Features of the English nation. National character traits of the English people. British attitude towards animals

All nations in the world perceive differently. Often these are opinions based on rather strange, but historically established stereotypes, such as bears with balalaikas on Russian streets. However, there is a grain of truth in every such opinion about the Russian or any other people.

Representatives of different nations behave in a certain way when visiting other countries during business trips, vacations, studies and other reasons. Thanks to communication with people from another country or rumors from those who had the pleasure of communicating with them, locals form a certain opinion about foreigners. I wonder what the British, whom we perceive as tolerant, reserved and prim, think about Russians?

The character of a Russian person through the eyes of an Englishman

Most people in the world, and residents of England are no exception, know Russia and its inhabitants thanks to figures in culture, art, science, politics and sports. Naturally, the elite of society does not create general idea about the people, but the contribution of Russians to world history and culture is appreciated by the majority of average Englishmen.

The British perceive Russian people as smart but lazy, talented but careless. Very often, the same qualities that seem unacceptable to them become an advantage in working together. By Western standards, people in Russia could achieve much more if they put in more effort and were more responsible.

But on the other hand, it is precisely this sloppiness that, to some extent, allows us to resolve problems that are insoluble for a different mentality. The ability to solve problems by looking at them from an unusual angle is perceived as a purely Russian trait.

The ability to laugh at one’s own problems is not alien to the British themselves; they also highlight this quality in Russians. Also, in their perception, our peoples are united by criticism of their own country, ridicule of their habits and character traits, however, if a foreigner does this, both the British and Russians perceive it with hostility.

Thanks to the Orthodox religion, which is widespread in our country, Russians are perceived as sacrificial, strong, persistent, understanding and forgiving. Many Londoners note that Russia has come a long way in terms of moral values.

Russians in England are considered witty, although the humor of the British is far from ours, they are generous, although this generosity and the so-called willingness to give their last shirt borders more on imprudence and naivety.

British opinion about Russian behavior

Many nations, including the British, present Russians as some kind of barbarians. For some reason, Russians have a distant attitude towards those things that cause indignation among the whole world. In the eyes of the British, Russians are insensitive to any manifestations of violence, rudeness, discomfort, or lack of choice.

The British believe that Russian people are ignorant, rude, and prone to violence.

They also consider the drunkenness of the Russian nation to be a manifestation of barbarity.. As far as one can believe the stereotype that has developed in England, Russian people, in order to get rid of problems and all surrounding troubles, drink alcohol in huge quantities.

Even those people who note only the positive qualities of Russian acquaintances always point out that a Russian representative can drink a huge amount of alcohol, knowing that he will experience not the most pleasant symptoms in the morning.

Another description that is often used by the British to characterize the behavior of Russians in the business sphere is hospitality along with recklessness.

The British, who adhere to such behavior as waiting for an invitation before coming to visit even relatives, or the desire to protect their private life from the eyes of strangers, sincerely do not understand how Russians can, after a week of dating, invite someone to visit to introduce them to their family , or drop by for tea without prior notice.

Russian girls are perceived by the British as more faithful, honest and committed to starting a family. The beauty of the female sex in Russia has also been noted more than once by representatives of the stronger half of humanity.

Another feature that the British notice is the ability to defend one’s position, express one’s opinion, and the ability to stand up for oneself. This manifests itself in communication with friends, and in the work atmosphere, even with bosses.

The British, who often communicate with Russians out of necessity or desire, note that in Russia, as everywhere else in the world, all people are different, and each person has his own special opinion, his own life principles and different behavior.

Some are believers and go to church weekly, some are nostalgic for the collapsed USSR, some are committed to development following the Western example, and some are not at all interested in news in their country and in the world.

Every person can behave differently every day, just like the British themselves, in principle. But the Russians do not have as many conventions as the British.

By the way, the opinions of people communicating with Russians in the UK itself and people visiting Russia and dealing with them here are somewhat different. Probably, like the behavior of Russians, less restrained and civilized in their own country.

The British in England first of all note the responsiveness of Russians, their desire to help, friendliness and sociability. The British who have visited Russia note the aggression and discontent that constantly accompanies Russians in everyday life, rudeness in dealing with service personnel, lack of restraint and familiarity in relationships.

England is a unique and paradoxical phenomenon. To begin with, this country does not have a specific name. That is, of course, everyone knows that England is part of Great Britain, also known as Britain, which also includes Scotland and Wales, which in turn are part of the United Kingdom along with Northern Ireland, which in turn is part of the British islands (with the Republic of Ireland and a number of small islands). The islands are inhabited, respectively, by the British, Scots, Welsh, and Irish, but no one wants to be British, although today it is almost impossible to find a representative of any of these glorious peoples proud of their independence in their “pure form.”

Everything is relative

Analyzing the English character, willy-nilly one has to turn to the British character, although keeping in mind that all the peoples inhabiting this country are not alike. An example of this is the traditional English breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, fried sausage, tomato and mushrooms,
which is nothing like the traditional Scottish one, which includes scrambled eggs, toast, sausage, tomato and mushrooms. And there is no more terrible insult than, through a slip of the tongue or out of naivety, to confuse one with the other.

This small, in essence, island is a whole world in which everything is “like the big ones.” There are distinct regional differences between North and South, West and East not only in character, food, traditions, clothing, but also in language residents of different regions of England sometimes simply cannot understand each other, and certainly no one can understand announcements on regular buses, pronounced with a distinct local accent. And the diversity of nature, landscape, geography, economy turns a small island into a huge country. But the most important thing is the attitude of the British themselves, who perceive this country as having no borders.

They move easily around the world, the average English family has one son working in Morocco, another writing essays in Indonesia, and a third (preferably) working in the City of London to provide for them all. They easily go on vacation to India and Pakistan, and to New York for shopping. But a trip to Scotland or Cornwall is perceived by them as a very serious journey, for which they need to prepare, plan, pack in advance, not forgetting about the upcoming acclimatization. In the early 1960s, Englishwoman Barbara Moore developed a walking tourist route from the farthest north-eastern point of Scotland, John o' Grote, to the most south-western point, Land's End (literally - "end of the world"), which amounted to 1,408 km So, there was no limit to the indignation of the British to humiliate and belittle their huge country in this way!

Most most

The British are one of the few peoples in the world who enjoy the inexplicable respect of others. No matter how much one laughs at the properties and characteristics of their character, secret respect breaks through any ridicule, criticism or outright hostility. A striking example is English humor. No one can understand him, especially in his most vivid manifestation - his love for physiological jokes. The refined irony of Bernard Shaw or Oscar Wilde is understandable to everyone, but falling trousers, toilet witticisms, indispensable hints of various kinds of greasiness and indecency of Mr. Bean or Benny Hill cause undisguised bewilderment among other peoples. But here the effect of “the king’s new dress” comes into play: no one can believe that he is naked, everyone suspects that they simply did not feel something in the subtle English humor, but understood everything to the extent of their depravity.

England is perhaps the only country that does not want to be “Europe”. Italians and Spaniards, secretly having a complex, dream of joining this glorious title, Eastern Europeans want the same thing - noisily and aggressively, Germans pretend that they are Europe, although deep down they are not too sure of this, Scandinavians live in their own world, without even counting on this honor. And only the British consistently refuse such a privilege, separating themselves in every possible way from the whole world, not entering into any association. They want to be on their own. And they succeed. They know that they are the greatest country, a kind of “navel” of the Universe. After all, even the zero meridian passes through their territory.

But for all their deep and sincere conviction in their own superiority, the British are deprived of any frank expression of their own patriotism. It is impossible to imagine an Englishman repeating “proud to be an Englishman” like a prayer, or even simply whispering warm, heartfelt words about his country, as their neighbors on the continent do. Loud, noisy patriotism is characteristic primarily of peoples with a complex of national inferiority and uncertainty about their place in the world. Those who are firmly convinced of their own superiority do not need it. On the contrary, self-irony, ridicule, healthy skepticism towards oneself - all this completely kills the desire in others to look down on the British.

Fight and search...

You often hear that the British are extremely hospitable and friendly - and this is true. Ask in broken English on the street of any city, even one as indifferently cosmopolitan as London, how to get to the right place, and they will tell you everything in detail, take you where you need to go, and at parting, in accordance with the linguistic tradition of address, call you affectionately dear or love (which, of course, will not mean a sudden outbreak of passion). However, such politeness in no way diminishes their sense of national superiority or their sense of prejudice towards everything foreign.

