Features of the national character, or why the British love queues. Ten facts for those who want to understand the British National characteristics of the British

How do the British live? How do they do business, why are they in no hurry, and what do they even mean when they joke? Anthony Mayall and David Milstead answer these questions and more in their book "These strange Englishmen» , which is published in April by Alpina Publisher. We publish several witty fragments from it.

System of values

Common sense- a fundamental concept. Only common sense will tell you whether to take an umbrella with you in case of rain. Common sense says: you can’t sit on a cold stone (otherwise you’ll get hemorrhoids). Common sense dictates that you wear clean underwear every day - what if you get hit by a car and end up in the hospital? For the British, the essence of common sense is summed up by Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Scouting movement: “Always be prepared.”

Common sense dictates that it is impossible to make a mistake, make a mistake, or take the wrong step. Give in to life's circumstances? Unforgivable stupidity! Any business or event planned outdoors should have a backup option “under a roof” in case “the worst happens.” Even in accounting reports there is a column “Unforeseen expenses”.

Is it any wonder then that at important business meetings the British sometimes turn out to be less prepared than others. However, this in no way can shake their confidence in the inevitable triumph of common sense.

Rules of the game

If the British say that you “know the rules of the game” - hurray, exhale, you have been recognized! For a foreigner is awarded such an assessment extremely rarely and never unanimously by everyone.

This expression has nothing to do with games or sports; we are talking about behavior (both on and off the playing field) that inspires respect. For any physical activity and during trials, someone who knows the rules of the game will try to make sure that no one notices how much effort it costs, and - ideally - to win thanks to his internal superiority. And then he will show modesty and will not shout about his victory, and will also show generosity towards the loser.

Anyone who knows the rules of the game should also be able to lose. Disputes with judges or obvious upset are not allowed. But a casually thrown (but in no case through gritted teeth!) remark like “the best always win!”, addressed to everyone, is very, very desirable, even if you have suffered a crushing defeat.

And it’s not that such words could deceive anyone - the British have too much of a competitive spirit for that, especially in sports. An Englishman would prefer someone to cross his path in matters of the heart rather than beat him at tennis, but in neither case will he allow anyone to notice his feelings: this would mean that he has “gone too far.” far".

Stoicism, the ability to meet the vicissitudes of fate with cheerfulness and equanimity - these are the main features of the English character. And this is by no means the insensibility of a wooden doll with a “fixed upper lip”, not Eastern fatalism and not Scandinavian gloominess. It's just a special attitude towards life.

The Englishman suspects all foreigners of a tendency to overreact to everything and always “make a fuss over trifles,” but he will treat you much more warmly, having discovered that you have a restrained sense of humor. An example of typical English stoicism is the case of a circus worker whose hand was bitten off by a tiger. When the unfortunate man was taken to the hospital and asked if he was allergic to anything, he replied: “Only to tigers.”

Clubs, parties and classes

“Being one of”, being involved - that’s what’s really important for an Englishman. Individuality is great, and in some cases it is even recommended, but in general it is preferable to feel like a member of a team.

The Englishman is happy and serene surrounded by his own kind, with whom he has much in common (perhaps, however, all members of the group are simply pretending that this is so).

The need for “belonging” is also manifested in the British devotion to the class system, which is constantly threatened with destruction, but which nevertheless remains a defining moment in the life of English society. The importance of the existence of classes is difficult to overestimate, and there is no talk of their abolition at all. The Englishman perceives his class as a very large club of which he is a member.

By English tradition society should consist of three main classes. In the old days it was the aristocracy, merchants and workers. However, due to the growth of the merchant class (middle class), the aristocracy and workers had to make room, and the middle class decided to divide into upper, middle and lower.

Everyone understands perfectly well that in any life circumstances they must make an appropriate impression - that is, one that corresponds to their ideas about what others think about them and how these others perceive what representatives of a different class wear, speak, eat and drink, and also where they live and with whom they communicate.

And although the British recognize that much greater social mobility is desirable for their society, they prefer to marry within their class, among equals. In order not to argue over trifles, for example, is it good to decorate the walls with porcelain ducks or is a fish knife really necessary?

Business

In world business circles, English businessmen are not taken too seriously; they seem to be amateurs, preferring to rely on a certain instinct in business and not trusting proven methods of analysis and work organization.

The British are very proud of their ability to certainly, albeit somehow, make mistakes and confuse, but still bring the matter to the end without unnecessary haste, that is, to act without particularly worrying about discipline or planning. In the past, this attitude to work served them very well, and it is in the past that all the lessons that the British would like to learn are contained.

The English way of solving practical issues is unusually democratic. Any decision is made collectively, that is, by some commission. If you decide to contact someone from the business community by phone, every time you will be told that he is at a meeting or that he has an important meeting. Meetings drag on endlessly as participants try to reach consensus instead of making a concrete decision. The once widespread belief that the British work more and harder than others has now been greatly shaken, for statistics say that on average Germans work 44.9 hours a week, Italians - 42.4, and the British - only 42. Of course, the latest ones are here They said that Germans and Italians, firstly, have many more holidays and weekends, and secondly, it is not the number of working hours that is important, but the quality of work.

Save time

In general, the British adore punctuality and strive for it, but are by no means obsessed with it. After all, time can be measured in arbitrarily small conventional units: for example, the expression “One moment!” means a shorter period of time than “Just a second!”, but still not as short as “Instantly!”. But the “Wait a minute!” thrown at you! can stretch out to five or six minutes, and “Give me five minutes!” usually means a quarter of an hour.

Just obeying orders

Since the British cannot stand being told what to do and how to do it, any order should be given with due respect, which many other peoples find completely unnecessary. If you state your requirement in the form of a request, you will certainly achieve the desired result. But try to express it precisely in the form of an order, and the British will immediately impudently announce a break and start drinking tea.

Language

The English are extremely proud of their language, although most people only use a tiny part of it (and even then only poorly). The Oxford English Dictionary consists of 23 volumes and contains more than 500,000 words, while the most complete dictionary of the German language has only about 185,000 words, and the French dictionary has less than 100,000. Shakespeare's working dictionary included 30,000 words (some of he invented them himself), which is twice as large as the vocabulary of a modern educated Englishman. Most of the residents Misty Albion 8,000 words work just fine - the same number of words in the King James Bible (English translation of 1611), which is still used by most Anglican churches. The foundations of the English language were laid when it served as the main means of communication for multilingual tribes, being completely devoid of any linguistic tricks such as cases and inflections. And the secret of its success lies in the fact that this language, like the English themselves, constantly absorbs something, draws from the culture with which it this moment touches. No other language has so many different ways of expressing almost the same thing as English. The English view this tradition of linguistic sensitivity positively, but generally frown upon general changes in language until they become accustomed to them. After which they are considered “standard English”. The English never miss an opportunity to discuss pronunciation, spelling rules or word usage. In general, this is a game that the British take very seriously.

Meanwhile, English as a means of communication in the world of people occupies approximately the same position as Microsoft in the world of computers: the modern world community cannot do without English. The French, of course, continue to stand their ground, arguing that the use of English in, say, aviation “holds back the development of the industry and prevents the use of more adequate terminology,” but English continues to be increasingly used in all areas. It is spoken by one billion people; it is used by 80% of Internet users; 75% of all letters on the globe are written in English, and it is constantly studied by more than 200 million Chinese.

Where in India more people who consider English their native language than in England. Voyager 1 carries into deep space, far beyond our solar system, a message from the United Nations, written in English on behalf of 147 countries! Soon the English will be able to travel around the globe using only their native language, without even having to repeat anything to anyone or even raise their voice. This prospect makes them feel “comfortable” - an English word that has no equivalent in any other language in the world, of which there are more than 2,700, and in no other culture.

Conversation and gestures

When talking to an Englishman, you always feel like a complete idiot, because here they almost never say what they think, but very often they say the exact opposite own opinion. For example, if the story you told caused the English to say “How interesting!”, you should not take it seriously. This is just a fly in the ointment. When one Englishman inquires about the health of another, the answer will be the same: “It’s a sin to complain!” The most obvious pretense is evident. Because complaining is a favorite pastime. When talking with anyone, they always complain and whine about any reason: they are not satisfied with health, the government, bureaucrats, food prices, young people, old people. WITH important look nodding and feeling united in general displeasure with others, they grumble and grumble about everything in the world, until finally, refreshed by a good portion of mutual grumbling, they unanimously agree that everything around is very bad and it is absolutely impossible to somehow improve the state of things, but this is so in English.

