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6.5 Which of the expressions above (ex. 6.1 – 6.4) can be referred to the British and / or the Americans. Make up your own statements using the structures below:

6.6 Jigsaw Reading. Students A. Read the text The American Character and check if your guesses are correct. Tell it to your partner.

THE AMERICAN CHARACTER

Whatever their ethnic origins, the Americans of New England, the Midwest, the Far West, the South and Southwest all have special characteristics of their region. Yet they also have certain things in common.

Most Americans have great vigor and enthusiasm. They prefer to discipline themselves rather than be disciplined by others. They pride themselves on their independence, their right to make up their own minds.

They are prepared to take the initiative, even when there is a risk in doing so. They have courage and don’t give in easily. They will take any sort of job anywhere rather than be unemployed. They don’t care to be looked after by the Government. The average American changes his or her job nine or ten times during his or her working life.

Americans have a warmth and friendliness which is less superficial than many foreigners think. They are considered sentimental. When on ceremonial occasions they see a flag, or attend parades celebrating America’s glorious past, tears may come to their eyes. Reunions with family or friends tend to be emotional too. They like to dress correctly, even if ‘correctly’ means flamboyantly. They love to boast, though often with tongue in cheek. They can laugh at themselves and their country, and they can be very self-critical, while remaining always intensely patriotic. They have a wide knowledge of everyday things, and a keen interest in their

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particular city and State. Foreigners sometimes complain, however, that they have little interest in or knowledge of the outside world.

The Americans have a passion for grandeur. Their skyscrapers, bridges and dams often have a splendor which matches in beauty scale the country’s natural wonders.

Is the sole aim of most Americans to make money and possess luxuries which could be called excessive? The majority of Americans would certainly deny this, though most feel proud to amass wealth and possessions through hard work. In the USA, about 90% of the population is well enough off to expect a brighter future. The USA still has one of the highest standards of living in the world, although, at the present time, 10% are below what the Government considers to be the ‘poverty level’. While these under-privileged people receive help from the Government, they have no high hopes for their future. It is from this ‘underclass’, and those who take advantage of it, that most of the violence springs – the violence which is one of the least pleasant aspects of American society.

Americans are beginning to realize that this terrible problem of poverty is their problem, and not just the Government’s. It has been said that the individual American is generous, but the American nation is hard.

The USA is reputed to be a classless society. There is certainly not much social snobbery or job snobbery. The manual worker is usually quite at ease in any company. This is partly explained by the fact that people of all income groups go together to the same schools. Americans are far more race-conscious than they are class-conscious.

(from “Background to the USA’)

6.7 Student B. Read the text The English Character and check if your guesses are correct. Tell it to your partner.

THE ENGLISH CHARACTER

The national character of the English has been very differently described, but most commentators agree over one quality, which they describe as fatuous self- satisfaction, serene sense of superiority, or insular pride. English patriotism is based on a deep sense of security. Englishmen as individuals may have been insecure, threatened with a loss of a job, unsure of

themselves, or unhappy in many ways, but as a nation they have been for centuries secure, serene in their national successes. They have not lived in a

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state of hatred of their neighbours as Frenchmen and Germans have often lived. This national sense of security, hardly threatened by the Armada, or by Napoleon, or by the First World War and by the invention of the atomic bomb.

Many books have been written – even more, perhaps, by Frenchmen, Americans, Germans and other foreigners than by Englishmen – on English traits, English ways of life, and the English character. Their authors are by no means always in agreement, but they tend to point out what seems to them puzzles, contrasts, in the way the English behave. A few of these contrasts may serve to sum up how the world looks at the English.

First, there is the contrast between the unity the English display in a crisis, their strong sense for public order, indeed, for conformity and their extraordinary toleration of individual eccentricities. Germans are usually astounded by what they regard as the Englishmen’s lack of respect for authority and discipline. Frenchmen are often puzzled by the vehemence of English political debates, by the Hyde Park public orator, and similar aspects of English life, which in their own country would seem signs of grave political disturbance. This sort of contrast has led to the common belief held by foreigners, and indeed by Englishmen themselves, that they are the most illogical people always preferring practical compromises to theoretical exactness.

Second, there is the contrast between English democracy, the English sense of dignity and importance of the individual, and the very great social and economic inequalities that have hitherto characterized English life. There has recently been some tendency to allow greater social equality. But Victorian and Edwardian England – which foreigners still think of as the typical England – did display extremes of riches and poverty, and draw an almost caste line between ladies and gentlemen and those not ladies and gentlemen.

