5th Chapter Flashcards
Which areas of life does the popular belief that Britain is a ‘land of tradition’ (not) apply to, and how is this manifested?
True in public life - the changing of guards outside Buckingham Palace never changes
Some ceremonies follow centuries old customs
Private everyday lives - not following traditions, they are too individualistic
What is the stereotyped image of the London ‘city gent’?
Wearing of a bowler hat (not common nowadays)
What is the iconic version of the London red bus called, and how does its (hi)story illustrate the British love of tradition?
Routemaster
When buses were privatized, the companies wanted to paint them in their colours, but people disagreed
After taken out of regular service, Routemaster became a tourist trips bus
Give 3 examples of supposedly typical British habits connected with food and drink which are simply not typical anymore. What is the reality?
“Fry up” (cereal, milk, toast, butter and marmalade) a traditional breakfast, is not very common, most people have just cereal, tea and toast or even less
Afternoon tea with biscuits etc. is confined to retired and leisured middle-class
Image of the British as a nation of tea-drinkers is outdated
What wrong conclusion can be drawn from the British habit queuing? How does the author argue against such an explanation? How do some other authors (A. A. Gill) explain this habit?
British form queues but they do not enjoy it, it is wrong to conclude that they are patient people.
They queue because they have to, otherwise they would kill each other, they care about (un)fairness more than anything else
What is behind British anti-intellectualism, how is it manifested, what contradicts it, and why is it probably better seen as a specifically English characteristic, and not a British one?
Suspicion of education and “high culture” - teachers do not have as high a status as they do in other countries
People are not that interested to getting their children to university
They like quizzes, but dislike academical knowledge
Specifically English because:
Scottish place high value for all classes
Irish value being quick and able with words
Welsh - export teachers to other parts of Britain
How is English anti-intellectualism reflected in vocabulary? (give and explain 7 examples)
swot - someone who works hard and does well academically - a term of abuse
teacher’s pet - student who shows a desire to learn
clever - person who cannot be trusted
get all the ideas from books
lack in common sense
smartarse
intellectual - negative connotations
Where in Britain are multicultural communities most likely to be found, how do the divergences between imported and traditional attitudes/values in Britain compare with those in the USA, and what contribution have the new British made to British life and attitudes?
In cities
Larger physical spaces between communities, they do not necessarily have to learn English, this doesn’t happen in Britain
They helped make people more informal in their behaviour and changed the nature of the “corner shop”
What are the three possible perceptions/interpretations of the concept of multiculturalism, and which one is dominant? Give examples of some negatively viewed aspects of their application.
“Salad bowl” - different ingredients mixed together, appetizing the whole but still distinct, the dominant perception
“Melting pot” - ingredients blend together, each making their contribution to a single overall taste
Some members of mainstream British culture think that it means their own cultural ingredients are excluded
Separation, lack of understanding, hostility.
Why and how has the procedure for becoming a British citizen changed?
Because of the fear of cultural misunderstandings
Applicants had to be a resident for 5 years with good behaviour, then they received a naturalization certificate through the post
Now they study a book called Life in the UK and need to pass a “citizenship test”
Give examples of how British conservatism manifests itself in the British liking for symbols of tradition and dislike of change/modernity. Why does the author consider this as paradoxical with respect to British mentality?
Politicians say they are enthusiastic for “traditional family values” to get support.
In general, British value continuity over modernity
It is a paradox because they like symbols of tradition, but are too individualistic to have the same traditions.
How does Britain compare with other countries in terms of the number of CCTVs, and why is this fact curious?
4,5 million CCTVs - more than the rest of Europe combined
British people value privacy, so it is curious that they are one of the most spied-upon nations.
In what matters does British conservatism combine with British individualism, and how is the resulting pride in being different reflected in the side for driving in Britain, its time zone and start of the financial year?
British are proud of being different, they will not change from driving on the left-hand side of the road, there are no advantages to it, they simply do not want to be like everyone else.
Britain did not adopt Central European Time, they remain one hour behind.
It starts its financial year at the beginning of April, not at the beginning of the calendar year.
Give examples of how British conservatism has manifested itself in the public resistance to the metric system (in volume, temperature, and weight/mass measurement). Who were the ‘metric martyrs’, what does the fund named after them do, and what characteristically British attitude drives it?
Only in the 21st century people in Britain have accustomed to litres/Celsius scale, they still use their own measurements, even British manufacturers give the equivalent in pounds and ounces
Metric martyrs were two greengrocers in the north-east of England, who were selling their fruit and vegetables by pounds
Metric Martyrs Fund supported many other traders who had problems with the law because of selling in other weight systems.
British hatred of conformist regulations in general.
What do British length/height/distance and weight measurements (inch, foot, yard, mile, pound, stone) equal (approximately) in metric measures?
length/ height:
1 inch = 2.53 cm,
12 inches = 1 foot = 30.48 cm
distance: 1 yard = 0.92 m,
1760 yards = 1 mile = 1.6 km
weight: 1lb = 0.456 kg,
14 lbs = 1 stone = 6.38 kg
Give 2 examples of Britain’s pioneering role in nature/countryside conservation. Name Britain’s leading conservation charity, and illustrate its activities, strength, and which 2 British attitudes it embodies.
First appointed a government-sponsored conservation body (the Nature Conservancy in 1949)
First large green pressure group was founded (the World Wildlife Fund in 1961)
The Youth Hostels Association - help all, especially young people of limited means, to a greater knowledge, love and care of the countryside, it embodies British conservatism
What negative/positive associations does the countryside (not) have to the British, and what is the stereotypical picture of a country village they would like to live in if they could? How do some 4x4 owners try to give the impression of driving to the countryside?