How to start a conversation

Since on frank conversation The British are practically incapable, they have invented an incredible number of metaphors, a set of which is known to everyone, and everyone feels great using this set. This includes, for example, euphemisms that help avoid heated debates on various sensitive issues.

The British do not die, but “extinguish the candle” or simply “change over.” When they go out to relieve themselves, they are “following their hearts” or simply “going somewhere.” Serves them faithfully great amount platitudes, which they often and gladly drag out into the light of day in order to keep the conversation ball in the air or to cover up their reluctance to say something specific. However, the British are a little ashamed of the hackneyed nature of these phrases and call them the derogatory French word “cliché”. Moving from one cliché to another, an experienced interlocutor can skillfully avoid both excessive categoricalness and excessive vagueness of judgment, regardless of the subject of conversation.

English weather

If the topic of weather is not touched upon in a conversation, consider that you haven’t talked at all. Without the obligatory phrase “What a sunny day it is today” or “It’s pouring like buckets, isn’t it?” communication will not work out.

In the British Isles, the weather, like the inhabitants of these places, is categorically unpredictable. Due to its geographical location, the UK is a perpetual victim of atmospheric changes, so planning any outdoor events is always at risk. Although the British have become accustomed to this state of affairs over many centuries, extreme weather conditions take them by surprise every time.

When autumn frosts kill well-groomed plants in the garden, and fogs and cold rains wash away the bright spots of canvas awnings from city squares, under which it is so pleasant to drink tea in the hot summer, then all this, according to the British, serves a certain higher purpose - to decorate the conversation.

“It’s frosty, isn’t it?”, “They say that tomorrow will be a sunny day!”, “But the cold will still last, won’t it?” Windy and frosty, damp and warm, fresh, chilly, blowing through, a pleasant light breeze - meteorological conditions are always inaccurately indicated, and even more so the temperature is plus or minus ten degrees. When you can tell the difference between “occasionally heavy rains”, “with periodic downpours” and “short-term heavy rains”, know that you have finally learned to understand these strange Englishmen!

The vast majority of foreigners consider Russian girls beautiful. As for other qualities and abilities, opinions differ. Today we will tell you what the British think about us, honestly and without embellishment.

Personal care

Nature has generously gifted Russian girls, and their mothers, older sisters and friends taught them how to properly take care of themselves. Slavic appearance is something that is valued always and everywhere, especially against the backdrop of unmade-up and, at times, uncombed English women. A girl from Russia does not forget about makeup and manicure even on an ordinary rainy day, and in order to do her hair styling, she does not need a special case or holiday.

Sense of style

A Russian girl carefully chooses her wardrobe. She will never wear a pink miniskirt with sneakers and will not go to the club in winter in an orange top with a low neckline and denim shorts. She has a lot of designer clothes, expensive dresses and brand bags in her closet. She knows what colors are trending now, how to properly highlight her strengths and skillfully hide her flaws, if she has any at all. And of course, business card Russian beauty - heels, and not just 10-centimeter ones.

Sexy Russian accent

Yes, yes, what you are so ashamed of and what you are diligently trying to get rid of, in fact your business advantage. In the company of British men, a Russian accent is considered the very highlight that will help you stand out from the crowd.

The one who said that the British best feeling humor in the world, they were clearly flattered. The residents of Foggy Albion themselves do not think so. Russians, according to the British, joke better than anyone else in the world. A non-standard view of the world, slight sarcasm even in relation to her own country and the ability to play with words distinguish the girl from Russia.

Love for coffee

A cup of tea with milk is something that an English woman will definitely ask for when she comes to visit, and then she will also inquire about the type of tea that the guy offered her. Russians don’t bother about this, especially since half the brands you know - Lipton, Pickwick or Indian tea “with an elephant” - don’t exist in England at all. But a Russian girl will happily go to a coffee shop, and not to the usual Costa, but to a cozy place like those in St. Petersburg. Inviting a Russian girl to Starbucks means hurting her feelings. So a young British man will have to scour Tripadvisor to find anything worthwhile.

Demandingness

If it’s coffee, then in a beautiful cafe, if it’s dinner, then in an expensive restaurant. No fast food or cheap eatery. Not paying for it in a cafe means looking like a fool or a miser. It’s better not to come without flowers at all, but to give jewelry, perfume and other surprises for the holiday. It doesn’t matter that March 8th is not celebrated in England - if a girl is from Russia, she should receive a gift on this day.

Intelligence further enhances attractiveness. Thanks to school and university, as well as curiosity and a thirst for learning everything new, Russian people know much more than the British and other Europeans. The Russian girl will easily tell you what the Tower is famous for, what happened to Princess Diana and how many kingdoms are part of Great Britain, which will confuse the Englishman.

The British only know what the USSR is from BBC films and TV shows. So any information about the Union, life behind the Iron Curtain and rationed food, even if you only know about it by hearsay, from your parents and grandparents, will be received with a bang and with your mouth open!

Each nation has its own special character traits. This applies especially to the English. Every Englishman, wherever he lives in currently, has a set of qualities that will not allow him to be confused with a representative of another nationality.

We can say that the characteristics of the British are the result of the historical development of the country, a reflection of its traditions and customs, as well as a consequence of the island position of England.

Many authors have tried to describe from the perspective of a typical Englishman, his character, habits, interests. But we should not forget that each person is unique, so it is important not to simplify or exaggerate information about the life of an entire people.

Constancy of character

Among the national character traits of the British, one of the main ones is their constancy and commitment to various rituals and traditions. Some traditions turn into performances, such as the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London or the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

Some traditions are deeply embedded and even attempts to change something are not considered. An Englishman’s own vision of the world is incapable of changing under the influence of external factors, just as his habits are incapable of changing.

It is believed that the people of England are calm in any situation. Their equanimity and self-control are determined by the fact that from childhood they are taught to react in a certain way to life situations, not to show true feelings, and to overcome hardships and hardships. It is rare to see an expression of emotion on the faces of the British, be it surprise or anger.

Paradoxical and eccentric

Despite the constancy and restraint, among the character traits of the British, not the least important is their eccentricity, which provokes some paradoxical behavior. Showing emotion during football matches is not typical for an Englishman.

Also, the British rarely hold back their emotions when faced with criticism or ridicule of their traditions or way of life. This is a fairly patriotic nation, ready to pay taxes to support the royal family, which may be dissatisfied with some rules until they are introduced into law.

The paradoxical character of the British is determined by some inconsistency of their behavior. They don't like heat, but they love fireplaces, they have no idea about the affairs of their neighbors, but they know everything about the life of the royal family, they can dress casually at home, but even to a cattle show they will put on a hat and put a flower in the buttonhole of their jacket.

These features of the national character of the British are inexplicable, but they are invariably proud of them.

The eccentricity of behavior lies in the life of the British without regard to others. They do not care about the opinions of others, although they will listen politely. The British can collect strange things, walk with a folded umbrella in the rain, and dress extravagantly.

This tendency to stand out, to become different from everyone else, probably arose precisely because of the historically established strict norms of behavior, regulations and rules that do not allow one to be very different from others.

Ritualism of behavior

No matter how eccentric and original the inhabitants of England are, for the most part their behavior is ritualistic.

The British observe certain rituals when communicating: even with strangers they will carry on a conversation about the weather, gardening, or minor news because that's what they do. It is not even the topic of conversation that is important, but the process itself.

There are certain rituals in organizing entertainment, eating, choosing clothes, organizing leisure time on weekends, and communicating with different categories of people. During the day, an Englishman can perform certain actions, not because he wants to, but because it is prescribed by rituals.

British snobbery

One of the negative ones is their snobbery. This quality is often explained as a consequence of the imperial psychology that came from the time when England subjugated almost half the world. The English feel superior to other peoples, and this superiority lies not in having no one above them, but in having someone below them.

Previously, from childhood, a stereotype was implanted in their consciousness that they needed to show the greatness of the British nation, to set an example to the whole world. And even when the empire fell, this idea did not easily leave the subconscious of people.