Third, there is the contrast between the reputation of the English as hard-headed practical men – the nation of “shopkeepers” – and, as men of poetry – the countrymen of Shakespeare and Shelley. The English tradition in philosophy has always been realistic and hostile to mysticism; yet the English look down on the French as narrow rationalists. The apparent coldness of Englishmen and their reserve has been almost universally noted by foreigners; but foreigners also confess that they find English reserve not unpleasant that once one gets to know an Englishman he turns out to be a very companionable fellow.

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6.8.1 You have come across these expressions in the text about the English character. The following things characterize the British both as ‘a nation of shopkeepers’ and ‘the countrymen of Shakespeare’. Which of these characteristics prove the idea that the British are “a nation of shopkeepers”, which – ‘countrymen of Shakespeare’?

Distribute them into 2 columns

democracy,

strong sense for public order,

lack of respect for authority and discipline, extraordinary toleration of individual eccentricity vehemence of English political debates

importance of very great social and economic inequalities

British tradition in philosophy has always been realistic, hostile to mysticism

cold and reserved

the British look down on the French as narrow rationalists, companionable fellow.

6.8.2 Discussion

Which of these columns appeared to be bigger?

Do you agree with the statement that the British are the most illogical nation? What about Russians? Do we have ‘a sentimental affinity’ with them?

6.8.3. While using the vocabulary from the texts “The American character” and “The English character” (pay attention to the underlined words) translate the following text from Russian into English.

Это не является большим секретом, что Россия сейчас демонстрирует пропасть между богатством и бедностью. Социально-экономическое неравенство достигло своего пика. Люди, которые раньше имели одинаковый образовательный и социальный статус и одинаковый доход, сейчас оказались по разные стороны баррикад.

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Есть много анекдотов о том, как новые русские (или новые деньги, как их иронично называют в Англии) смеются над своими бывшими

деньгах, а в социальном и образовательном статусе. Сейчас профессор получает меньше, чем представитель малого бизнеса. Работник высшей школы считается «лузером». Это справедливо?

Вернемся к вопросу, кто они, новые русские? Люди, которые могут воспользоваться преимуществом своего положения, взять инициативу в свои руки и достигают всего тяжелым трудом? Надо признать, это тоже имеет место. Но самое главное, на мой взгляд, это глубочайшая внутренняя уверенность, что они этого заслуживают: деньги, машины, виллы и яхты. И добиваются этого любой ценой. Естественно, такие люди будут смотреть свысока на тех, которые не могут пробиться сами

(push themselves towards success) и постоянно находятся под угрозой потерять работу.

Иерархия существовала всегда: как в животном мире, из которого мы произошли, так и в любом человеческом обществе. Побеждает сильнейший. (Является ли это контекстуальным синонимом слову «умнейший»?) Вот в чем вопрос.

6.9 You have been asked to write an article “The Russian Character” for a foreign youth magazine. Use the structures and expressions above.

Write an essay

6.10 Discussion

·I wonder whether a national character finds its reflection in a language. Could you give any examples? Read an abstract.

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6.11 Read the text:

National character reflected in a language

Russians have always prized the quality of ‘soul’ (dusha) above all others. People with masses of dusha tend to drink too much, cry, fall in love and suffer – that’s how the foreigners understand it. In fact, the

concept of soul is of paramount importance in this country which has also found its reflection in the language. In Russia where the national system of values places emphasis on spirituality ‘soul’ is the key term prevailing over ‘mind’ whereas the English-speaking world, on the contrary, has taken its Majesty Sensibility as a principle of its existence and that’s why in English ‘body’ is opposed to ‘mind’ but not ‘soul’ as it is in the Russian language. Compare collocations: ‘dusha (on the first place) and telo’ in Russian and ‘body and mind’ in English. The person whose behaviour is in opposition to social norms adopted in a society is called ‘dushevnobolnoi’ in Russian (a person with sick soul) while in English we consider this person to be mentally-ill (with sick mind). ‘Dushevnyi pokoi’ is translated into English as ‘peace of mind’. Definitely all these words form people’s perception of life though they don’t notice it.