Since they became a nation of “city dwellers”, they idealized the vision of the countryside.
To them it does not have negative associations such as poverty, unemployment, it means peace, quiet and health to the British
Having a house in the country carries prestige
Owners of 4x4s spray spray-on mud on their cars
Why was the high-speed rail link through the channel tunnel completed later on the British side than on the continental side of the tunnel, and what British attitude led to this situation?
Communities battled about where it should be built
The British wanted to preserve their peace and quiet, they feared change - conservatism
How does the author explain the British love of the countryside? Comment on some aspects of British people’s access to the countryside and the public ‘rights of way’.
The countryside represents stability
They regard being able to go into the country when they want as a privilege and take an active interest in country matters
It is a constant battle with landowners to keep open the public “rights of way” for enthusiastic country walkers
Which popular hobby illustrates the British love of nature, and how? What is the word for a small piece of land in or just outside a town that a person rents for growing vegetables, fruits or flowers?
Gardening, one of the most popular hobbies in the country, when they cannot get into the countryside, they spend a lot of time in nature
Allotments
What is the (prevailing) British attitude to genetically modified (GM) crops and new nuclear power stations, and how can it be explained in terms of the British love of nature?
Strong opposition
Since they love nature, they dislike everything that seems “unnatural”
How does the British love of animals manifest itself with respect to pets? What proportion of British households keep an animal as a pet?
Sentimental attitude to animals, when a dog is run over, you have to inform the owner
50 percent of households
Apart from sentimental attachment to domestic pets, what else illustrates the British love of animals? What is a peculiarly British pastime in this respect? What is the RSPCA, and what is peculiar bout its prominent status?
Wildlife programmes are very popular
Many families have “bird tables” in their gardens
Bird-watching
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - it has royal patronage, while the equivalent charity for children does not
Is foxhunting legal in Great Britain? What did the foxhunting debate look like, and what attitudes and features of British life made it such an issue?
Illegal since 2004
In 2005 large demonstrations in London, some pro-hunt demonstrators even staged a brief “invasion of Parliament”
Debate continues, main opposition party wants to lift the ban
Conservatism, love of animals and individualism made it such an issue
What idea has Britain traditionally followed in public life, what is it supposed to mean, where can this be seen, and how has the attitude towards ‘professionalism’ changed?
“The cult of the talented amateur” - being too professionally dedicated is looked at with suspicion, it is best when everybody is “chipping in”
It can be seen in the structure of the civil service, the use of unpaid non-lawyers to run much of the legal system
Give examples of some new and traditional areas of amateur participation in public life, and of 6 (charitable/self-help) organizations and their activities representing Britain’s active role in this respect at the national and international level respectively.
Amateur participation - Neighbourhood Watch schemes, charity work, blood transfusion
The National Trust - preserving the countryside and its historic buildings
Family Planning Association - clinics give advice and help regarding birth control
Consumers’ Association - magazine Which? that exposes abuses in the marketplace, and basically protects customers
Moneysavingexpert.com - “A company’s job is to screw us for profit, our job is to stop them”
Amnesty International
Save the Children
What is the British attitude towards clothes and what image do the British have in this respect (compared with other western European countries)?
Public role - quite strict rules
Private life - no rules at all
Compared to others, western European countries, they are not good at wearing clothes
Illustrate how the British display friendliness or keep their distance by (not) observing formalities.
Not bothering with formalities (addressing by titles, not dressing smartly when having guests, not saying “please” when making a request)
British people do not feel welcomed, if the host is wearing smart clothes and set a grand table for them
What is the reputation of the British/English in terms of their dealings with other people? What has changed about the public display of their emotions such as laughter and grief? What has made them more comfortable in this respect, according to the author, and what historically/culturally conditioned phenomenon can their habit of reserve be attributed to?
Reserved in dealings with other people, being polite rather than openly friendly or hostile
Laughter is publicly displayed, however it is changing, kissing when meeting a friend is more and more often.
Extreme emotions on reality TV shows made them more comfortable with public display of emotions.
They shocked themselves by their public grief following the death of Princess Diana
The Victorian “stiff upper lip”
How is British/English people’s politeness reflected in the language they use? What meanings can the word ‘sorry’ have? (give at least 5 examples)
Saying “thank you” and “sorry” a lot
I apologize I am sad for you Excuse me I can't hear you I am angry
What is meant by the idea of privacy which underlies many aspects of British life?
Individual’s right to keep personal information private - it is rude to ask “personal” questions unless you know that person very well
What reputation does British public life have, and to what degree does it allow a politician a private life, respecting their privacy? How has public life changed in regard to sexual puritanism?
Reputation for demanding puritanical standards of behaviour
British allow politicians private lives as long as it is not mixed up with:
- national security
- breaking the law
- abuse of position
Sexual puritanism has disappeared almost completely at the public level
What are some problems attributed to the British attitude treating sex as an absolutely private matter? What is the official attitude to prostitution in Britain?
The highest rate of unwanted teenage pregnancies in Europe
It is not illegal to be a prostitute, but to publicly behave like one (doing anything to find customers)
How do some customs of road use illustrate the British tendency to support ‘the underdog’? What is ‘jaywalking’ and is it illegal in Britain?
The underdog on the roads is the pedestrian - If a person has just one foot on a zebra crossing, the vehicles must stop
Traffic lights work as an advice, if the figure is red but no cars are approaching, they cross the road immediately
Jaywalking is crossing the road by dodging in between cars, it has never been illegal in Britain
How can the well-known stereotype that the British are always talking about the weather be explained?
Combination of the demands privacy and informality
Personal questions or silence would be rude, the weather is very convenient to “fill the gap”