Also, often the British simply do not delve into the life and characteristics of other peoples, selfishly giving preference to their own internal problems. The island position of England determined the special hostile attitude of the British towards other nations. What happens on the mainland is largely perceived by the people of England as something different from their life as a civilization from the barbarians.

Tolerance of a Nation

But we must give the British their due; they will never show their hostility in person, for which they are often considered two-faced. This is determined by their politeness - they will never out loud express dissatisfaction or disagreement with someone else’s opinion, uttering some of the complacent phrases: “This is a very interesting idea” or “Quite an interesting reasoning.” In reality, this will mean disagreement.

In general, they quite rarely utter categorical phrases. Even when answering the question “What time is it?” from an Englishman you can hear “I believe it is six o’clock” or “I think it is six o’clock.” Those who often communicate with representatives of the British people consider this impolite - such polite treatment for show hides their indifference, indifference and suspicion.

The natives of England do not care how a person dresses, how he speaks, or how he behaves. The eccentricity of others is not condemned and seems to go unnoticed. This principle of their life can be expressed in the words “Live and let others live.”

The British tolerance also extends to their attitude towards nature. England is considered a green country with unique nature. It is not uncommon in Britain to have a lonely house standing among the trees, which shows the presence of man even in remote areas of the country, or parks and gardens in large cities that look more like wild nature.

The isolation of the British

The isolation of the nation is explained by the geographical location of the country. Insular psychology separates not only England from the mainland countries, but also each person from each other. This nation loves privacy very much. The British have a very difficult time getting along with other people, but they maintain connections with the friends they make for many years.

When meeting with acquaintances, men do not show joy, do not exchange routine smiles, do not hug, but limit themselves to a classic handshake. Women do not exchange real kisses when they meet, but only imitate sounds and gestures somewhere in the area of ​​their friend’s ear.

Physical contact when communicating with friends is considered indecent and unnatural.

In this regard, the British live by the “don’t touch me” principle. Every person tries to avoid contacts with strangers. When such contacts cannot be avoided, for example, on public transport, they do not look each other in the eyes and try to avoid eye contact.

English humor

It seems to all foreigners that the excellent sense of humor of the British is just a myth. Their jokes seem flat, ridiculous, uninteresting and stupid. The British themselves are proud of their sense of humor and react painfully to such assessments from others.

Accusing them of lacking the ability to joke hurts their pride more than condemning other character traits. Perhaps the British lack of a sense of humor is attributed to their inability to laugh at themselves, their traditions and interests.

More associated with words than with sitcoms or dressing up. Therefore, it traditionally manifests itself in literature - in the comic characters of W. Shakespeare, C. Dickens, D. Austen, L. Carroll and other authors. Also, English humor can manifest itself without words: Charlie Chaplin's short comedies still cause laughter all over the world.

All these qualities define an original, unique and somewhat paradoxical world - a typical English character. It is simply impossible to confuse a representative of this country with someone else.

Almost every nation has a reputation of one kind or another. For example, it is generally accepted that Russians are generous, sincere, and kind; Spaniards are noble and very proud; the French are amorous, cheerful and frivolous, the Germans are very skillful, but boring; Americans are boastful, energetic, technically minded and at the same time carefree. What about the English? What is he like, a typical Englishman?

Today we will try to figure this out together with you. We will tell you about morals and customs English people, we will introduce you to some traditions and laws of England, advise you on how to behave in a foreign country and debunk some established prejudices.

We have read many books and articles on this subject. Some of them are full of praise and admiration for this country and its people, others are quite critical; some present a serious examination of the subject, others are merely humorous; some are reliable, others may be erroneous. But they all help us better understand and get to know these people.

But you shouldn’t have the illusion that all English people are the same. This is wrong. But we have every right to talk about the English national character, because there are certain features and traits that are typical of the English.

The British attitude towards animals.

The British love animals, any kind. The variety of wildlife in English cities is amazing. Foxes, hares, raccoons, badgers, hedgehogs, partridges, pheasants and other wild animals live near city houses. Tame squirrels run straight into the courtyards to taste the nuts.

And how many birds there are on the lakes and rivers, the darkness! Ducks and geese fly in flocks, swans swim in families in city ponds, peacocks proudly walk in central parks.

Everyone lives side by side and is happy, people do not shoot birds, do not kill animals, but only feed them and monitor their population. And when they see a person, they rush in a crowd to taste the delicacies he brought. A complete idyll of the urban world and wildlife!

Not only birds in the parks - any living creature in England is accustomed to seeing a person not as an enemy, but as a friend and benefactor.

As for domestic dogs and cats, this is a completely separate conversation.

If it is true that you will not find greener grass in the world than English grass, then it is even more indisputable that nowhere in the world are dogs and cats surrounded by such passionate adoration as among the reputedly impassive Englishmen. A dog or cat for them is a beloved family member, the most devoted friend and, as you sometimes inevitably begin to think, the most pleasant company.

When a Londoner calls his terrier a favorite member of the family, this is not an exaggeration at all. In English families, pets clearly occupy a higher position than children. It is the dog or cat that serves as the center of everyone's concerns.

To avoid running over a puppy or kitten, a London driver will not hesitate to drive the car into a lamppost or risk his life by crashing into a wall. When walking on a rainy day, an Englishman often holds an umbrella not over his head, but carries it at arm's length so that the drops do not fall on the dog.

A person who does not like domestic animals, or who, God forbid, is disliked by them, finds it difficult to win the favor of the English. And vice versa. If you come to visit and a huge Great Dane joyfully throws its paws on your shoulders, you shouldn’t worry about your soiled suit. From this moment you are a welcome guest of this house. The British are convinced that a dog is able to accurately recognize the character of a person it sees for the first time. There is little doubt that the owner will share both the likes and dislikes of his dog. If the same Great Dane suddenly shows hostility towards one of the guests, people in the house will begin to treat him warily, and it is unlikely that they will ever invite him to visit again.

A person who comes to England for the first time will note how impeccably the children are raised here and how unceremoniously, even impudently, dogs and cats behave. And whether you want it or not, you have to put up with it.

Once sociologists conducted an experiment on the streets of London. They asked different groups of Englishmen the same question. A traveler meets a beggar and a dog, dying of hunger. In his bag he has only one piece of bread, which is not enough for two. Who should you give it to: a beggar or a dog? A continental resident in such a situation will certainly feed a beggar. But all the English were surprisingly unanimous: “What can we talk about? Of course, you need to take care of the dog first! After all, the dumb creature is incapable of even asking for itself!”

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has existed in England for about 200 years, but, for example, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children appeared in this country 60 years later.

The Animal Welfare Society has a very serious material base: 3,000 local branches, hundreds of veterinary clinics, and most importantly, a staff of inspectors whose report can easily lead to prosecution or even imprisonment.

In the UK, requirements for pet owners are becoming more stringent from year to year. Here's the latest news. Owners of fat cats and dogs may well end up in court on charges of cruelty to animals.

A well-fed animal is not a reason for fun and affection. It, like a person, can suffer from all the diseases associated with obesity, including diabetes and heart failure. And its owner is to blame for this - legislators rightly considered.

The penalties are severe: some breaches of the new law will be punishable by a fine of up to £20,000 and up to 51 weeks in prison.

Legislators believe that such measures are fully justified. Those who keep an animal as a living toy or abuse it should be punished in the most serious manner. And who knows, maybe this is what will help them remember the simple truth that “you are forever responsible for those you tamed.” Or refrain from purchasing a pet.

English newspapers are full of articles about how to put an end to whaling, how to save the death of newborn lambs whose skins are used for astrakhan fur, or how to persuade English tourists to boycott a bullfight in Spain. When Soviet scientists sent Laika into space as a passenger on one of the first satellites, knowing in advance that she would not be able to return to Earth, this caused a truly storm of protests in Britain.

You can't even imagine how difficult it is to adopt a kitten or dog in England.

There are numerous support centers for disadvantaged animals throughout this country; one of these networks is called “Cats Protection”.

These are small elongated houses with luxury cages for each cat. Basically, they are kept alone, but in some rooms there are two or three cats, depending on their sociable character and who prefers it. Each suite includes a heated bed, toys for fun and sleep, space for outdoor play and, of course, the necessary food and drink.

People who want to buy a kitten or a cat walk around this cat house, look at the animals through the transparent doors and choose the pet they like.

