British Character

We often see other nationalities as having a set of characteristics which put them apart from others, particularly ourselves.

The British are famous for their tolerance and sense of humour, yet they don’t always say what they think and can be intentionally rude. French writer Andre Maurois wrote: “In France it’s rude not to have a conversation with someone: in England, it’s unwise to have one. When you have not opened your mouth for three years, they will think, “This Frenchman is quite a nice fellow.”

Also we know the British as the lovers of animals and nature. They are especially preoccupied with their houses. As the proverb says, “An Englishman’s home is his castle”. Gardening is still one of the most popular hobbies in the country.

However, the British are not one nationality but four, who all see each other differently. The Welsh are considered to be a much more talkative group. And indeed Wales has produced many preachers (священники) and trade union leaders (профсоюзные лидеры), particularly in the 19th century. In contrast, the Scots are seen as more serious.

But today Britain is a multicultural society because of the large scale immigration to Britain. These ”new British” people have brought widely differing sets of attitudes with them. In spite of different accents, cultural backgrounds and different views, they are still all part of an island race, whose culture and customs are mixed so well together that they produce a British identity.

Questions for discussion:

1. What are the main national characteristics of British people?

2. What are the specific qualities of the British national character?

3. Are the British individualists?

4. What is your favourite saying about the British?

5. What stereotypes connected with the British do you know?

American Character and Belief System

The United States is a federal constitutional republic. It has often been called a melting pot. This term refers to the idea that the country is a place where people from many lands have come together and formed a unified culture. Americans have many things in common. For example, the vast majority (подавляюще большинство) of them speak English, and people throughout the country dress similarly and eat many of the same kinds of foods.

But large numbers of its people have retained features of the cultures of their ancestors (предки). Many Americans take special pride in their origins. They preserve traditions – and, in some cases, the languages of their ancestors. In many cities, people of different national or ethnic origins live in separate neighbourhoods, and shops and restaurants reflects their cultures heritages (наследие, наследство).

As stated before, first generation immigrants have a very clear image of the American character and know what they want to accomplish here. As the generations go on this image slowly disappears. Part of this is because, though customs are passed on, these future generations consider themselves more American than their grandparents nationality does. They consider themselves American with an Italian heritage, for example. Americans also get lazier over the years as they think that because they live in a country with so many opportunities, things will just be handed to them. One good characteristic that first generation immigrants have is that they are willing to work hard for what they get. This quality was lost over time in future generations.