Moreover, the British themselves have long been aware of this trait of theirs and have been trying to fight it for a long time. Thus, it was here that, back in the 16th century, the tradition of making educational trips to the continent arose, which later became known as the “Grand Tour”. In the era of Elizabeth I, voyages of young Englishmen to Europe were strongly encouraged by the state, and often financed: England needed educated, world-knowledgeable, widely thinking people, capable of bringing to their country, along with new views, and various kinds of practical information from modern scientific discoveries to information of a political nature.

In the 18th century, a visit European countries became an integral part of the education of an English gentleman, and education in in a broad sense not only the mind, but also the soul. In addition to acquiring certain knowledge, the range of which seemed rather vague and foggy, the journey implied the development of taste, improvement of manners, and improvement of communication skills. And most importantly, it was the best way struggle against their own shortcomings - prejudice against everything foreign, lack of interest in other languages ​​and customs, national isolation and narrow worldview. Much later, at the beginning of the 20th century, one of the heroes of the novel by the famous English writer E.M. Foster's A Room with a View outlined the ideal formula for raising English children: "First bring them up among honest country folk for purity, then send them to Italy for refinement, and then, and only then, let them come to London."

These methods helped, however, not too much. In the book “Etiquette for Women,” published in 1902, the author persistently convinces his compatriots to be more lenient towards other nations, at least while traveling. “It cannot be denied,” the author writes, “that the English are absurdly conservative, but when traveling they need to put aside for a while their traditionalism, their coldness, their sense of superiority. Convinced of their superiority, they can afford to be lenient and merciful towards others.” And as recently as 2000, an English journalist was still ironic about the fact that the strait separating England from the continent is a “defensive ditch” for the British, along the steep banks of which they constantly serve, “scanning the horizon in search of a possible invader.” ", in a figurative sense, of course.

"Russian" trace

England and Russia have long-standing and varied ties. It is known that back in Kyiv, at the court of Yaroslav the Wise, there were two Anglo-Saxon princes - the sons of Edmund Ironside, who was killed in 1016. The infamous Harald, who fell in England at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, was married to the daughter of Yaroslav the Wise, Elizabeth, whose hand he sought for a long time. The daughter of the last Anglo-Saxon king, Gita, fled through Denmark to Rus', where she became the wife of Vladimir Monomakh. The opening of the Northern Sea Route in 1553 established strong trade ties between the two countries, which turned out to be very beneficial for both sides and led to close contacts in other areas.

There was also a certain mystical thread connecting two such different and, frankly speaking, not always politically friendly peoples towards each other. For example, a common patron St. George. Or the St. Andrew's flag - common among the Russian and Scottish fleets. Or the legend preserved in the English Chronicle (for 967) about the death of Baron Robert Sharland from the skull of his beloved horse, which exactly repeated the fate of our Prophetic Oleg. Or the almost identical resemblance between the last Russian emperor and the English king George V (yes, they are relatives, but not twins). And it would seem completely unexpected: in the 20th century, the English king Edward, who was killed at the age of 16 in 978, that is, even before the official baptism of Rus', was proclaimed a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church (though the one that is “in exile”) .

However, England has never been a place of mass pilgrimage for Russians; like everywhere else, in Russia it was more often respected than loved. In France they had fun and joined fashion trends, in Germany they rested and received treatment, in Italy they merged with beauty and cherished the aesthetic sense. First of all, diplomats, business people, scientists, and political outcasts went to England.

The logic of paradoxes

The English character is, on the one hand, perhaps the most contradictory and paradoxical among European peoples, almost all of its features have directly opposite properties, and on the other hand, they are very integral and definite, traceable over many centuries. Its features are most often explained by the island position of the country, even the term “island psychology” appeared. But there are many inhabited islands in the world, and England is the only one. Apparently, it took a combination of many factors - the mixing into a single whole of different peoples (Britons, Picts, Celts, Anglo-Saxons and many others), seasoned with Roman and Norman conquests, flavored with close ties with continental peoples, fertilized with victories and conquests and seasoned with climate and geographical location so that this people would appear, so different from other Europeans.

One of the key features of the English character is adherence to tradition; many call this trait conservatism. Indeed, the desire to preserve in their original form the features of life and behavior, rituals and habits, sometimes brought to the point of absurdity from a modern and non-English point of view, distinguishes the English from most other peoples, is subjected to sharp criticism by these others, but at the same time makes them touristic. attractive to the whole world.

About right-hand drive and Left side traffic everyone knows. Here there is a ban on any replacement of windows and doors in old houses, which forces the entire country to do without double-glazed windows, which is cold, but tolerable. Much more inconvenience is caused by English plumbing, which causes endless surprise among outsiders. It's hard to understand how anyone could be comfortable washing their face under two separate hot and cold taps. cold water. Well, you can also imagine that you fill the sink with water and splash around in it at home. But such a division in public places is not at all clear. In this case, the desire to splash disappears completely.

Further more. A traditional English bath (nationwide they make up the vast majority; changes have affected only metropolitan hotels) also has 2 separate taps and does not have a shower. By design of this amazing people, you need to fill the bath with water, add some foam, soak in, wash your hair (!) and get out without washing anything off. Dishes in houses are washed in the same way: water is collected in the sink, like in a basin, washing liquid is added to it, and so, without rinsing, the dishes are placed to dry. Our usual method of washing dishes under running water causes the British to counter-bewilder: “What an unreasonable waste of water!” Sometimes it seems that they live in a waterless desert, and not on an island...

In private hotels and boarding houses, in the toilet next to the toilet there is usually a long, detailed instruction explaining to the guest the rules for draining the water. Remember: a hanging tank with a chain that, if you pull hard, stays in your hands. The instructions often end with the wonderful phrase: “Only after the lever has finally returned to its original position can you try again.” And such repetitions are not uncommon...

The French are the main opponents of the British and have the courage to criticize the latter. Other nations prefer to remain silent, believing that all this is being done only to create inconvenience for foreigners.

The British themselves intuitively feel a deep connection between form and content - change one, the other will invariably change. Preservation of two taps, a chain on the toilet, right-hand drive ultimately ensures their national integrity and protects their character in the conditions of total globalization.

Basics

Traditions live not only in everyday life, they permeate various aspects of English life. Thus, universities take very seriously the maintenance of rituals that arose, for example, in the 16th or XVII centuries. More recently, in reputable universities, some professors allowed students to attend their lectures exclusively in robes, and for certain types of final exams, this uniform has still been preserved. There are cases when both students and professors almost lost consciousness on a hot summer day, steaming in thick, long decorative robes, but they never received permission from the management to take them off. The graduation ceremony is a magnificent theatrical performance, which at the same time does not seem artificial or overly pompous. It seems that all these people were born to wear wigs, professorial caps, and pronounce formulas and words that have been repeated for centuries.

No university in the world has so many conventions and historical traditions, as in English. The issuance of robes for ceremonies is carried out in strictly defined rooms - separately for professors, separately for doctors, separately for employees without a degree; it is impossible to imagine any democracy here. A gala dinner for any important occasion is unthinkable without a tailcoat and bow tie, even if many have to rent them. The beautiful green lawns at the University of Cambridge can only be trampled by those who belong to the teaching staff, as warned by signs placed everywhere, others must confine themselves to the paths. During daily joint lunches, held in ancient high halls, by candlelight, with tables covered with museum utensils, everyone, from student to rector, takes a certain place according to his position in the team. At the same time, they all remain modern people, ironic towards own world, but at the same time devoted to him and secretly proud of him.

Royal tradition

The most important part of the English tradition is the monarchy. Of course, today the British have a bit of a complex about such an “unmodern” institution, laugh at it, and say that the scandals of recent years, mainly love scandals in which members of the royal family were involved, have greatly undermined the prestige of the monarchy. Although all these doubts are largely explained by the fact that this same monarchical power, even if it has turned into a decorative one, is extremely important for the British, and mainly for uniting the nation and maintaining the national spirit. Well, it’s impossible to rally around Tony Blair! There are kings and queens in other countries - Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Spain - but there, in most cases, they are loved but not noticed, and nowhere do they cause such a complex and excitement as in England. For the British, this issue is alive and pressing, as before. The death of the Queen Mother last year was excellent evidence that the childish, flesh-and-blood monarchy is alive and well in the hearts of the British. Mountains of flowers, crowds of people reached out to pay their last respects to the more than 100-year-old old woman. Girls in elegant dresses and white socks brought touching drawings with the inscription “We love you!”, elderly, obviously provincial-looking couples stood in line to sign up for the memory book, even sarcastic English journalists wiped away an uninvited tear.