But the procedure does not end there. Now you must answer in writing 60 questions regarding the future life of your pet. Namely, is your house suitable for a cat to live in, is there a plot of land there for her to walk around, how many children and what ages live in the house, where will the cat sleep, where will she eat, where will she go to the yard, how many toys can you buy? her a month. How much do you earn and what part of your salary are you willing to spend on a cat?

And a special commission will decide whether you are worthy of becoming the owner of an animal.

Then the future owner of the cat signs an agreement, where he swears to properly follow the terms of the agreement, groom, cherish, feed, properly clean up after the cat, and let him out into the yard for a walk. It is necessary to make a special cat hole for her in the door for entry and exit, because the cat is a freedom-loving creature and walks on its own, and not at the direction of its owners.

After agreeing to all the terms of the contract, you will not be able to take the cat home on the same day. If you are lucky, then only after a week an inspector will be sent to you to check the living conditions of the cat.

When he arrives, you will need to prepare all the proper cat supplies: a bed with a soft mattress, bowls for water, milk and food, soft toys for sleeping and playing, a pee tray and a special training tool for claw points.

The cat representative will carefully check everything and interview all family members. After that, having signed the contract, received the cat’s birth certificate and a bunch of other papers, you need to pay a “voluntary” donation of 50 pounds sterling (about three thousand rubles) for the cat to stay in the shelter. And now you are the happy owner of a yard mongrel cat or dog.

But then, during the year, the inspector must check you 4 more times to see if you are offending the animal. And if the inspector doesn’t like something. Then your pet will be taken away from you and eventually given to another owner.

This is how the British treat animals. And it is not surprising that when the residents of Foggy Albion are asked what sound is the most pleasant and shallowest in the world. 80% of respondents answer: the purring of a cat.

About raising children.

I also really want to talk about raising children in England.

It is customary to keep children strictly, and the higher in society you are, the more strict there is. We often see how in a rich English house, with a huge living room, a gigantic bedroom, a majestic study, the so-called children's room is located almost in the attic and is a miserable closet, and this is done quite consciously, for fundamental reasons, so as not to undead, but to harden.

There is an old English truth - “children should be seen, but not heard.” In English pubs you can often see a sign on the door “No children, dogs are welcomed.”

Deep down, the British are convinced that it is better for parents to be too strict than too soft, that “to spare the rod is to spoil the child” (a common proverb). In Britain, it is generally accepted that punishing children is not only the right, but also the responsibility of parents, that even if spanking traumatizes the child’s psyche, it is ultimately beneficial, and that parents of spoiled children are much more worthy of blame.

So, spoiling children means, in the opinion of the British, spoiling them. And the most striking examples of such spoiled children are, of course, the children of foreigners.

If a child sits on his father’s shoulders or clings to his mother’s hem, if he whines, asks for something, in a word, demands attention to himself, or if, on the contrary, parents constantly turn to their children, sometimes urging them, then pulling them back, be We are sure that this family is not English.

The British believe that the manifestation of parental love and tenderness harms a child’s character, that kissing a child again means spoiling him. It is their tradition to treat children with restraint, even coolness.

If an English child decides to torment a cat or dog, if he offends a younger child or damages someone else's property, he will face severe, even cruel punishment. At the same time, English children are free from petty supervision, which teaches them not only independence, but also responsibility for their actions.

Having barely learned to walk, an English child already hears the favorite phrase in this country: “Pull yourself together!” From an early age, he is weaned from clinging to his parents for comfort in moments of pain or resentment. Children are taught that tears are something unworthy, almost shameful. A baby who cries because he hurt himself causes outright ridicule from his peers and silent disapproval from his parents. If a child falls off a bicycle, no one will rush to him or show alarm about the bloody abrasion on his knee. It is believed that he must get to his feet, put himself in order and, most importantly, move on.

Encouraged to be independent, the English child little by little gets used to the fact that, when experiencing hunger, fatigue, pain, resentment, he should not complain or bother his father or mother over trifles. He needs to be really seriously ill to decide to tell his parents about it.

English children do not expect anyone to cluck at them, indulge their whims, or surround them with immoderate tenderness and affection. They understand that they live in the kingdom of adults, where they are supposed to know their place, and that this place is by no means in the lap of dad or mom.

Regardless of family income, children are dressed very simply - the younger ones wear what was once purchased for the older ones. And at eight o’clock, not only children, but also schoolchildren are unconditionally and uncompromisingly sent to bed so that they do not disturb their parents, who may have their own business and plans for the evening.

Spoiled children who constantly demand attention to themselves, constantly asking for something or complaining about something, are a rarity in English families. The child here, from an early age, realizes that the world around him is the kingdom of adults. He is used to being left to his own devices and reminding his parents of his existence as little as possible. While children are growing up at home, they should not be heard. And with school age Ideally, they should not be visible. This is a characteristic feature of the English way of life.

A country where dogs don’t bark and children don’t cry—that’s what I sometimes want to call England.

Commitment to tradition.

One of the main features of the English character is adherence to traditions - many call this trait conservatism. Indeed, the desire to preserve in their original form the peculiarities of life and behavior, rituals and habits, sometimes brought to the point of absurdity, distinguishes the British from all other peoples. But it is English traditions that attract crowds of tourists from all over the world.

By the word “tradition” the English mean something that has stood the test of time and therefore should definitely be preserved, for example: bright red mailboxes, double-decker red buses, fur bear hats on the royal guards, which they don’t take off even in 30-degree heat, green hedges.

The judges still sit in eighteenth-century robes and powdered wigs, and the professors of England's oldest universities wear black robes with scarlet lining and square caps, the royal guards still wear 16th-century uniforms, but none of the English bat an eyelid. Members of Parliament, when presenting the agenda in the House of Commons, put on antediluvian folding top hats, and at least someone would giggle!

Everyone knows about right-hand drive and left-hand traffic. We will tell you about English houses.

To put it bluntly, it is not easy for a normal person to survive in an English home. Mainly because of the cold.

And today, in the 21st century, about a third of English homes do not have central heating. Moreover, their inhabitants often do not strive to acquire central heating. They use electric heaters.

And in cases where there is central heating, the British also use it inhumanely: they set a special mode when the boiler works only a few hours a day - only in the morning, for example, and in the evening. And at night, rest assured, it will turn off. Because it’s already warm in bed under the feather bed, and why heat the room in vain when everyone is sleeping anyway?

Maybe there is some rational grain in this, maybe this results in cost savings, which is always good, of course, and the environment suffers less from this, the ozone hole is growing more slowly, and penguins have a better chance of surviving, but this is somehow little comfort if your nose gets cold in your sleep.

All progressive humanity uses a heating pad exclusively for illnesses. That's why they are sold in pharmacies. In England, a heating pad is a common everyday item (in winter time), each house has a special cabinet where they are stored, each family member has their own, and a few more in reserve for guests. When going to bed, everyone takes a heating pad with them, because getting into an icy bed without a heating pad is truly impossible, even if you are wearing two pairs of woolen socks!

The British are sure: “It should be cold in winter, because it’s winter. Winter means you need to wear a warm sweater, preferably two warm sweaters, go to bed in socks. And what kind of nonsense is this, why do you suddenly want to walk around the house in a light shirt or, God forbid, barefoot? What kind of strange fantasy is this? There’s summer for that!”

And all because the British are committed to traditions and religiously observe them, often without any respect for common sense.

There are, of course (very rarely!), houses in England that are warm in winter. Where you can go to bed without wool socks, where steam doesn’t come out of your mouth and the water in the bath doesn’t get cold after five minutes. But on closer examination it will certainly turn out that one of the household members is half French or half Russian, so it will still be impossible to honestly consider this house a real, classic English house.

English plumbing, namely separate taps, causes great bewilderment among foreigners.

This, however, is a sad fact. The British do not wash under running water. To wash your hands, you are asked to plug the sink with a stopper, fill it with water and wash your hands with soap in this water. Then remove the cork and dry your hands with a towel. Without rinsing! The British never rinse anything. They don’t rinse the dishes - they wash them in a plugged sink and put them on the drying rack as is - in shreds of melting foam. They don’t rinse themselves - they just get up from the soapy bath and wrap themselves in a towel. And the hair is washed in the same water, sitting in the bath, and also not rinsed.

