Summary English Culture History 1: Britain for Learners of English
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Course
Engels Cultuurgeschiedenis 1
Institution
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven)
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ECG: BfloE
5. Attitudes
Stereotypes and changes
- Belief that Britain is a land of tradition
True at level of public life: centuries of political continuity, attendant ceremonies
(e.g. the state opening of Parliament, trooping the colour, guard outside
Buckingham Palace)
Not true at private level: few age-old customs, few parades or processions with
genuine folk roots, few sayings or proverbs in language
- The London city gent: wearing of a bowler hat
Not been commonly worn for a long time
- British breakfast: large fry-up plus cereal with milk and also toast, butter and
marmalade, washed down with tea
Few people have this sort of breakfast (only cereal, tea and toast)
- A nation of tea-drinkers
Outdated
Only tradition of afternoon tea with biscuits has been minority activity of retired
people and upper-middle class
- The British love of queueing
They do form queues but they don’t enjoy it (even queue rage)
English versus British
- English culture dominates
- Everyday habits, attitudes and values among the people of the 4 nations are similar,
but not identical
- Hard to tell if something is British or English
Anti-intellectualism: suspicion of education and high culture among people in
Britain
factual knowledge is something to be proud of
abstract thinking and scholarship is not -> words and expressions testify to
this
can be found in the 4 nations, but better seen as a specifically English
characteristic:
o The Scottish have always placed a high value on education for all
classes
o The Irish place a high value on being quick, and able with words
o The Welsh have exported teachers to other parts of Britain
A multicultural society
- Large scale immigration to Britain from places beyond the 4 nations since WOII
- Multicultural society in cities (e.g. London: Indian area)
- New British have brought different sets of attitudes -> clashes of values
- New British have made their own contribution to British life and attitudes
Made people more informal in their behaviour
Changed the nature of the ‘corner shop’
Conservatism
- The British are individualistic: they don’t have the same habits as each other
- They don’t like change
Symbols of tradition (e.g. politicians cite their enthusiasm for ‘traditional family
values’ as a way of getting support)
- The British value continuity over modernity for its own sake
They prefer living in an obviously old house
Sentimental attachment to older and safer times
Christmas cards with scenes from past centuries
They like their pubs to look old
They complained when their system of currency was changed
1
, ECG: BfloE
2
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