The British have great respect for their history. Museum work in this country is at the highest level, and for good reason. At every corner, around every turn, in every remote place there is a museum, and it is never empty, and it is filled primarily by the inhabitants of the country themselves, who study with constant interest the peculiarities of the life and way of life of their ancestors. The tradition of visiting historic houses and castles appeared in England back in the era of Elizabeth I, when the rest of Europe had no idea what a tour was, and these properties themselves were in private hands. The number of films about Henry VIII and his many wives is growing year by year to meet the needs of the English public, who never tire of admiring their loving idol. The memory of the British Empire, which ruled the seas and lands all over the world, has not faded either; boasting about this, of course, is neither accepted nor modern, but they have not forgotten about it either.

Classic informals

At the same time, there is no more informal society than the English one, in those cases, of course, when this is allowed by tradition. You can put on the most unimaginable outfit, have an unimaginable hairstyle, behave in the strangest way and be sure that no one in England will pay attention to you. Firstly, because this is a country of eccentrics and eccentrics, secondly, because here everyone is free to do what he wants (unless, of course, this goes against the traditional unwritten principles), and finally, because restraint, self-control and silence are considered one of the basic rules of life. The portrait of a typical representative of the English people was drawn by F.M. Dostoevsky, describing a train trip to Paris: “On the left sat a pure, blooded Englishman, red-haired, with an English parting on his head and intensely serious. The whole way he didn’t say a single word to any of us in any language, during the day he read, without stopping, some book... and as soon as it was ten o’clock in the evening, he immediately took off his boots and put on his shoes . It was probably like this all his life, and he didn’t want to change his habits even in the carriage.”

There aren't many things that can set an Englishman off. At the beginning of perestroika, an Englishwoman who came to Russia was faced with a surprise: on a tram, a shabby man, apparently deciding to test the foreigner’s strength, suddenly opened his coat, pulled out and shook a huge dead rat in front of her nose. The Muscovites around us screamed in unison. Not a single muscle moved on the English guest’s face; her behavior indicated that she was faced with such things almost every day. Only later, in an intimate setting, did it become clear that she had, after all, experienced a nervous shock.

Restraint, control over one’s feelings, often mistaken for simple coldness, these are the life principles of this small but very proud people. In those cases when a representative of the sentimental Latin race or the spiritual Slavic race weeps with tears of admiration or tenderness, the Englishman will say “lovely” (“cute”), and this will be equivalent in the strength of the feelings shown.

The only thing that can piss off a true Englishman is the noisy and defiant behavior of others. Even in London, a city almost entirely given over to tourists and immigrants, you can often see a decorous English couple on a bus, looking with open disgust at a noisy and emotional group of Spanish or Italian tourists, who, even in a fit of sincere indignation, only allow themselves to frown and silently look at each other indignantly . In the museum store in Shakespeare’s birthplace, Stratford, American tourists (who, to put it mildly, are not uncommon there) are noisy, cheerful, excitedly buying tons of various souvenirs and accompanying this process with laughter and loud delight, causing invariable arrogant contempt and chilling politeness saleswomen The fact that they, tourists, provide them with a livelihood does not change anything even in a market economy.

Even greater and, probably, the strongest emotional indignation among the British is caused by a disdainful attitude towards queues, which are an object of special worship for them. They themselves, according to one apt expression, form a queue of even one person. In places where queues are obviously predictable, special barriers are placed so that no one worries and everyone is sure that even if someone manages to sneak in from somewhere on the side, he will be ignored and showered with contempt by everyone around him, including the one to whom this someone broke through, after which he will still have to stand in line.

At the buffet on the train, a decorous, tall Englishwoman, on whose face was written a higher education, her own mansion and a significant bank account, hesitated and did not place an order. After a pause, the modest young man standing behind her (the two of them made up the entire line) risked doing this. A tradeswoman at a Moscow market, who is trying to slip counterfeit money or steal tomatoes, would probably look more secular than this pleasant, silent lady, who suddenly burst into a stream of rage that fell on the head of the arrogant rogue who violated the sacred law.

Sex the British way

One of the manifestations of the restraint of the English nature is the attitude towards sex in this country. One of the famous jokers once released a phrase, picked up and confirmed by others: “European peoples have sexual relations, the British have hot water bottles in their beds.” Other popular joke refutes this truth: “The English have sex twice a month in those cases when the name of the month contains the letter W” (by analogy with the fact that oysters are eaten in those months when there is a letter “r”; for reference: such a month with W does not exist in the English calendar). Sex and everything connected with it has long been considered in England as something wrong, which is best avoided if possible.

Book good manners mid-19th century pointed out that even “compliments and flirting are unacceptable in English society, unless they are expressed so delicately that they are completely invisible.” A modern book of etiquette recommends that lovers refrain from openly expressing feelings and hints about the intimate relationship existing between them, since “this may be embarrassing for some.” The maximum intimacy acceptable in society, according to the modern author, is walking hand in hand or arm in arm, a light disembodied kiss on the cheek, a distant hug. T-shirts on sale in London: "No sex please, we're British." The British themselves write with resentment that the characteristic English men their reserve is often mistaken for their lack of interest in the female sex.

On the issue of education

One of the most important life principles The English can be expressed by the following formula: “We did not come into this world to have fun.” It is on this that many distinctive features of their character and way of life are based. Start with education. It is customary to keep children strictly, and the higher in society you are, the more strict there is. We often see how in a rich English house, with a huge living room, a gigantic bedroom, a majestic study, the so-called children's room is located almost in the attic and is a miserable closet, and this is done quite consciously, for fundamental reasons, so as not to undead, but to harden. Until now, the system of boarding schools is very popular in the country, and separate for boys and girls (since sexual relations are harmful, there is nothing to get used to), and this primarily concerns children from aristocratic and wealthy families. The discipline and order in them to this day are a kind of mixture of prison, barracks and monastery, considered befitting the spirit of education of a real Englishman. It is no coincidence, apparently, that the Boy Scout movement originated in England at the beginning of the 20th century, and its slogan was “Be prepared!” A true Englishman must be ready for any difficulties at any moment.

There is an old English truth: “Children should be seen, but not heard.” In English pubs you can often see a “No children, no dogs” sign on the door. And indeed, if an exception may be made for dogs, then for children no, only in some places, remote provinces, where there is one pub for the entire village, children can be allowed in, as the sign at the entrance happily reports again. But this, of course, is no longer a real pub.

A typical question addressed to a child: “So what do you want to be when you grow up, young man?” suggests that childhood is only a period that must be experienced in order to become a normal, that is, adult, person. Such strictness, although it sometimes causes natural bewilderment, gives somewhat good results. The British not only conquered half the world in their time, but were also able to survive and gain a foothold in this half. Travellers, sailors, discoverers of lands - this is a real deal for the British, who know how to challenge fate and not be afraid of difficulties. Moreover, a challenge is sometimes more important for them than a victory; they are not afraid to lose.

It is very revealing and interesting to work with English students in Russia. If Americans are ready to endlessly suffer from a faulty toilet tank, which completely deprives them of the opportunity to enjoy life and perceive beauty, English students perceive difficulties quite calmly. On a motor ship on the Sukhona River, which had one toilet for everyone and no shower or bath at all, the cheerful young Englishmen learned to wash their hair in a bidet, visit public baths at stops, swim in ice-cold water and took obvious pleasure in the delights of real Russian life, which included warming up with a variety of drinks every night.

Another example: photographs of the heir to the British crown, Prince William, working in South America, where he was on youth practice. This is precisely how the heir to the English throne must be, unpretentious and not afraid of difficulties, in order to earn the respect of his fellow citizens.

Body food...

