How do you view the Brittish?

Most brits cant spell.

Ignorance is fairly widespread. Perhaps your Dutch friend needs to know that there are good and bad in every country and culture. Stereotypes and generalizations merely cause the proponent of such opinion to appear ignorant him/herself.

Bad teeth and even worse cooking. :wink:

But seriously, I'd like to study in England a year or two. Having a british accent adds twenty points to your IQ.

Here is my generalization of the matter - To a Dutch person, the English probably do appear stupid, because the Dutch know everything (I have that on good authority from a Dutch person who never stops telling me so). As for the British, the women are OK, but the men are the absolute antithesis of "sensitive, newage". The only "feelings" they know about have nothing to do with the emotions.

I've recently had one of my beliefs about the British shot to hell.

I've always held the belief that Brits love to garden. Even if it's just a plant in the window.

A nice couple bought the house across the street maybe 3 months back. He's British, she's American.

The house was was of those completely remodeled modernized jobs, so had a good base structure. Nothing was done as far as landscaping...let it to the new homeowners I guess.

During the Spring, when all the neighbors and myself were out tilling and planting...their house remained a mess of weeds...

2 days ago, I saw Martin cutting down the weeds on the ENTIRE lawn...with a weed whacker...jesus.

He drives a porshe carrera, and she has some fru fru business selling cosmetics, so it's not like they couldn't go buy some boxwoods.

I also believe most Brits love love love dogs....Martin doesn't have any pets.

Other than that, I don't think I have an image of any particular Britan being any particular way...too many variables, different living conditions (city, country, apts, houses) different regional accents.

I'll think about it.


Oh! Here's one. I don't think British people take organized religion very seriously. I mean in that I see the people as basically moral and good, but they don't make a big production about it. I see that as a very good thing.

And a lot less hysterical than say americans when it comes to terrorism.

The British I know are all wonderful gardeners, much more so than Americans who get their landscaping ideas from fast food restaurants and gas stations.

I've always had a positive impression of the Brits, probably romanticized by too many Merchant Ivory films and various novels. How can you not love people who invented cream teas and wellingtons???

And how can you not like people who call towns things like Mousehole and Piddling-in-the-Lane.

I agree with the spelling ...

Other than that, my best friend is British (and can't spell), I have lots of friends in England, I lived and studied in England, I love England, so I am kind of biased...

I gnerally view the British through a lorgnette. So very, very proper to do it that way, don't y'know.

Driving on the wrong side of the roads and streets.

That's how I see the Britons now since ... 44 years, since I've been for the first time in Albion.
(The Bretons, living in Little Britanny, on the continent, drive on the right side, btw.)

So, I have to look differently at them as I do usually: first right than left instead of the way around.

Haha. I don't believe I spelt British wrong on the title of this thread. I was a bit drunk last night when I started this, but thats no excuse.

This is interesting. Carry on.

a little turnabout PQ...beyond politics...how do you view Americans....just curious about the, you know, little stuff. The everyday life things.

Stiff upper lip, wry sense of humor, bad food, slight superiority complex.

Now, since turnabout is fair play, let's have your view of Americans. I'm bracing myself...

freeduck...I think they're all like Patsy on AbFab, don't you?

well, the women at least.

The main thing that surprised me when I lived there is that people who live in England are so much more varied than I expected. I watched a lot of PBS, "Masterpiece Theater," "Mystery," etc., and I knew of course that not everyone was upper class twits but I did think England was more WHITE and homogeneous than it actually was. Then there are the variety of accents, variety of subcultures, etc.

One thing that seemed generally true and different from America is that British people are so damned proper. So concerned with not being vulgar. Then passions explode in a way that I don't often see in America -- screaming matches on the street, etc. It seems to be rather binary -- all kept zipped up, or splattered all over the place.

Through binoculars.

They are mighty far away......

No, I think they're all like the crew from Monty Python.