the Welsh and the Irish are somewhat different.
The Scotts are rather kind, but at first glance not as friendly as the English perhaps. They like
extremes. Sometimes, they seem to be gloomy and grey, whereas quite often they are highly
coloured and extravagant. The Scotts are probably best known to the world for their traditional
costume, the kilt, the short skirt worn by men. It has been the dress of Highlanders since old-
times and has been very suitable for going through the wet, moorland country.
Wales is the place where national spirit and national pride are more than in intense any other part
of the UK. The Welsh eagerly wear their national dress on festival occasions. The Welsh
language is still preserved and taught in schools side by side with English. The Welsh are known
for their highly developed artistic sense, as well as a distinguished record in the realm of
poetry, singing and drama.
In the Northern Ireland the pace of life is slightly different from the whole of the country.
Everything moves slowly, and people are usually not much in a hurry. Most of the Irish are
considered to be hard-headed, business-like, self-conscious and very superstitious. Another
national feature is that they are desperately afraid of being laughed at.
It is may seem difficult to tell an Englishman from an Irishman or a Scottish person and in this
case a surname may help. If their surnames start with ‘Mac’ or ‘Mc’ (for example, McDonald),
this person is sure to come from Scotland or Ireland. The surnames that start with ‘O’ (for
example, o’brien) are always Irish.
The British Character. Questions and Exercises

Exercise. Sometimes GB is called a strange island because some customs and manners differ
from those accepted in other countries.
Choose what is usual for Britain
 to queue in a line waiting for a bus
 to greet a friend as many times as you meet him during a day
 to shake hands each time you meet your friends
 to take off shoes as soon as you enter someone’s home
 to keep a distance talking to a person (to stay at least an arm’s length away)
 to jump the queue waiting for a bus
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 to bump into another person
Choose what is usual for us
 to queue in a line waiting for a bus
 to greet a friend as many times as you meet him during a day
 to shake hands each time you meet your friends
 to take off shoes as soon as you enter someone’s home
 to keep a distance talking to a person (to stay at least an arm’s length away)
 to jump the queue waiting for a bus
 to bump into another person
Exercise
Some older people think that today young people are bad-mannered. What makes them think so?
What do the rules young people sometimes break? What manners do you to consider be good or
bad? Do you always follow these “rules of good behavior”?

The British Character

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The British Character

Some views on the Scottish, Welsh, Irish Character

The British Character. Questions and Exercises

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