This attitude towards life extends to such an important part of life as food. Neighbors from the continent never tire of mocking the English cuisine. In the worldwide popular French cartoon about the Gaul Asterix, there is an episode in which he, along with his gluttonous friend Obelix, comes to England, where the heroes painfully try to eat normally. But even the glutton Obelix cannot cope with English dishes generously seasoned with mint sauce.

The main feature, also known as the problem, of English food is that it is aimed at satisfying hunger, and not at obtaining pleasure. Food should be the way it was given by God, the earth, Nature, and all excesses and delights come from the evil one (read, the Frenchman). In essence, its type is close to traditional Russian food - boiled vegetables, stewed or fried meat, pies. A cartoon in an English magazine depicts two chefs, one of whom lists potato dishes: “Boiled, fried, baked, stewed potatoes,” and the second exclaims: “And they also say that English cuisine is monotonous!”

...and spiritual

One of the most difficult questions in English life is the place that religion occupies in it. It is known that even the church in England is its own - Anglican, independent of anyone from the outside. And although it is believed that it was introduced by the sensualist Henry VIII in order to be able to marry as many times as he wanted, it is obvious that in its spirit and character it turned out to be close and understandable to the population. You can often hear from the British themselves that the church does not play a big role in their lives. And outwardly this is indeed so - rarely, only on holidays, and even then in the provinces, do any noticeable numbers of people gather in the church.

However, here is a paradox: the principles by which the English live - life is not for pleasure, sex is sinful, physical difficulties strengthen the soul, food should only saturate, and so on - are precisely those to which most churches call their flock. A classic English village certainly has a church in the center, around it the most important social activity, especially in those cases and for those people (women, old people, children) when the issue cannot be resolved in another indispensable component of English life - the pub. The vicar is not perceived by others as a shepherd or mentor, but rather as a friend who is respected, who is expected to be active (as you know, in English detective stories they often even have to solve murders), whose role is not to remind others of how to live, but just be ready to help when needed. It is difficult to say how and when such a situation arose. Perhaps the fact is that Christianity in England has long taken deep roots and become a part of life. Back in the 3rd century, when most peoples were not at all sure how to relate to this new phenomenon, and whole centuries remained before their baptism, monasteries were built on this land and monks held conversations about the Faith.

The most terrible test

Against the background of the above, other aspects of English life seem paradoxical at first glance. For example, such a phenomenon as comfort, which entered other languages ​​precisely from English. An English house represents a unique pinnacle of comfort and convenience. An environment that includes many objects, tables, ottomans, sofas and armchairs, all in front of a fireplace with crackling wood, a glass of whiskey in hand, what else is needed to meet old age! The British have a special, reverent attitude towards the house; they do not recognize apartments, preferring, albeit small, even in installments with interest, but their own house with a front garden. It is no coincidence that almost all houses in England have names; this creates inconvenience for guests and postmen, but demonstrates the very personal, very reverent attitude of the English towards their homes. A true Englishman is ready for difficulties, but is quite capable of withstanding the most terrible test - comfort and coziness.

The garden evokes even more feelings in an Englishman. English gardens, the main style of which is a skillful imitation of natural nature, lack of symmetry, “wildness” created by human hands, are a strong national passion. In England there are even special “gardening” tours to Europe. A most interesting sight is presented by English grandmothers in bright light skirts and blouses, casually and condescendingly running past the masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance towards their cherished goal - the Italian garden. This is where their feelings break through even through the mask of restraint and decency. They sit for hours near flower beds, painting watercolors, making pencil sketches, or simply smiling at the flowers as if they were their beloved grandchildren (whom, by the way, according to English tradition, they see much less often and with less pleasure).

Finally, just go to the bookstore, which has huge racks dedicated to gardens and guides to growing them ("Garden in Winter", "Garden in Autumn", "Garden When You're Short on Time", "Garden When You're Plenty of Time" and so on) to finally make sure that this is really serious.

Each house has its own front garden, and the English owners devote a lot of soul and effort to decorating it. Amazing flowers and shrubs, including exotic ones, are carefully planted around the house (if the garden is neglected, foreigners are almost certainly living in it). The arrival of spring in England can be identified by the hum of lawn mowers, since the English lawn is also a source of national pride and reflects many aspects of English nature. First, adherence to tradition, as in the famous joke where an Englishman is asked: “How did you achieve such excellent results?” And he answers: “Very simple! You just have to trim it every day for 400 years.” The joke is not so far from the truth, although the French, for example, believe that the British simply plant fresh grass at night. Secondly, she talks about the love of freedom of the English - after all, you can walk on them freely and they are not trampled on.

Perfect world

Another apparent paradox is that the country of silent conquerors of seas and lands, raising their children in strictness and not tolerating excessive displays of emotions, has created probably the richest children's literature and Child's world. Charming and touching characters have conquered the whole world: here and Winnie the Pooh with his friend Piglet, and hobbits, and Alice, who visited Wonderland, and Mary Poppins, and Peter Pan, and many other characters dearly loved by the British, but less known to the rest of the world - rabbits, ducks, hedgehogs, whose fates are closer and more important to the British than the fate of the heroes of their own great Shakespeare. The answer is simple: only for the outside world this is all children's literature and characters, but for the British all this is very serious and important, and above all for adults. Just like common games: in pubs, respectable men regularly and everywhere gather to play a fun game of darts, in which you need to hit a wooden circle with an arrow, adult women spend hours collecting pictures from thousands of squares, and everyone solves crossword puzzles and riddles , printed in all periodicals and in separate editions. Apparently, childhood, dedicated to strengthening the spirit and body, still takes its toll later, when there is no threat of becoming spoiled and spoiling one’s character.

Their high humor

Serious Englishmen are also famous humorists. “Subtle English humor” has already been mentioned above; the answer lies in its simplicity, in the fact that there is no deep subtext hidden behind it, and physiological or toilet jokes are just that, giving vent to accumulated emotions and feelings. Another thing is examples of English irony, sarcasm, and genuine humor. Laughing at yourself and at others is completely natural for an Englishman. This property has been cultivated for centuries, considered the most important human dignity. Old English books of good manners state that “a sense of humor can and should be cultivated,” and “ ideal man must certainly have a sense of humor, otherwise he will be far from perfect.” Allegory, play on words, paradoxical statements, sharp jokes - all this constitutes the glory of the English people and language. And it is not always equally understandable and pleasant to those around us, who often “fall for the bait” of English wit.

Henry II's son, Edward I, brought Wales under the English crown in 1284, swearing to the Welsh that no man who spoke English would stand over them... and installed his newborn son over them (in memory of this event from 1301 years to the present day, the heirs to the English throne bear the title Prince of Wales). In 1948, a major radio station in Washington invited ambassadors from various countries to answer the question by telephone: “What would you like for Christmas?” French Ambassador wished world peace, Soviet victory over world imperialism. His Majesty's Ambassador replied (live): "How nice of you to ask, I would like some candied fruit."

Voluntary hostages

The British are law-abiding people. Respect for the law has become such a natural part of their character and life that in many cases there is no longer even a need for strict control and punishment for non-compliance. Society can already afford to turn to common sense, not to strength. This manifests itself both in small things and in global issues. The British Embassy in Moscow is one of the few today that accepts invitations in almost any form: sent by fax, e-mail, written by hand without certification (meaning you can fake the original with stamps if you wish). Anyone who has gone through border control in London knows that the British are not known for their liberalism in this matter, they observe formalities, but there is no formalism in them. When leaving the country, passports are not checked or stamped at all. For what? After all, a person leaves their country and thank God!.. By the way, in the 19th century, England was the only European country that did not register foreigners, apparently not bothering its apparatus with such unimportant items. The attitude towards other formalities is also surprising: in England, an envelope addressed to a person with the address indicated on it is still an official document in many cases.

So that the English bureaucratic system does not look like some kind of ideal from which it real life far away, one can cite the statement of one humorist who wrote about its difference from the continental one, especially the notorious Italian and French. If in the latter countries you will be tormented by refusals, rudeness, and meaningless paper demands, then in England the official will smile pleasantly at you and will be extremely polite with you. He will ask you to fill out a huge number of questionnaires, most of which are written in a completely incomprehensible language, then he will say that he does not make the decision himself, but the request will certainly be considered, and the next time you come, he will be at a meeting, on a lunch break, or just went out. The result will be the same in both cases, with the difference that in Latin countries the issue can ultimately be resolved with the help of friends and connections, but in England the law is the law for everyone, which means there is practically no way out of the bureaucratic deadlock.