That's why they don't have faucets. The bathtub, the sink, and even the kitchen sink will be equipped with two taps, separately hot and cold. And get out as best you can. It is impossible to wash your hands properly, because boiling water pours out of one tap and ice water from the other. But even if you are ready to wash your hands with cold water, it is still impossible - the taps are located so close to the edge of the sink that you cannot get your hand under them.

What should I do? Fill the sink, wash your hands, flush, refill the sink, rinse your hands, flush, repeat as necessary. Hand washing thus takes approximately eight times longer than in civilian life.

We told you about the classic typical english houses. Of course, the younger generation in England is no longer so conservative. Many of them have a warm bedroom, a shower, and faucets. But approximately one third of the residents still live in the old way and are terribly proud of it.

The British have great respect for their history. Museum work in this country is at the highest level, and for good reason. At every corner, around every turn, in every remote place there is a museum, and it is never empty, and it is filled primarily by the inhabitants of the country themselves, who study with constant interest the peculiarities of the life and way of life of their ancestors.

Conclusion.

As popular wisdom says: “You need to know your friends and enemies by sight.” Indeed, by knowing the characteristics of other nations, we can better understand the political and public views their countries. That is why it is necessary to get acquainted with the culture of other peoples, with their customs and characters in order to improve international relations and simply for our own development, as well as so that, by comparing the culture and customs of our country with them, we can change and improve something in them.

Since we are very interested in the life, history and people of such a mysterious country as England, we study in depth the culture of this country, the life of the British and their native language. And working on this performance was very exciting for us, and most importantly, useful. We hope that you found our work interesting, and that someday you will find the knowledge gained today useful!

Bibliography.

1. Pavlovskaya A.“Features of national character, or why the British love queues,” magazine “Around the World,” No. 6 (2753), 2003.
2. Ovchinnikov V.V.“Oak Roots”, “Drofa Plus” Publishing House, 2008.
3. Fragments of films by A. Pavlovskaya “England - Russia”, “Oatmeal. sir!”, Center for the Study of Interaction of Cultures, 2005.

England is a unique and paradoxical phenomenon. To begin with, this country does not have a specific name. That is, of course, everyone knows that England is part of Great Britain, also known as Britain, which also includes Scotland and Wales, which in turn are part of the United Kingdom along with Northern Ireland, which in turn is part of the British islands (with the Republic of Ireland and a number of small islands). Living on the islands, respectively, are the British, Scots, Welsh, Irish, but no one wants to be British, although today you can find a representative of any of these glorious and proud of their independence peoples in “ pure form" almost impossible.

Everything is relative

Analyzing the English character, willy-nilly one has to turn to the British character, although keeping in mind that all the peoples inhabiting this country are not alike. An example of this is the traditional English breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, fried sausage, tomato and mushrooms,
which is nothing like the traditional Scottish one, which includes scrambled eggs, toast, sausage, tomato and mushrooms. And there is no more terrible insult than, through a slip of the tongue or out of naivety, to confuse one with the other.

This small, in essence, island is the whole world, in which everything is “like the big ones.” There are distinct regional differences between North and South, West and East not only in character, food, traditions, clothing, but also in language residents of different regions of England sometimes simply cannot understand each other, and certainly no one can understand announcements on regular buses, pronounced with a distinct local accent. And the diversity of nature, landscape, geography, economy turns a small island into a huge country. But the most important thing is the attitude of the British themselves, who perceive this country as having no borders.

They move easily around the world, the average English family has one son working in Morocco, another writing essays in Indonesia, and a third (preferably) working in the City of London to provide for them all. They easily go on vacation to India and Pakistan, and to New York for shopping. But a trip to Scotland or Cornwall is perceived by them as a very serious journey, for which they need to prepare, plan, pack in advance, not forgetting about the upcoming acclimatization. In the early 1960s, Englishwoman Barbara Moore developed a walking tourist route from the farthest north-eastern point of Scotland, John o' Grote, to the most south-western point - Land's End (literally - "end of the world"), which amounted to 1,408 km So, there was no limit to the indignation of the British to humiliate and belittle their huge country in such a way!

Most most

The British are one of the few peoples in the world who enjoy the inexplicable respect of others. No matter how much one laughs at the properties and characteristics of their character, secret respect breaks through any ridicule, criticism or outright hostility. A striking example is English humor. No one can understand him, especially in his most vivid manifestation - his love for physiological jokes. The refined irony of Bernard Shaw or Oscar Wilde is understandable to everyone, but falling trousers, toilet witticisms, indispensable hints at various kinds of greasiness and indecency of Mr. Bean or Benny Hill cause undisguised bewilderment among other peoples. But here the effect of “the king’s new dress” comes into play: no one can believe that he is naked, everyone suspects that they simply did not feel something in the subtle English humor, but understood everything to the extent of their depravity.

England is perhaps the only country that does not want to be “Europe”. Italians and Spaniards, secretly having a complex, dream of joining this glorious title, Eastern Europeans want the same thing - noisily and aggressively, Germans pretend that they are Europe, although deep down they are not too sure of this, Scandinavians live in their own world, without even counting on this honor. And only the British consistently refuse such a privilege, separating themselves in every possible way from the whole world, not entering into any association. They want to be on their own. And they succeed. They know that they are the greatest country, a kind of “navel” of the Universe. After all, even the zero meridian passes through their territory.

But for all their deep and sincere conviction in their own superiority, the British are deprived of any frank expression of their own patriotism. It is impossible to imagine an Englishman repeating “proud to be an Englishman” like a prayer, or even simply whispering warm, heartfelt words about his country, as their neighbors on the continent do. Loud, noisy patriotism is characteristic primarily of peoples with a complex of national inferiority and uncertainty about their place in the world. Those who are firmly convinced of their own superiority do not need it. On the contrary, self-irony, ridicule, healthy skepticism towards oneself - all this completely kills the desire in others to look down on the British.

Fight and search...

You often hear that the British are extremely hospitable and friendly - and this is true. Ask in broken English on the street of any city, even one as indifferently cosmopolitan as London, how to get to the right place, and they will tell you everything in detail, take you where you need to go, and at parting, in accordance with the linguistic tradition of address, call you affectionately dear or love (which, of course, will not mean a sudden outbreak of passion). However, such politeness in no way reduces their sense of national superiority or their sense of prejudice towards everything foreign.

Moreover, the British themselves have long been aware of this trait of theirs and have been trying to fight it for a long time. So, right here back in XVI century a tradition arose of making educational trips to the continent, later called the “Grand Tour”. In the era of Elizabeth I, voyages of young Englishmen to Europe were strongly encouraged by the state, and often financed: England needed educated, world-knowledgeable, broad-minded people who were able to bring to their country, along with new views, all sorts of practical information from modern scientists discoveries to information of a political nature.

In the 18th century, visiting European countries became an integral part of the education of an English gentleman, and education in the broad sense of not only the mind, but also the soul. In addition to acquiring certain knowledge, the range of which seemed rather vague and foggy, the journey implied the development of taste, improvement of manners, and improvement of communication skills. And most importantly, it was the best way to combat their own shortcomings - prejudice against everything foreign, lack of interest in other languages ​​and customs, national isolation and narrow worldview. Much later, at the beginning of the 20th century, one of the heroes of the novel by the famous English writer E.M. Foster's A Room with a View outlined the ideal formula for raising English children: "First bring them up among honest provincials for purity, then send them to Italy for refinement, and then, and only then, let them come to London."

These methods helped, however, not too much. In the book “Etiquette for Women,” published in 1902, the author persistently convinces his compatriots to be more lenient towards other nations, at least while traveling. “It cannot be denied,” the author writes, “that the English are absurdly conservative, but when traveling they need to put aside for a while their traditionalism, their coldness, their sense of superiority. Convinced of their superiority, they can afford to be lenient and merciful towards others.” And as recently as 2000, an English journalist was still ironic about the fact that the strait separating England from the continent is a “defensive ditch” for the British, along the steep banks of which they carry out constant service, “scanning the horizon in search of a possible invader.” ", in a figurative sense, of course.

