IV. What is, in your opinion, the best way to challenge a stereotype.

V. What you have seen here are national stereotypes. Can you think of other kind of stereotypes? face 2 face

Read the following dialogue and give its contents.

A: What do you think is the problem between the English and the Americans? B: That's a very interesting question, because both nationalities share a common language and are usually on the same side in war-time, yet they rarely speak well of one another on a personal level.

A: Are we talking about a struggle for superiority?

B: Yes, but we measure our superiority in different ways. Ours is cultural and historical. We believe we're more civilized. We're the country of Shakespeare and the industrial revolution. Americans visit England in search of culture and history.

A: So in what ways are they superior?

B: Well, obviously in size. Everything's bigger - their country, their salaries, their roads, their companies. Theirs is the land of MacDonald's, Coca Cola, Microsoft and IBM. They enjoy telling us that they're the best.

A: And are they right?

B: Yes, if you measure success purely in dollars, but there're two points here. Firstly, many English people actually believe that "Small is Beautiful". They prefer countries where you don't get mugged in parks and subways.

A: What's the other point?

B: I was coming to that. It's the difference in character. Maybe you think you're the best in the world, but you don't go shouting about it from the rooftops. Americans lack our modesty and reserve. They're probably warmer and more friendly, but they're often very loud and extrovert to go with it.

A: So you prefer the British character?

B: Not entirely. We tend to be rather oblique in our conversation. When Americans speak, you can take them literally, but when English people speak you have to read between the lines.

A: We say one thing and mean another?

B: Exactly.

Group talk

a) From your own experience of English people, in real life, on TV or in films, do you think the attitudes described in the reading text are common amongst them today?

b) The following is taken from an article entitled What I have learnt from the movies. The article was intended to be amusing. Can you think of any examples of movies where these plot lines exist? Is there anything wrong with the stereotypes that are produced in films like this?

• If an American is involved in a martial arts fight with skilful oriental fighters, he or she will always win. It does not matter if he/she is heavily outnumbered: the enemies will wait patiently to attack one by one by dancing around in a threatening manner until the American has knocked out the other members of the gang.

• An American soldier will survive any battle in any war unless he makes the mistake of showing someone a picture of his sweetheart back home.

Brainstorming

Does anyone in the group have stereotypes of other nationalities? Where do these images come from? Do you have stronger stereotypical images of people who live nearer to your country, or of people who live on the other side of the world? Are there stereotypes of people who live in certain areas of your country?