Even the police allow themselves to understand. An Englishwoman, very hot with drinks, stopped by a policeman and immediately cheerfully informed him that she was returning from an anniversary, received a friendly recommendation “not to do that again” and a knowing smile as she parted. And soon the same lady received a huge fine in the mail for speeding, recorded by a traffic surveillance camera, and almost lost her license...

Not a day without passion

Speaking about the character of the British, one cannot pass over in silence their most important national passions and hobbies. One of them is love for animals. If children, for educational purposes, are not given the best places in the house, then a dog or cat will certainly be in the most honorable place. They are treated warmer and more tenderly than most family members, and can be allowed to be gentle and loving with them. A walk between two Englishmen is often a melancholic silent procession, but a walk with a dog is almost always a pleasant, albeit somewhat one-sided conversation, full of tenderness and warmth.

Not everyone can afford a passion for horses, but even here the love for them surpasses human relationships in warmth. Horse racing in England is an event of truly national scale. Princess Anne, the daughter of the reigning queen, was once so keen on horses that she became the subject of much ridicule. For example, a typical caption under a photo: “Princess Anne (right) with her favorite horse” (they really looked alike). However, the ridicule was quite good-natured, since this is a feeling that is understandable to any Englishman. The princess got much more when a living person became the object of her passion.

Another national passion is tea. Although many people, especially in large cities, today drink coffee or (even worse) brew tea in a bag, still maintaining a feeling and special relationship with this drink is considered an important component English culture. English literature testifies to the enormous role that tea drinking had in the life of the country. In detective stories, the person who finds the corpse is offered a cup of tea to maintain strength; romance novels It heals broken hearts, it is drunk by friends to celebrate a meeting, and by enemies to defuse the situation. Peter Pan, when asked to the children “What do they want more – tea or adventure,” receives an immediate answer: “Tea first, please.”

Everyone knows that in England they drink tea with milk - milk first, tea on top and no water. This tradition is so strong that manufacturers place the warning “Best drunk without milk” on packs of green, fruit and herbal tea, which does not stop the British from creating a terrible mess, for example, consisting of rosehip tea diluted with milk.

Another English weakness is the weather. All the jokes and ridicule they are subjected to for this are completely fair. Every English conversation really revolves around this topic, even semi-formal letters from organizations contain references to good or bad weather. The main problem is that the British are convinced that they have very bad, changeable and unpredictable weather, which, in their opinion, determines many aspects of their lives and character. While completely agreeing with the latter, one has to disagree with the rest. It’s probably bad (read: cold) for the residents of Spain, where the British love to go to warm up. For a normal (read: Russian) person, it’s very good: all year round the grass is greener, even in December flowers are blooming in the flowerbeds, and the occasional rare snowfall from above does not spoil the picture as a whole. Its changeability is also greatly exaggerated (one must hope that the British will not read this, otherwise the offense will be mortal). The nearby coast of France also has similar variability, like all coastal areas, but does not make a cult out of it. As for unpredictability, this is not even worth discussing; this is not a question of the weather, but of weather services, which can broadcast “It’s raining today” in bright sunshine, as if they had no windows.

Despite this, the weather for the British remains a source of constant surprise and secret admiration, and the whole country plays the same game “Who would have thought!” In winter, snow falls almost every year and, although not for long, the temperature drops to zero degrees, and sometimes to minus. But England is chronically unprepared for winter, all life is immediately paralyzed, trains do not run, buses stop, telephone communications are disrupted, electricity is supplied intermittently, of course - no one could have predicted this, just like every year. This is unpredictability. A similar picture is observed in the summer, when stiflingly hot weather regularly sets in. But you won’t find air conditioning in offices and hotels - why do they need them in such a cold country? And finally, the favorite motive of the British “this year the weather is unusual” (according to the season, “hot”, “cold”, “rainy”, “windy”, etc. are inserted) it is always a surprise, a surprise.

And so on until the end, without end...

The British live in accordance with these principles. If calendar spring has arrived, all mothers put shorts and short-sleeved shirts on their children, which makes their bare legs covered in goosebumps under the icy wind, and their noses turn red and immediately begin to run. But it doesn’t matter - spring has come and no one expects it to be cold, and children have been wearing shorts at this time for 500 years.

There is no heating in the houses. Moreover, historically in England, fireplaces became widespread, which, unlike a stove, do not store heat, but only create coziness and are common in countries with warm climates. Firstly, there is no need to indulge and relax. Secondly, spend money on fuel in a country where, although the weather is bad, there is no frost. Thirdly, if it's cold, you can wear another sweater. Therefore, a completely fair stereotypical image of an English bedroom has developed, in which you wake up, shivering from the cold, splash ice water in your face and start a new day very cheerfully. The ritual has remained unchanged from the time of Jane Eyre to the present day. Sometimes, however, it is combined with another national hobby, and then you can get a cup of hot tea right in your ice-cold bed. Almost all English hotels (except those in the capital) certainly have a kettle, cups, tea and milk so that you can immediately prepare tea and drink it right in bed.

As was said at the beginning, the English character is complex, varied and full of contrasts and paradoxes. The small country, thanks to the strength of this character, was able to achieve great respect from others. Moreover, the preservation of this character has become an important goal of this people. .

Happiness
Despite significant increases in living standards, the proportion of Britons who are completely satisfied with their lives has remained unchanged over the past 25 years and remains at 1/3 of the population.

Money
According to a sociological study conducted in Great Britain, 45% of the country's residents remember how much money they have in the bank with an accuracy of 10 pounds, and 25% with an accuracy of a penny. About 10% of respondents check their account up to 4 times a day. Among those who use online and telephone account management systems, 35% regularly check their account at least 3 times a day.

Religion
About 1 million Britons attend Sunday services in more than 11 thousand parishes of the Anglican Church. 1.2 million believers come to churches every week. 6% of the population (3 million people) take part in the Christmas service.

Sex
British statisticians have found that 30% of the country's residents love sex more than anything else. According to 25% of British respondents, the most important thing when choosing a partner is appearance; in second place is a sense of humor; 18% of British people “voted” for it.

Family
Over the past decades, the institution of marriage in Great Britain has undergone significant changes. There are fewer and fewer two-parent families with 2 x 3 children. In 25% of cases, one of the parents prefers to raise children on their own (20 years ago this figure was 10%). More than 7 million Britons live alone today, up from 2 million in 1961.

Beer
According to data collected by Austrian researchers, over the past 5 years the number of beer lovers around the world has increased by 20%. In England, contrary to this trend, their number decreased by 5% compared to previous years. There, per person per year there is only 95 liters of intoxicating drink.

A game
According to sociologists, the UK has the highest concentration of players in the world - 75%. According to experts, by 2010 Britons will be spending on online games (Internet, cable and satellite television, SMS, etc.) £2.1 billion per year (currently £588 million). Although today casinos continue to dominate the British gambling market, accounting for 46% of all gambling business.

Anna Pavlovskaya, doctor historical sciences, Professor

It is believed that the character English nation Numerous conquering tribes left a big mark: the Angles, Romans, Celts, Normans, Scandinavian Vikings, Jutes and Saxons. It is precisely this multifaceted intervention in the life and history of England that explains the special character of the native English: it combines Celtic dreaminess, Anglo-Saxon practicality, Viking courage and Norman discipline.

More than 300 thousand Russian emigrants currently live in Great Britain, and this figure can be increased to one million if we take into account Belarusians, Ukrainians, emigrants from Latvia and Lithuania and some others who prefer Russian to their native language (due to lack of demand) more than English.

What Russians say about Great Britain

At first glance, this country is very welcoming and friendly - even strangers smile on the streets, every careless action is answered only with “excuse me” or “sorry” and it seems that everyone treats you incredibly kindly.

But such impressions very quickly give way to the true state of affairs: the cordiality of the British does not exist, it is imitated by a polite mask, complemented by endless apologies that fly out of the mouth automatically and do not carry any emotional load. Who even compared the English “sori” with the “red” Russian word, bursting out if, for example, a hammer lands directly on a finger instead of a nail head.