Cultural peculiarities find also its reflection in the fact how one and the same word is perceived by different nationalities. What one says, the other may misinterpret. Even when negotiators are in the same room, communication from one to the other can seem like

sending smoke signals in a high wind. Where the parties speak different languages the chance for misinterpretation is compounded. For example, in Persian, the word “compromise” apparently lacks the

positive meaning it has in English of ‘a midway solution both sides can live with”, but only has a negative meaning as in “her virtue was compromised” or “our integrity was compromised.” Similarly, the word “mediator” in Persian suggests “meddler”, someone who touches something carelessly in a way that might break it. In the early 1980-s U.N. Secretary General Waldheim flew to Iran to deal with the hostage question. His efforts were seriously set back when Iranian national radio and television broadcast in Persian a remark he reportedly made on his arrival in Tehran: “I have come as a mediator to work out a compromise.” Within an hour of the broadcast, his car was being stoned by angry Iranians.

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6.12 Do these projects.

Project work A.

Work in a group of three. Research and compare semantic fields of the words MIND, SOUL, HEART as well as their collocations in Russian and in English.

Project work B.

Development of metaphorical thinking.

Metaphor – a way of describing something by comparing it to something else that has similar qualities, without using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’.

e.g. The sunshine of her smile.

Poets say ‘soul of a nation’ is reflected in music, fairy-tales, dancing, nature, etc.

1.Reflect on how national character of the British, Russians and Americans is reflected in this.

2.If you were asked to compare national character of the British, Russians and Americans with the following things, what would you say? Complete the table. Give reasoning why you think the way you do. (Think of inner, not superficial similarities).

(You might find information about geometric figures as well as colours in Supplementary materials)

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(7) DIFFERENT STROKES: the British vs. Americans

7.1 First look at the pictures of New York and London. o What do you know about the cities?

o Have you been there? What did you do? o What did you think of these cities?

7.2 Jig-saw listening. Divide into two groups. Listen to the recording and make notes about the questions below.

What do they/does she say about the following things? 1. People

What are they like? What do they like doing? Where do they live?

2. Shops

What are they like? Do they like them?

What time do they open?

3.Work and holidays

4.Transport

What do they mention? 5. General opinions

Is it a good place to live? Why?

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7.2.1 Group A. Listen to Sheila and Bob talking about when they lived in New York. Bob and Sheila spent two years living in New York because of Bob's work as a banker. Neither of them had lived in a big city before. They now live back in England, in a small village outside London.

7.2.2 Group B. Listen to Terry. She is an American who lives in London Terry Tomscha talks about her experience of living and working in England, where she has been for the past eleven years.

(8) DIFFERENT STROKES: the British and the Americans

8.1 Student A. Read some articles that show the difference between British and American style of life, habits, traditions, character traits. Tell them to your partner. These words will help you.

13.a self-discovery 13. a class in which you can learn things about

14.a go-getting, 14. with a positive, optimistic character and

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8.2 Mind the pronunciation.

Meeting Americans and Brits

In general, Americans are very friendly. When they meet you, they'll give you a loud "hello", a firm handshake, a wide smile, and good eye contact. They'll immediately start using your first name (even if you're fifty years older than them), and they'll open themselves up to you with information on their family, education and personal life.

You'll immediately feel like their friend. Many Americans have casual relationships that are loosely termed as "friends at work" or "friends at school" and so on.

The British, on the other hand, may come across as colder, more distant and less friendly. When they meet you, they'll probably make some sarcastic comment about the weather, boast about how much they drank the night before, or ask you where you're from and what you're doing there.

Time

"Doing" is very important to Americans; and "wasting time" is viewed negatively. For business and most meetings, punctuality is very important. Many Americans organise their activities according to a schedule. As a result, they always seem to be running around, hurrying to get to their next appointment. The British are similar, and have a great obsession for punctuality, which they value far above human kindness and charity. Strangely though, British trains are some of the least punctual in the world.

Image

Most Americans are obsessed with image. The cultural message for both men and women is, "Look 20 years younger". Old Americans try to stop the ageing process by dyeing their hair, wearing blue jeans, and having their faces lifted and their tummies tucked. The definitive remark on ageing was made by Ivana Trump, who said, "I'll always look 35, but it's going to cost Donald [her husband] a lot of money."

The British have started copying this American trend, although not to the same extreme. They are generally worried about their personal image, but usually can't be bothered to do anything about it. Generally, in Britain, it is considered vulgar to try too hard - you have to keep it a secret.

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