"Russian" trace

England and Russia have long-standing and varied ties. It is known that back in Kyiv, at the court of Yaroslav the Wise, there were two Anglo-Saxon princes - the sons of Edmund Ironside, who was killed in 1016. The infamous Harald, who fell in England at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, was married to the daughter of Yaroslav the Wise, Elizabeth, whose hand he sought for a long time. The daughter of the last Anglo-Saxon king, Gita, fled through Denmark to Rus', where she became the wife of Vladimir Monomakh. The opening of the Northern Sea Route in 1553 established strong trade ties between the two countries, which turned out to be very beneficial for both sides and led to close contacts in other areas.

There was also a certain mystical thread connecting two such different and, frankly speaking, not always politically friendly peoples towards each other. For example, a common patron St. George. Or the St. Andrew's flag - common among the Russian and Scottish fleets. Or the legend preserved in the English Chronicle (for 967) about the death of Baron Robert Sharland from the skull of his beloved horse, which exactly repeated the fate of ours Prophetic Oleg. Or the almost identical resemblance between the last Russian emperor and the English king George V (yes, they are relatives, but not twins). And quite unexpectedly, in the 20th century, the English king Edward, who was killed at the age of 16 in 978, that is, even before the official baptism of Rus', was proclaimed a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church (though the one that is “in exile”) .

However, England has never been a place of mass pilgrimage for Russians; like everywhere else, in Russia it was more often respected than loved. In France they had fun and joined fashion trends, in Germany they rested and received treatment, in Italy they merged with beauty and cherished the aesthetic sense. First of all, diplomats, business people, scientists, and political outcasts went to England.

The logic of paradoxes

The English character is, on the one hand, perhaps the most contradictory and paradoxical among European peoples, almost all of its features have directly opposite properties, and on the other hand, it is very integral and definite, traceable over many centuries. Its features are most often explained by the island position of the country, even the term “island psychology” appeared. But there are many inhabited islands in the world, and England is the only one. Apparently, it took a combination of many factors mixing into a single whole different nations(Brits, Picts, Celts, Anglo-Saxons and many others), seasoned with Roman and Norman conquest, seasoned with close ties with continental peoples, fertilized with victories and conquests and seasoned with climate and geographical position, to produce a people so different from other Europeans.

One of the key features of the English character is adherence to tradition; many call this trait conservatism. Indeed, the desire to preserve in their original form the features of life and behavior, rituals and habits, sometimes brought to the point of absurdity from a modern and non-English point of view, distinguishes the English from most other peoples, is subjected to sharp criticism by these others, but at the same time makes them touristic. attractive to the whole world.

Everyone knows about right-hand drive and left-hand traffic. Here there is a ban on any replacement of windows and doors in old houses, which forces the entire country to do without double-glazed windows, which is cold, but tolerable. Much more inconvenience is caused by English plumbing, which causes endless surprise among outsiders. It is difficult to understand how anyone could comfortably wash their face under two separate taps with hot and cold water. Well, you can also imagine that you fill the sink with water and splash around in it at home. But such a division in public places is not at all clear. In this case, the desire to splash disappears completely.

Further more. A traditional English bath (nationwide they make up the vast majority; changes have affected only metropolitan hotels) also has 2 separate taps and does not have a shower. By design of this amazing people, you need to fill the bath with water, add some foam, soak in, wash your hair (!) and get out without washing anything off. Dishes in homes are washed in the same way: water is collected in the sink, like in a basin, washing liquid is added to it, and so, without rinsing, the dishes are placed to dry. Our usual method of washing dishes under running water causes the British to counter-bewilder: “What an unreasonable waste of water!” Sometimes it seems that they live in a waterless desert, and not on an island...

In private hotels and boarding houses, in the toilet next to the toilet there is usually a long, detailed instruction explaining to the guest the rules for draining the water. Remember: a hanging tank with a chain that, if you pull hard, stays in your hands. The instructions often end with the wonderful phrase: “Only after the lever has finally returned to its original position can you try again.” And such repetitions are not uncommon...

The French are the main opponents of the British and have the courage to criticize the latter. Other nations prefer to remain silent, believing that all this is being done only to create inconvenience for foreigners.

The British themselves intuitively feel a deep connection between form and content - change one, the other will invariably change. Preservation of two taps, a chain on the toilet, right-hand drive ultimately ensures their national integrity and protects their character in the conditions of total globalization.

Basics

Traditions live not only in everyday life, they permeate various aspects of English life. Thus, universities take very seriously the maintenance of rituals that arose, for example, in the 16th or XVII centuries. More recently, in reputable universities, some professors allowed students to attend their lectures exclusively in robes, and for certain types of final exams, this uniform has still been preserved. There are cases when both students and professors almost lost consciousness on a hot summer day, steaming in thick, long decorative robes, but they never received permission from the management to take them off. The graduation ceremony is a magnificent theatrical performance, which at the same time does not seem artificial or overly pompous. It seems that all these people were born to wear wigs, professorial caps, and pronounce formulas and words that have been repeated for centuries.

No university in the world has as many conventions and historical traditions as English. The issuance of robes for ceremonies is carried out in strictly defined rooms - separately for professors, separately for doctors, separately for employees without a degree; it is impossible to imagine any democracy here. A gala dinner for any important occasion is unthinkable without a tailcoat and bow tie, even if many have to rent them. The beautiful green lawns at the University of Cambridge can only be trampled by those who belong to the teaching staff, as warning signs placed everywhere inform, others must confine themselves to the paths. During daily joint lunches, held in ancient high halls, by candlelight, with tables covered with museum utensils, everyone, from student to rector, takes a certain place according to his position in the team. At the same time, they all remain modern people, ironic towards their own world, but at the same time devoted to it and secretly proud of it.

Royal tradition

The most important part of the English tradition is the monarchy. Of course, today the British have a bit of a complex about such an “unmodern” institution, laugh at it, and say that scandals recent years, mainly love affairs in which members of the royal family were involved, greatly undermined the prestige of the monarchy. Although all these doubts are largely explained by the fact that this same monarchical power, even if it has turned into a decorative one, is extremely important for the British, and mainly for uniting the nation and maintaining the national spirit. Well, it’s impossible to rally around Tony Blair! There are kings and queens in other countries - Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Spain - but there, in most cases, they are loved but not noticed, and nowhere do they cause such a complex and excitement as in England. For the British, this issue is alive and pressing, as before. The death of the Queen Mother last year was excellent evidence that the childish, flesh-and-blood monarchy is alive and well in the hearts of the British. Mountains of flowers, crowds of people reached out to pay their last respects to the more than 100-year-old old woman. Girls in elegant dresses and white socks brought touching drawings with the inscription “We love you!”, elderly, obviously provincial-looking couples stood in line to sign up for the memory book, even sarcastic English journalists wiped away an uninvited tear.

The British have great respect for their history. Museum work in this country is at the highest level, and for good reason. At every corner, around every turn, in every remote place there is a museum, and it is never empty, and it is filled primarily by the inhabitants of the country themselves, who study with constant interest the peculiarities of the life and way of life of their ancestors. The tradition of visiting historic houses and castles appeared in England back in the era of Elizabeth I, when the rest of Europe had no idea what a tour was, and these properties themselves were in private hands. The number of films about Henry VIII and his many wives is growing year by year to meet the needs of the English public, who never tire of admiring their loving idol. The memory of the British Empire, which ruled the seas and lands all over the world, has not faded either; boasting about this, of course, is neither accepted nor modern, but we have not forgotten about it either.

Classic informals

At the same time, there is no more informal society than the English one, in those cases, of course, when this is allowed by tradition. You can put on the most unimaginable outfit, have an unimaginable hairstyle, behave in the strangest way and be sure that no one in England will pay attention to you. Firstly, because this is a country of eccentrics and eccentrics, secondly, because here everyone is free to do what he wants (unless, of course, this goes against the traditional unwritten principles), and finally, because restraint, self-control and silence are considered one of the basic rules of life. The portrait of a typical representative of the English people was drawn by F.M. Dostoevsky, describing a train trip to Paris: “On the left sat a pure, blood-borne Englishman, red-haired, with an English parting on his head and intensely serious. The whole way he didn’t say a single word to any of us in any language, during the day he read, without stopping, some book... and as soon as it was ten o’clock in the evening, he immediately took off his boots and put on his shoes . It was probably like this all his life, and he didn’t want to change his habits even in the carriage.”