There is an opinion that the majority of Englishmen treat all foreigners with a rather partial attitude: some with sympathy, some with disgust, some even with contempt, while considering their nation the best in the world. As one of the bloggers put it in his judgments about the British, “among British subjects, Russians occupy a place in the ranking of nations next to immigrants from the countries of Eastern Europe, perhaps, giving way only to representatives of African countries and Indians.”

Russians often become the object of irony - a kind of English humor, which is sometimes expressed in very unpleasant moments: for example, in banks you can encounter a mocking offer to cash a check in Russia, and instead of an apartment approved after viewing, you end up renting the wrong one at all.

By the way, about a sense of humor - in England, its presence is considered one of the most important advantages of a person, and therefore everyone in this country tries to show themselves as a person with an excellent sense of humor, which often looks quite ridiculous. The British often plunge foreigners into sincere bewilderment with their penchant for physiological jokes, such as greasy, falling trousers and so on. At the same time, most jokes do not imply a particularly deep context, but rather serve as a kind of outlet for accumulated feelings and emotions. Many English people not only love to make fun of others, but also often laugh at themselves, which contrasts greatly with their stiffness and arrogance.

If we return to the topic of the fact that in the UK Russians are not very favored, then it is worth mentioning that active anti-propaganda about Russia in the media plays a big role in this. Many Russian emigrants living here complain that the news broadcast is entirely negative, portraying the Russian person as an ignorant “barbarian” who prefers to earn money through illegal means.

Vladimir Milovanov, who has lived in the UK since 2003, says that in ten years he has not heard anything good about Russia on official TV or read anything good about Russia in official sources. “The minimum information that can be found,” he writes, “is always negative. At the same time, they manage not to talk about what it is impossible to remain silent about.”

All of the above does not mean at all that a Russian emigrant will be an outcast in the UK, although, of course, one cannot count on a warm welcome. At the same time, it is within the power of the person himself to form a kind and positive attitude towards himself, albeit not immediately, but over time. And first of all, you will have to start with a good knowledge of the English language - until the ability to speak and understand is brought to the point of perfection, it is almost useless to expect respectful attitude towards yourself.

Despite the fact that the British are a rather closed and delicate people who do not openly demonstrate their emotions, especially negative ones, their attitude towards an educated foreigner is quite acceptable. By the way, the education of the Englishman himself also plays a role: if among the middle class and above it is difficult to find an ardent Russophile, then among the less educated you can find those who believe that the Russians (meaning the hardworking Baltic people) have captured all the jobs.

By the way, among immigrants there is an opinion that Russians in Great Britain are treated with sympathy, which is explained by Russian non-aggression, law-abidingness, hard work and rapid assimilation in this country. But the attitude towards other emigration ethnic groups is much more restless.

About life in the UK for Russians

Most Russians in England are middle class, having an apartment or house on credit near the center, a job in middle management, a vacation once a year to Europe and children studying in a public English school.

In general, one can speak quite positively about life in the UK - there are many jobs with low earnings and that do not require special qualifications. In this case, the funds received are usually enough to rent a room and food. For many Russians from the Baltic states, especially those who are older, this is quite enough - if you live up to 60 years, you can hope for a pension, which is due even to a person in the UK who has not officially worked a day in his life. Such a pension gives the right to free travel, a free apartment somewhere in a disadvantaged social reservation and benefits.

About the English mentality

The dominant feature of the English character is adherence to tradition. Moreover, the British strive to leave some of their traditions, habits and rituals in their original form in order to retain all the features of gentlemanly behavior. It is interesting that the British find it extremely difficult to part with the past - for them the process of getting rid of old furniture is a certain difficulty, they strive to plant gardens in the same style as their ancestors, and a restrained manner of dressing is characteristic of most British people - regardless of their financial situation.

As for the famous English coldness, it is actually just a special ability of the British to self-control. It is this coldness that is considered the basis of “gentlemanly behavior” and is a characteristic feature of the English mentality. In order to control oneself and wear a mask of equanimity, every Englishman from childhood has to struggle with his own temperament and accustom himself to strict self-control. By the way, an open or uninhibited display of feelings in public is considered in Great Britain a sign of bad manners and greatly affects every British person in foreigners (especially the emotional French and passionate Spaniards).

This is precisely what explains the excessive severity of the British when raising children - they are convinced that gentleness in relation to their offspring does not benefit them. As in everything else, the British treat children with restraint, thus trying to form in them the habit of curbing their own feelings. It is customary for children in the UK to be sent to study close to their parents’ home in order to instill in them independence and responsibility (often in boarding schools and famous schools, where British children are taught fairly strict rules and strict discipline, which, in the opinion of parents, contributes to the education of a true Englishman).

In general, the British are a special nation. In this country, every self-respecting Englishman is obliged to have a hobby - it doesn’t matter in what form, the main thing is that this hobby is brought to perfection. They say: “My home is my castle.” They are characterized by snobbery, arrogance towards other nations and stiffness. They don't share problems or difficulties because it's not accepted. And their main tradition is unwavering loyalty to the monarchy, although the queen has long become simply a symbol of Great Britain.

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Whether you like it or not, to communicate with native speakers, good command of the English language is not enough; you also need to be familiar with the culture and traditions of the English-speaking people, so as not to get into trouble by asking a question from.

“The British nation is unique in this respect: they are the only people who like to be told how bad things are, who like to be told the worst.”

“The British nation is unique: they are the only people who like to hear that everything is very bad, and even worse”

~ Winston S. Churchill

The national character of the English people is felt better than that of any other people. There is a sense of superiority in him, which can also be called “island pride”. British patriotism is based on deep feeling security, in which they, as a nation, have been for centuries.

Appearance and character of a typical Briton

The British are easy to recognize by their appearance and demeanor. And by looking more closely, determine what part of the country this person is from

Appearance of a typical Briton

A middle-aged Englishman is usually tall, his face is wide, reddish (rarely tanned), with soft, saggy cheeks, and often with blue, expressionless eyes. Women, like men, are often also very tall. Both have long necks, slightly bulging eyes and slightly protruding front teeth.

Compared to the English, the Scots and Irish look simpler, but more colorful. Squat with a lively face and a firm gait, the Scots often have thick red hair. Scots usually have light eyes - gray, blue, green. Also, the inhabitants of Scotland are characterized by fair skin, which is not reddened by the cold northern sun.

Scotland has the highest percentage of red-haired people in the world - around 13% of the population has red hair.

Many often confuse the Scots with the Irish, they say, Irish appearance — this is bright red hair, freckles and Blue eyes. So, this is a stereotype. On city streets you will more often meet guys with dark hair and a red beard. The performer of the role of Harry Potter is a typical representative of Irish appearance: a narrow face, often elongated, sunken cheeks that turn red in spots, not “apples.”

Order and calm

The British value discipline very highly and are considered the most well-mannered and polite in the world. Since the British have a specific politeness, it is often confused with coldness. Violent temperament and ardent passions rage under the guise of coldness and superiority. Principles of “gentlemanly behavior”(exemplary self-control), were elevated to a cult under Queen Victoria, but are still active today.

The British are slow-moving, tend to avoid sharp corners, and have an inherent desire to be outside of prying eyes, which gives rise to a cult. privacy. Sometimes it's enough to watch the English crowd on national holiday or at a football match to feel how the national temperament is breaking from the reins of self-control.

For example, they politely respect and respect their and your personal space, do not poke their nose into your affairs, do not ask questions, even just finding out a person’s name without a good reason is indecently rude.

The English are distinguished by moderation, which they do not forget about both during work and in pleasure.

There is almost nothing ostentatious about the Englishman. He lives first of all and most of all for himself. His nature is characterized by a love of order, comfort, and a desire for mental activity. He loves good transport, a fresh suit, a rich library.

Among the bustle of people, it is not difficult to recognize a real Englishman. No noise or scream will confuse him. He won't stop for a minute. Where necessary, he will certainly step aside, turn off the sidewalk, swerve to the side, never expressing the slightest surprise or fear on his important face.

Naturally, they want to see the same manners in others. Therefore, the best reason to start a conversation with an acquaintance or even an unfamiliar Briton is

Habits and lifestyle of the British

“My home is my castle,” the British joke, preferring to spend evenings in a quiet family circle, discussing the events of the past day in front of the fireplace.

Conservativeness or loyalty to tradition?

