United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Land Population

People (part II)

A foreigner view of the British
A foreigner view of the British is often based on the type of Briton he has met travelling abroad. It is obvious, however, that the behavior of an individual cannot be taken as general for the whole people. There is common illusion, for instance, that the British are cold and reserved. A foreigner sitting in a second-class railway carriage would soon realize, that the British are much the same as the people of its own country.

There are, however, certain kinds of behaviour, manners and customs, which are peculiar to Britain. In general, the British are polite. If somebody treads on your toe they are sure to say “Sorry” or “Excuse me”. “Excuse me” is a phrase, that often causes difficulty. Getting off a crowded bus one says “Excuse me, please” when one wishes to squeeze past someone. In a café, when asking if there is a place at the table, “Excuse me, but is this anyone’s seat” is the correct way to ask. Another example of the British politeness is queueing, which is governed by a strict code of fairness in Britain. Woe betide anyone who attempts to jump the queue!

A common man seldom walks on the right-hand side of the woman, seldom helps his wife on and off a bus, or holds out a chair for her in a restaurant, or helps her to put her coat on. He acts in this way not because he is forgetful or rude; he just sees her more as an equal and few women in Britain miss these attentions.

Of course, curtsies and bows are now considered antiquated. When greeting friends, the British rarely shake hands. The practical British would never take off their gloves at fifteen degrees below zero just to shake hands. Only if they are introduced to a stranger do they do so and among young people even this has become quite unusual. They simply say “How do you do” or even just “Hallo”. No answer is expected unless the direct question “How are you?” is asked.

The quiet, reserved Briton can best be observed at a football match.

Naturally the British shout and yell as much as any nation, especially if their side is losing. The crowd boos if it disapproves and cheers if it approves of the team.

There are real differences between the Scottish character and the English, between the North Countryman, the Irish and the Welsh and so on: differences which in some cases go back to the far distant days before the Romans conquered Britain. Here are some of the more conspicuous examples. Scots tend to be greater patriots of their country than their Eng­lish neighbours. There are many Scots, who can recite Burns by the yard, whereas very few English people can do as much for Shakespeare. The Scots claim that English jokes are too obvious, that Scottish humour is much tougher and quite above English heads. It is hard to generalize about the Scots, since there are two distinct national types and the caricatures of both of them have become quite popular. Jock, the comedy Scotsman, hard, avaricious, materialistic, puritanical, undemonstrative, cold – the Lowlander; and the Highlander in his kilt, a bit touched in the head, draped proudly in romantic tartan and haunted by fairy music. Both pic­tures have a grain of truth.

Poverty and struggle against dangerous neighbours have hardened the Lowlanders and taught them the virtue of thrift. As the Lowlanders are used to a hard life they can adapt themselves to all living conditions. They have provided England (and the world) with men of action outstanding for their energy and enterprise: scientists and sportsmen, captains of industry and ex­plorers like Livingstone. Many of them were of humble birth. The reputation for avarice is offset by hospitality, for which the whole of Scotland is famous. Many of the native-born Highlanders have been forced to emigrate.

The typical Welshman, called Taffy by the English, is on average short­er, darker, livelier and quicker to react than the latter.

The liveliness is mental as well as physical, emotional, poetic. The Welsh language is a singing, musical language; the language of the people devoted to singing. Among the best-known Welsh characteristics are a certain ro­manticism and love of poetry and music. The annual bardic festival known as the National Eisteddford of Wales has a 1200-year-old history; choral singing and particularly the singing of hymns is a national art. The art of oratory seems to flourish more among the Welsh than among any of the oth­er British peoples.

From Everyday England by M. Redlich