There aren't many things that can set an Englishman off. At the beginning of perestroika, an Englishwoman who came to Russia encountered a surprise: on a tram, a shabby man, apparently deciding to test the foreigner’s strength, suddenly opened his coat, pulled out and shook a huge dead rat in front of her nose. The Muscovites around us screamed in unison. Not a single muscle moved on the English guest’s face; her behavior indicated that she was faced with such things almost every day. Only later, in an intimate setting, did it become clear that she had, after all, experienced a nervous shock.

Restraint, control over one’s feelings, often mistaken for simple coldness, these are the life principles of this small but very proud people. In those cases when a representative of the sentimental Latin race or the spiritual Slavic race weeps with tears of admiration or tenderness, the Englishman will say “lovely” (“cute”), and this will be equivalent in the strength of the feelings shown.

The only thing that can piss off a true Englishman is the noisy and defiant behavior of others. Even in London, a city almost entirely given over to tourists and immigrants, you can often see a decorous English couple on a bus, looking with open disgust at a noisy and emotional group of Spanish or Italian tourists, who, even in a fit of sincere indignation, only allow themselves to frown and silently look at each other indignantly . In the museum store in Shakespeare's birthplace, Stratford, American tourists (who, to put it mildly, are not uncommon there) are noisy, cheerful, excitedly buying tons of various souvenirs and accompanying this process with laughter and loud delight, causing invariable arrogant contempt and chilling politeness saleswomen The fact that they, tourists, provide them with a livelihood does not change anything even in a market economy.

Even greater and, probably, the strongest emotional indignation among the British is caused by a disdainful attitude towards queues, which are an object of special worship for them. They themselves, according to one apt expression, form a queue of even one person. In places where queues are obviously predictable, special barriers are placed so that no one worries and everyone is sure that even if someone manages to sneak in from somewhere on the side, he will be ignored and showered with contempt by everyone around him, including the one to whom this someone broke through, after which he will still have to stand in line.

At the buffet on the train, a decorous, tall Englishwoman, on whose face was written a higher education, her own mansion and a significant bank account, hesitated and did not place an order. After a pause, the modest young man standing behind her risked doing this (the two of them made up the entire line). A tradeswoman at a Moscow market, who is trying to slip counterfeit money or steal tomatoes, would probably look more secular than this pleasant, silent lady, who suddenly burst into a stream of rage that fell on the head of the arrogant rogue who violated the sacred law.

Sex the British way

One of the manifestations of the restraint of the English nature is the attitude towards sex in this country. One of the famous jokers once released a phrase, picked up and confirmed by others: “European peoples have sexual relations, the British have hot water bottles in their beds.” Another popular joke refutes this truth: "The English have sex twice a month when the month has a W in it" (similar to the idea that oysters are eaten in months when there is a "G"; for reference: there is no such month with W in the English calendar). Sex and everything connected with it has long been considered in England as something wrong, which is best avoided if possible.

Book good manners mid-19th century pointed out that even “compliments and flirting are unacceptable in English society, unless they are expressed so delicately that they are completely invisible.” Modern book Etiquette recommends that lovers refrain from openly expressing feelings and hints about the intimate relationship existing between them, since “this may be embarrassing for some.” The maximum intimacy acceptable in society, according to the modern author, is walking hand in hand or arm in arm, a light disembodied kiss on the cheek, a distant hug. T-shirts on sale in London: "No sex please, we're British." The English themselves write with resentment that the restraint characteristic of English men is often mistaken for their lack of interest in the female sex.

On the issue of education

One of the most important life principles The English can be expressed by the following formula: “We did not come into this world to have fun.” It is on this that many are based distinctive features their character and way of life. Start with education. It is customary to keep children strictly, and the higher in society you are, the more strict there is. We often see how in a rich English house, with a huge living room, a gigantic bedroom, a majestic study, the so-called children's room is located almost in the attic and is a miserable closet, and this is done quite consciously, for fundamental reasons, so as not to undead, but to harden. The system of boarding schools is still very popular in the country, and separate for boys and girls (since sexual relations are harmful, there is nothing to get used to), and this primarily concerns children from aristocratic and wealthy families. The discipline and order in them to this day are a kind of mixture of prison, barracks and monastery, considered befitting the spirit of education of a real Englishman. It is no coincidence, apparently, that the Boy Scout movement originated in England at the beginning of the 20th century, and its slogan was “Be prepared!” A true Englishman must be ready for any difficulties at any moment.

There is an old English truth: “Children should be seen, but not heard.” In English pubs you can often see a “No children, no dogs” sign on the door. And indeed, if an exception may be made for dogs, then for children no, only in some places, remote provinces, where there is one pub for the entire village, children can be allowed in, as the sign at the entrance happily reports again. But this, of course, is no longer a real pub.

A typical question addressed to a child: “So, what do you want to be when you grow up, young man?” suggests that childhood is only a period that must be experienced in order to become a normal, that is, adult, person. Such strictness, although it sometimes causes natural bewilderment, gives somewhat good results. The British not only conquered half the world in their time, but were also able to survive and gain a foothold in this half. Travellers, sailors, discoverers of lands - this is a real thing for the British, who know how to challenge fate and not be afraid of difficulties. And sometimes it’s a challenge for them more important than victory, they are not afraid to lose.

It is very revealing and interesting to work with English students in Russia. If Americans are ready to endlessly suffer from a faulty toilet tank, which completely deprives them of the opportunity to enjoy life and perceive beauty, English students perceive difficulties quite calmly. On a motor ship on the Sukhona River, which had one toilet for everyone and no shower or bath at all, cheerful young Englishmen learned to wash their hair in a bidet, visit public baths at stops, swim in ice-cold water and took obvious pleasure in the delights of real Russian life, which included warming up with a variety of drinks every night.

Another example: photographs of the heir to the British crown, Prince William, working in South America, where he was on youth internship, spread throughout the world. This is exactly how the heir to the English throne must be, unpretentious and not afraid of difficulties, in order to earn the respect of his fellow citizens.

Body food...

This attitude towards life extends to such an important part of life as food. Neighbors from the continent never tire of mocking the English cuisine. In the worldwide popular French cartoon about the Gaul Asterix, there is an episode in which he, along with his gluttonous friend Obelix, comes to England, where the heroes painfully try to eat normally. But even the glutton Obelix cannot cope with English dishes generously seasoned with mint sauce.

The main feature, also known as the problem, of English food is that it is aimed at satisfying hunger, and not at obtaining pleasure. Food should be the way it was given by God, the earth, Nature, and all excesses and delights come from the evil one (read, the Frenchman). In essence, its type is close to traditional Russian food - boiled vegetables, stewed or fried meat, pies. A cartoon in an English magazine depicts two chefs, one of whom lists potato dishes: “Boiled, fried, baked, stewed potatoes,” and the second exclaims: “And they also say that English cuisine is monotonous!”

...and spiritual

One of the most difficult questions in English life is the place that religion occupies in it. It is known that even the church in England is its own - Anglican, independent of anyone from the outside. And although it is believed that it was introduced by the sensualist Henry VIII in order to be able to marry as many times as he wanted, it is obvious that in its spirit and character it turned out to be close and understandable to the population. You can often hear from the British themselves that the church does not play a big role in their lives. And outwardly this is indeed so - rarely, only on holidays, and even then in the provinces, do any noticeable numbers of people gather in the church.

However, here is a paradox: the principles by which the English live - life is not for pleasure, sex is sinful, physical difficulties strengthen the soul, food should only saturate, and so on - are precisely those to which most churches call their flock. A classic English village certainly has a church in the center, around it the most important social activity, especially in those cases and for those people (women, old people, children) when the issue cannot be resolved in another indispensable component of English life - the pub. The vicar is not perceived by others as a shepherd or mentor, but rather as a friend who is respected, who is expected to be active (as you know, in English detective stories they often even have to solve murders), whose role is not to remind others of how to live, but just be ready to help when needed. It is difficult to say how and when such a situation arose. Perhaps the fact is that Christianity in England has long taken deep roots and become a part of life. Back in the 3rd century, when most peoples were not at all sure how to relate to this new phenomenon, and whole centuries remained before their baptism, monasteries were built on this land and monks held conversations about the Faith.