The British value public order very much. and they are never rude. Their passion for gaming is widely known, but despite this, the British are very serious in business matters.

The British are often called conservatives because of their adherence to traditions, which they passionately try to preserve in their original form. But it is this commitment that is most attractive to tourists from all over the world.

In Britain, anything that has stood the test of time is considered a tradition.: rituals and habits, features of life and behavior (for example, green hedges, bright red letterboxes, right-hand drive and left-hand traffic, double-decker red buses, judges in eighteenth-century robes and powdered wigs, fur bearskin hats on the royal guards that they They don’t take it off even in 30 degree heat).

You can find out more about the way of life of the British in the article

After work, residents of England like to spend time in pubs, football matches and various clubs (for example, fans' clubs, gardening clubs). They really like these places, because here they feel more relaxed, make new friends more easily, united by a common interest.

Almost every nation has a reputation of one kind or another. For example, it is generally accepted that Russians are generous, sincere, and kind; Spaniards are noble and very proud; the French are amorous, cheerful and frivolous, the Germans are very skillful, but boring; Americans are boastful, energetic, technically minded and at the same time carefree. What about the English? What is he like, a typical Englishman?

Today we will try to figure this out together with you. We will tell you about the morals and customs of the English people, introduce you to some traditions and laws of England, advise you on how to behave in a foreign country and debunk some established prejudices.

We have read many books and articles on this subject. Some of them are full of praise and admiration for this country and its people, others are quite critical; some present a serious examination of the subject, others are merely humorous; some are reliable, others may be erroneous. But they all help us better understand and get to know these people.

But you shouldn’t have the illusion that all English people are the same. This is wrong. But we have every right to talk about the English national character, because there are certain features and traits that are typical of the English.

The British attitude towards animals.

The British love animals, any kind. The variety of wildlife in English cities is amazing. Foxes, hares, raccoons, badgers, hedgehogs, partridges, pheasants and other wild animals live near city houses. Tame squirrels run straight into the courtyards to taste the nuts.

And how many birds there are on the lakes and rivers, the darkness! Ducks and geese fly in flocks, swans swim in families in city ponds, peacocks proudly walk in central parks.

Everyone lives side by side and is happy, people do not shoot birds, do not kill animals, but only feed them and monitor their population. And when they see a person, they rush in a crowd to taste the delicacies he brought. A complete idyll of the urban world and wildlife!

Not only birds in the parks - any living creature in England is accustomed to seeing a person not as an enemy, but as a friend and benefactor.

As for domestic dogs and cats, this is a completely separate conversation.

If it is true that you will not find greener grass in the world than English grass, then it is even more indisputable that nowhere in the world are dogs and cats surrounded by such passionate adoration as among the reputedly impassive Englishmen. For them, a dog or cat is a beloved family member, the most devoted friend and, as you sometimes inevitably begin to think, the most pleasant company.

When a Londoner calls his terrier a favorite member of the family, this is not an exaggeration at all. In English families, pets clearly occupy a higher position than children. It is the dog or cat that serves as the center of everyone's concerns.

To avoid running over a puppy or kitten, a London driver will not hesitate to drive the car into a lamppost or risk his life by crashing into a wall. When walking on a rainy day, an Englishman often holds an umbrella not over his head, but carries it at arm's length so that the drops do not fall on the dog.

A person who does not like domestic animals, or who, God forbid, is disliked by them, finds it difficult to win the favor of the English. And vice versa. If you come to visit and a huge Great Dane joyfully throws its paws on your shoulders, you shouldn’t worry about your soiled suit. From this moment you are a welcome guest of this house. The British are convinced that a dog is able to accurately recognize the character of a person it sees for the first time. There is little doubt that the owner will share both the likes and dislikes of his dog. If the same Great Dane suddenly shows hostility towards one of the guests, people in the house will begin to treat him warily, and it is unlikely that they will ever invite him to visit again.

A person who comes to England for the first time will note how impeccably the children are raised here and how unceremoniously, even impudently, dogs and cats behave. And whether you want it or not, you have to put up with it.

Once sociologists conducted an experiment on the streets of London. They asked different groups of Englishmen the same question. A traveler meets a beggar and a dog, dying of hunger. In his bag he has one single piece of bread, which is not enough for two. Who should you give it to: a beggar or a dog? A continental resident in such a situation will certainly feed a beggar. But all the English were surprisingly unanimous: “What can we talk about? Of course, you need to take care of the dog first! After all, the dumb creature is incapable of even asking for itself!”

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has existed in England for about 200 years, but, for example, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children appeared in this country 60 years later.

The Animal Welfare Society has a very serious material base: 3,000 local branches, hundreds of veterinary clinics, and most importantly, a staff of inspectors whose report can easily lead to prosecution or even imprisonment.

In the UK, requirements for pet owners are becoming more stringent from year to year. Here last news. Owners of fat cats and dogs may well end up in court on charges of cruelty to animals.

A well-fed animal is not a reason for fun and affection. It, like a person, can suffer from all the diseases associated with obesity, including diabetes and heart failure. And its owner is to blame for this - legislators rightly considered.

The penalties are severe: some breaches of the new law will be punishable by a fine of up to £20,000 and up to 51 weeks in prison.

Legislators believe that such measures are fully justified. Those who keep an animal as a living toy or abuse it should be punished in the most serious manner. And who knows, maybe this is what will help them remember the simple truth that “you are forever responsible for those you tamed.” Or refrain from purchasing a pet.

English newspapers are full of articles on how to put an end to whaling, how to save newborn lambs whose skins are used for making karakul from death, or how to persuade English tourists boycott a bullfight in Spain. When Soviet scientists sent Laika into space as a passenger on one of the first satellites, knowing in advance that she would not be able to return to Earth, this caused a truly storm of protests in Britain.

You can't even imagine how difficult it is to adopt a kitten or dog in England.

In this country, there are numerous support centers for disadvantaged animals everywhere, one of such networks is called “Cats protection”.

These are small elongated houses with luxury cages for each cat. Basically, they are kept alone, but in some rooms there are two or three cats, depending on their sociable character and who prefers it. Each suite includes a heated bed, toys for fun and sleep, space for outdoor play and, of course, the necessary food and drink.

People who want to buy a kitten or cat walk around this cat house, look at the animals through the transparent doors and choose the pet they like.

But the procedure does not end there. Now you must answer 60 questions in writing regarding future life your pet. Namely, is your house suitable for a cat to live in, is there a plot of land there for her to walk around, how many children and what ages live in the house, where will the cat sleep, where will she eat, where will she go to the yard, how many toys can you buy? her a month. How much do you earn and what part of your salary are you willing to spend on a cat?

And a special commission will decide whether you are worthy of becoming the owner of an animal.

Then the future owner of the cat signs an agreement, where he swears to properly follow the terms of the agreement, groom, cherish, feed, properly clean up after the cat, and let him out into the yard for a walk. It is necessary to make a special cat hole for her in the door for entry and exit, because the cat is a freedom-loving creature and walks on its own, and not at the direction of its owners.

After agreeing to all the terms of the contract, you will not be able to take the cat home on the same day. If you are lucky, then only after a week an inspector will be sent to you to check the living conditions of the cat.

When he arrives, you will need to prepare all the proper cat supplies: a bed with a soft mattress, bowls for water, milk and food, soft toys for sleeping and playing, a pee tray and a special training tool for claw points.

The cat representative will carefully check everything and interview all family members. After that, having signed the contract, received the cat’s birth certificate and a bunch of other papers, you need to pay a “voluntary” donation of 50 pounds sterling (about three thousand rubles) for the cat to stay in the shelter. And now you are the happy owner of a yard mongrel cat or dog.

But then, during the year, the inspector must check you 4 more times to see if you are offending the animal. And if the inspector doesn’t like something. Then your pet will be taken away from you and eventually given to another owner.

This is how the British treat animals. And it is not surprising that when the inhabitants of Foggy Albion are asked what sound is the most pleasant and shallowest in the world. 80% of respondents answer: the purring of a cat.

About raising children.

I also really want to talk about raising children in England.

It is customary to keep children strictly, and the higher in society you are, the more strict there is. We often see how in a rich English house, with a huge living room, a gigantic bedroom, a majestic study, the so-called children's room is located almost in the attic and is a miserable closet, and this is done quite consciously, for fundamental reasons, so as not to undead, but to harden.

