STEREOTYPES

The British, like the people of every country, tend to be attributed with certain characteristics which are supposedly typical. Societies change over time while their reputations lag behind. Many things which are often regarded as typically British derive from books, songs or plays which were written a long time ago and which are no longer representative of modern life.

There are many examples of supposedly typical British habits which are simply not typical any more. For example, the stereotyped image of the London ‘city gent’ includes the wearing of a bowler hat. In fact this type of hat has not been commonly worn for a long time.

Food and drink provide other examples. The traditional ‘English’ breakfast is a large ‘fry-up’ plus cereal with milk and also toast, butter and marmalade, all washed down with tea. In fact, very few people in Britain actually have this sort of breakfast. Most just have the cereal, tea and toast, or even less. What the vast majority of British people have in the mornings is therefore much closer to what they call ‘continental’ (i.e. mainland European) breakfast than it is to a British one. The image of the British as a nation of tea-drinkers is also somewhat outdated. And the tradition of afternoon tea with biscuits, scones, sandwiches, or cake has always been a minority activity, confined to retired people and the leisured upper-middle class (although preserved in tea shops in tourist resorts).

The well-known stereotype that the British are always talking about the weather can be explained in the combination of the demands of both privacy and informality. Unlike many others, this stereotype is actually true to life. But constant remarks about the weather at chance meetings are not the result of polite conventions. They are not obligatory. Rather, they are the result of the fact that, on the one hand, personal questions would be rude while, at the same time, silence would also be rude. The weather is very convenient topic with which to ‘fill the gap’.

The idea of privacy underlines many aspects of British life. It is not just a matter of privacy in your own home. Just as important is the individual’s right to keep personal information private. Despite the increase in informality, it is still seen as rude to ask somebody what are called ‘personal’ questions (for example, about how much money they earn and about their family or sex life) unless you know them very well.

· It is a curious fact that, for a people who value privacy, the British have allowed themselves to become one of the most spied-upon nations in the world. In 2007, there were around four and a half million closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras in Britain. That’s one for every 14 people in the country.

· In the twenty-first century, Britain is experiencing record levels of both immigration and emigration. This means that the cultural backgrounds of people living in Britain are changing fast and becoming increasingly varied. This is one reason why ‘multiculturalism’ is a hot topic of debate in Britain these days. In fact, people are often unclear about what is meant when this word is used. Does it suggest a ‘salad bowl’, in which the different ingredients, although mixed together and making an appetizing whole, are still distinct? Or does it suggest a ‘melting pot’, in which the ingredients all blend together, each making the contribution to a single overall taste? The dominant perception seems to be that it is the ‘salad-bowl’ model that has been applied in Britain and there is a growing perception that it has gone too far. Of course, separation leads to lack of understanding, which can lead to hostility. Although overt racism is less common than in many other parts of Europe, there are still thousands of racially or ethnically motivated attacks on people each year.

QUESTIONS:

1. How can identity be defined? What factors influence identity?

2. What are characteristic features of Scottishness?

3. What are characteristic features of Welshness?

4. What are characteristic features of Englishness?

5. What the most well-known stereotypes of the British people? Are they true nowadays?

6. Why is multiculturalism a hot topic of debate in Britain?

7. What is the difference between the ‘salad-bowl’ model and the ‘melting pot’ model?

UNIT SEVEN

Date: 2015-01-12; view: 1718