Culture Wise England
David Hampshire & Liz Opalka
Travellers often underestimate the depth of cultural isolation they can face abroad, particularly in a country with a different language. To many people, England is seen as an ‘easy’ option, with its familiar language, multicultural society, and millions of annual visitors from all corners of the globe. However, sooner or later, most newcomers find certain aspects of English life alien – not least its food - and some come unstuck as a result. Culture Wise England will help you understand England and its people, and adapt to the English way of life. Most importantly, it will enable you to quickly feel at home.
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Extracts from the book…
Sense of Humour
Perhaps, the most endearing quality of the English is their sense of humour and having a sense of humour is a fundamental part of the English psyche and runs like a vein through almost every social interaction. The English love to laugh and make others laugh, and there’s probably no greater insult than to accuse someone of having no sense of humour. Few conversations are totally free of humour, which takes the form of banter, teasing, understatement, exaggeration or just plain silliness. You’ll often find that lurking behind even the sternest of English countenances, there’s a dry line in wit.
Essential aspects of English humour include: using words with double-meanings so the listener is confused or expects the wrong outcome; sexual innuendos – “nudge, nudge, wink, wink” signifies something a little risqué; bodily functions – burps and farts are considered highly funny; ridiculous or unlikely situations; laughing at themselves – the English are perhaps unique in their ability to make fun of their own mistakes, behaviour and character, although they like to laugh at others also, particularly the Americans, French and Germans; and, above all, irony. Irony is the dominant feature of English humour and permeates a lot of it, and is perhaps the most difficult aspect for a foreigner (even an English speaker) to understand (especially Americans). Foreigners often complain they find it difficult to know when an English person is being serious.
A lot of English people use sarcasm, colloquially known as ‘taking the piss’ or ‘taking the Mickey’. Often this is done affectionately and if someone takes the Mickey out of you, it’s usually a sign that they like you and feel comfortable with you.
Attitudes to Foreigners
The English have a history of racism and xenophobia and have been trading insults with their neighbours for millennia. However, although they spend a lot of time abusing foreigners the English are just as insulting about their own countrymen and their prejudices aren’t usually personal. Newcomers – wherever they are from – are usually judged on their merits and character rather than their nationality, and if they learn English, are friendly and work hard, are accepted unreservedly in most places (but don’t flaunt your wealth if you make a lot of money, as rich foreigners are despised!).
The English have an ambivalent attitude towards foreigners, although there’s less distrust and suspicion towards aliens in England than in many other European countries. Despite the fact that the tabloid press spends much of its time stirring up loathing of the European Union and mistrust of foreigners who (naturally) only come to Britain to live off the state, there’s very little deep-seated xenophobia in England. The English are among the most travelled people in the world, hundreds of thousands own homes abroad, and they are generally open-minded and tolerant of foreigners and foreign things. There’s little prejudice towards foreigners in business and anyone whatever his race, creed or colour can become a success in Britain, which is why foreigners are so keen to gain entry to the country.
The UK is Europe’s most multiracial country – almost 10 per cent of the population or 5m people were born overseas – and London the world’s most cosmopolitan city, where residents speak over 300 different languages and live, work and play in harmony (most of the time). Migrants are encouraged to maintain their culture and ties with their homeland – rather than abandon them – while being urged to embrace English values. However, multiculturalism has been criticised in recent years for encouraging newcomers not to integrate and learn English, and consequently many foreigners (particularly Asians) in the UK live in segregated communities and towns apart from white English people.
Like the inhabitants of most developed countries, the English are concerned about the impact on their culture and way of life of increasing numbers of immigrants, particularly the influx of migrants from the new European Union members in Eastern Europe in recent years. It’s estimated that by mid-2007, 650,000 had already arrived, which has put a severe strain on housing, schools (some of which teach children in ‘dozens’ of languages) and health services in some towns, which has inevitably led to tensions. This has led to a number of towns and areas, called ‘hot-spots’, being ‘over-whelmed’ with immigrants. A survey in mid-2006 found that over two-thirds of residents in these areas thought that there were too many immigrants and over half thought they received unfair priority with regard to social services and state handouts.
Despite the increasing pressures from immigration, the UK is one of the most ethnically diverse societies in the world and has a relatively low level of inter-ethnic conflict, although racial tensions occasionally spill over into violence. The country certainly has its share of racists, bigots and xenophobes, but no more – and probably a lot fewer – than many other countries.
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PRICE: £9.95
PUBLICATION: January 2008
EDITION: 1st
PAGES: 256
BINDING: paperback
SIZE: 200 x 130mm
COLOUR PHOTOS: approx. 200