There is an old English truth - “children should be seen, but not heard.” In English pubs you can often see a sign on the door “No children, dogs are welcomed.”

Deep down, the British are convinced that it is better for parents to be too strict than too soft, that “to spare the rod is to spoil the child” (a common proverb). In Britain, it is generally accepted that punishing children is not only the right, but also the responsibility of parents, that even if spanking traumatizes the child’s psyche, it is ultimately beneficial, and that parents of spoiled children are much more worthy of blame.

So, spoiling children means, in the opinion of the British, spoiling them. And the most striking examples of such spoiled children are, of course, the children of foreigners.

If a child sits on his father’s shoulders or clings to his mother’s hem, if he whines, asks for something, in a word, demands attention to himself, or if, on the contrary, parents constantly turn to their children, sometimes urging them, then pulling them back, be We are sure that this family is not English.

The British believe that the manifestation of parental love and tenderness harms a child’s character, and that kissing a child again means spoiling him. It is their tradition to treat children with restraint, even coolness.

If English child If he decides to torment a cat or dog, if he offends a younger person or damages someone else’s property, he will face severe, even cruel punishment. At the same time, English children are free from petty supervision, which teaches them not only independence, but also responsibility for their actions.

Having barely learned to walk, an English child already hears the favorite phrase in this country: “Pull yourself together!” From an early age, he is weaned from clinging to his parents for consolation in moments of pain or resentment. Children are taught that tears are something unworthy, almost shameful. A baby who cries because he hurt himself causes outright ridicule from his peers and silent disapproval from his parents. If a child falls off a bicycle, no one will rush to him or show alarm about the bloody abrasion on his knee. It is believed that he must get to his feet, put himself in order and, most importantly, move on.

Encouraged to be independent, the English child little by little gets used to the fact that, when experiencing hunger, fatigue, pain, resentment, he should not complain or bother his father or mother over trifles. He needs to be really seriously ill to decide to tell his parents about it.

English children do not expect anyone to cluck at them, indulge their whims, or surround them with immoderate tenderness and affection. They understand that they live in the kingdom of adults, where they are supposed to know their place, and that this place is by no means in the lap of dad or mom.

Regardless of family income, children are dressed very simply - the younger ones wear what was once purchased for the older ones. And at eight o’clock, not only children, but also schoolchildren are unconditionally and uncompromisingly sent to bed so that they do not disturb their parents, who may have their own business and plans for the evening.

Spoiled children who constantly demand attention to themselves, constantly asking for something or complaining about something, are a rarity in English families. The child here, from an early age, realizes that the world around him is the kingdom of adults. He is used to being left to his own devices and reminding his parents of his existence as little as possible. While children are growing up at home, they should not be heard. And with school age Ideally, they should not be visible. This is a characteristic feature of the English way of life.

A country where dogs don’t bark and children don’t cry—that’s what I sometimes want to call England.

Commitment to tradition.

One of the main features of the English character is adherence to traditions - many call this trait conservatism. Indeed, the desire to preserve in their original form the peculiarities of life and behavior, rituals and habits, sometimes brought to the point of absurdity, distinguishes the British from all other peoples. But it is English traditions that attract crowds of tourists from all over the world.

By “tradition” the English mean something that has stood the test of time and therefore should definitely be preserved, for example: bright red mailboxes, double-decker red buses, fur bearskin hats on the royal guards, which they do not take off even in their 30s degree heat, green hedges.

The judges still sit in eighteenth-century robes and powdered wigs, and the professors of England's oldest universities wear black robes with scarlet lining and square caps, the royal guards still wear 16th-century uniforms, but none of the English bat an eyelid. Members of Parliament, when presenting the agenda in the House of Commons, put on antediluvian folding top hats, and at least someone would giggle!

Everyone knows about right-hand drive and left-hand traffic. We will tell you about English houses.

Survive in an English house to a normal person, frankly speaking, it is not easy. Mainly because of the cold.

And today, in the 21st century, about a third of English homes do not have central heating. Moreover, their inhabitants often do not strive to acquire central heating. They use electric heaters.

And in cases where there is central heating, the British also use it inhumanely: they set a special mode when the boiler works only a few hours a day - only in the morning, for example, and in the evening. And at night, rest assured, it will turn off. Because it’s already warm in bed under the feather bed, and why heat the room in vain when everyone is sleeping anyway?

Maybe there is some rational grain in this, maybe this results in cost savings, which is always good, of course, and the environment suffers less from this, the ozone hole is growing more slowly, and penguins have a better chance of surviving, but this is somehow little comfort if your nose gets cold in your sleep.

All progressive humanity uses a heating pad exclusively for illnesses. That's why they are sold in pharmacies. In England, a heating pad is a common everyday item (in winter), every home has a special cabinet where they are stored, each family member has their own, and a few more in reserve for guests. When going to bed, everyone takes a heating pad with them, because getting into an icy bed without a heating pad is truly impossible, even if you are wearing two pairs of woolen socks!

The British are sure: “It should be cold in winter, because it’s winter. Winter means you need to wear a warm sweater, preferably two warm sweaters, go to bed in socks. And what kind of nonsense is this, why do you suddenly want to walk around the house in a light shirt or, God forbid, barefoot? What kind of strange fantasy do you have for this?

And all because the British are committed to traditions and religiously observe them, often without any respect for common sense.

There are, of course (very rarely!), houses in England that are warm in winter. Where you can go to bed without wool socks, where steam doesn’t come out of your mouth and the water in the bath doesn’t get cold after five minutes. But on closer examination it will certainly turn out that one of the household members is half French or half Russian, so it will still be impossible to honestly consider this house a real, classic English house.

English plumbing, namely separate taps, causes great bewilderment among foreigners.

This, however, is a sad fact. The British do not wash under running water. To wash your hands, you are asked to plug the sink with a stopper, fill it with water and wash your hands with soap in this water. Then remove the cork and dry your hands with a towel. Without rinsing! The British never rinse anything. They don’t rinse the dishes - they wash them in a plugged sink and put them on the drying rack as is - in shreds of melting foam. They don’t rinse themselves - they just get up from the soapy bath and wrap themselves in a towel. And the hair is washed in the same water, sitting in the bath, and also not rinsed.

That's why they don't have faucets. The bathtub, the sink, and even the kitchen sink will be equipped with two taps, separately hot and cold. And get out as best you can. It is impossible to wash your hands properly, because boiling water is pouring out of one tap, and boiling water from the other. ice water. But even if you are ready to wash your hands with cold water, it is still impossible - the taps are located so close to the edge of the sink that you cannot get your hand under them.

What should I do? Fill the sink, wash your hands, flush, refill the sink, rinse your hands, flush, repeat as necessary. Hand washing thus takes approximately eight times longer than in civilian life.

We told you about classic typical English houses. Of course, the younger generation in England is no longer so conservative. Many of them have a warm bedroom, a shower, and faucets. But approximately one third of the residents still live in the old way and are terribly proud of it.

The British have great respect for their history. Museum work in this country is at the highest level, and for good reason. At every corner, around every turn, in every remote place there is a museum, and it is never empty, and it is filled primarily by the inhabitants of the country themselves, who study with constant interest the peculiarities of the life and way of life of their ancestors.

Conclusion.

As popular wisdom says: “You need to know your friends and enemies by sight.” And indeed, knowing character traits other nations, we can better understand the political and social views of their countries. That is why it is necessary to get acquainted with the culture of other peoples, with their customs and characters in order to improve international relations and simply for our own development, as well as so that, by comparing the culture and customs of our country with them, we can change and improve something in them.

Since we are very interested in the life, history and people of such a mysterious country as England, we study in depth the culture of this country, the life of the British and their native language. And working on this performance was very exciting for us, and most importantly, useful. We hope that you found our work interesting, and that someday you will find the knowledge gained today useful!

Bibliography.

1. Pavlovskaya A.“Features of national character, or why the British love queues,” magazine “Around the World,” No. 6 (2753), 2003.
2. Ovchinnikov V.V.“Oak roots”, “Drofa Plus” publishing house, 2008
3. Fragments of films by A. Pavlovskaya “England - Russia”, “Oatmeal. sir!”, Center for the Study of Interaction of Cultures, 2005.