The most terrible test

Against the background of the above, other aspects of English life seem paradoxical at first glance. For example, such a phenomenon as comfort, which entered other languages ​​precisely from English. An English house represents a unique pinnacle of comfort and convenience. An environment that includes many objects, tables, ottomans, sofas and armchairs, all in front of a fireplace with crackling wood, a glass of whiskey in hand, what else is needed to meet old age! The British have a special, reverent attitude towards the house; they do not recognize apartments, preferring, albeit small, even in installments with interest, but their own house with a front garden. It is no coincidence that almost all houses in England have names; this creates inconvenience for guests and postmen, but demonstrates the very personal, very reverent attitude of the British towards their homes. A true Englishman is ready for difficulties, but is quite capable of withstanding the most terrible test - comfort and coziness.

The garden evokes even more feelings in an Englishman. English gardens, the main thing in the style is the skillful imitation of natural nature, the lack of symmetry created by human hands“wildness” are the strongest national passion. In England there are even special “gardening” tours to Europe. A most interesting sight is presented by English grandmothers in bright light skirts and blouses, casually and condescendingly running past the masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance towards their cherished goal - the Italian garden. This is where their feelings break through even through the mask of restraint and decency. They sit for hours near flower beds, painting watercolors, making pencil sketches, or simply smiling at the flowers as if they were their beloved grandchildren (whom, by the way, according to English tradition, they see much less often and with less pleasure).

Finally, just go to the bookstore, which has huge racks dedicated to gardens and guides to growing them ("Garden in Winter", "Garden in Autumn", "Garden When You're Short on Time", "Garden When You're Plenty of Time" and so on) to finally make sure that this is really serious.

Each house has its own front garden, and the English owners devote a lot of soul and effort to decorating it. Amazing flowers and shrubs, including exotic ones, are carefully planted around the house (if the garden is neglected, foreigners almost certainly live in it). The arrival of spring in England can be identified by the hum of lawnmowers, since the English lawn is also a source of national pride and reflects many aspects of English nature. First, adherence to tradition, as in the famous joke where an Englishman is asked: “How did you achieve such excellent results?” And he answers: “Very simple! You just have to trim it every day for 400 years.” The joke is not so far from the truth, although the French, for example, believe that the British simply plant fresh grass at night. Secondly, she talks about the love of freedom of the English - after all, you can walk on them freely and they are not trampled on.

Perfect world

Another apparent paradox is that the country of silent conquerors of seas and lands, raising their children in strictness and not tolerating excessive displays of emotions, has created probably the richest children's literature and Child's world. Charming and touching characters have conquered the whole world: here and Winnie the Pooh with his friend Piglet, and hobbits, and Alice, who visited Wonderland, and Mary Poppins, and Peter Pan, and many other characters dearly loved by the British, but less known to the rest of the world - rabbits, ducks, hedgehogs, whose fates are closer and more important to the British than the fate of the heroes of their own great Shakespeare. The answer is simple: only for the outside world this is all children's literature and characters, but for the British all this is very serious and important, and above all for adults. Just like common games: in pubs, respectable men regularly and everywhere gather to play a fun game of darts, in which you need to hit a wooden circle with an arrow, adult women spend hours collecting pictures from thousands of squares, and everyone solves crossword puzzles and riddles , published in all periodicals and in separate editions. Apparently, childhood, dedicated to strengthening the spirit and body, still takes its toll later, when there is no threat of becoming spoiled and spoiling one’s character.

Their high humor

Serious Englishmen are also famous humorists. “Subtle English humor” has already been mentioned above; the answer lies in its simplicity, in the fact that there is no deep subtext hidden behind it, and physiological or toilet jokes are just that, giving vent to accumulated emotions and feelings. Another thing is examples of English irony, sarcasm, and genuine humor. Laughing at yourself and at others is completely natural for an Englishman. This property has been cultivated for centuries, considered the most important human dignity. Old English books of good manners claim that “a sense of humor can and should be cultivated,” and “the ideal man must certainly have a sense of humor, otherwise he will be far from perfect.” Allegory, play on words, paradoxical statements, sharp jokes - all this constitutes the glory of the English people and language. And it is not always equally understandable and pleasant to others, who often “fall for the bait” of English wit.

Henry II's son, Edward I, brought Wales under the English crown in 1284, swearing to the Welsh that no man who spoke English would stand over them... and installed his newborn son over them (in memory of this event from 1301 years to the present day, the heirs to the English throne bear the title Prince of Wales). In 1948, a major radio station in Washington invited ambassadors from various countries to answer the question by telephone: “What would you like for Christmas?” The French ambassador wished world peace, and the Soviet ambassador wished victory over world imperialism. His Majesty's Ambassador replied (at live): “That’s nice of you to ask, I’d like some candied fruit.”

Voluntary hostages

The British are law-abiding people. Respect for the law has become such a natural part of their character and life that in many cases there is no longer even a need for strict control and punishment for non-compliance. Society can already afford to resort to common sense rather than force in solving certain issues. This manifests itself both in small things and in global issues. The British Embassy in Moscow is one of the few today that accepts invitations in almost any form: sent by fax, e-mail, written by hand without certification (meaning you can fake the original with stamps if you wish). Anyone who has gone through border control in London knows that the British are not known for their liberalism in this matter, they observe formalities, but there is no formalism in them. When leaving the country, passports are not checked or stamped at all. For what? After all, a person leaves their country and thank God!.. By the way, in the 19th century, England was the only European country that did not register foreigners, apparently not bothering its apparatus with such unimportant items. The attitude towards other formalities is also surprising: in England, an envelope addressed to a person with the address indicated on it is still an official document in many cases.

So that the English bureaucratic system does not look like some kind of ideal, from which it is far from in real life, we can cite the statement of one humorist who wrote about its difference from the continental one, especially the notorious Italian and French ones. If in recent countries If you are tormented by refusals, rudeness, and meaningless paperwork demands, then in England an official will smile pleasantly at you and be extremely polite to you. He will ask you to fill out a huge number of questionnaires, most of which are written in a completely incomprehensible language, then he will tell you that he himself does not make decisions, but the request will certainly be considered, and the next time you come, he will be at a meeting, on a lunch break, or just came out. The result will be the same in both cases, with the difference that in Latin countries the issue can ultimately be resolved with the help of friends and connections, but in England the law is the law for everyone, which means there is practically no way out of the bureaucratic deadlock.

Even the police allow themselves to understand. An Englishwoman, very hot with drinks, stopped by a policeman and immediately cheerfully informed him that she was returning from an anniversary, received a friendly recommendation “not to do that again” and a knowing smile as she parted. And soon the same lady received a huge fine in the mail for speeding, recorded by a traffic surveillance camera, and almost lost her license...

Not a day without passion

Speaking about the character of the British, one cannot pass over in silence their most important national passions and hobbies. One of them is love for animals. If children, for educational purposes, are not given the most best places in the house, then a dog or cat will certainly be at the highest honor. They are treated warmer and more tenderly than most family members, and can be allowed to be gentle and loving with them. A walk between two Englishmen is often a melancholic silent procession, but a walk with a dog is almost always a pleasant, albeit somewhat one-sided conversation, full of tenderness and warmth.

Not everyone can afford a passion for horses, but even here the love for them surpasses in warmth human relations. Horse racing in England is an event of truly national scale. Princess Anne, the daughter of the reigning queen, was once so keen on horses that she became the subject of much ridicule. For example, a typical caption under a photo: “Princess Anne (right) with her favorite horse” (they really looked alike). However, the ridicule was quite good-natured, since this is a feeling that is understandable to any Englishman. The princess got much more when a living person became the object of her passion.

Another national passion is tea. Although many people today, especially in large cities, drink coffee or (even worse) brew tea in a bag, still maintaining a feeling and special relationship with this drink is considered an important component of English culture. English literature testifies to the enormous role that tea drinking had in the life of the country. In detective stories, the person who finds the corpse is offered a cup of tea to maintain strength; in romance novels, it is used to heal broken hearts; friends drink it to celebrate a meeting, and enemies drink it to defuse the situation. Peter Pan, when asked to the children “What do they want more – tea or adventure,” receives an immediate answer: “Tea first, please.”

Everyone knows that in England they drink tea with milk - milk first, tea on top and no water. This tradition is so strong that manufacturers place the warning “Best drunk without milk” on packs of green, fruit and herbal tea, which does not stop the British from creating a terrible mess, for example, consisting of rosehip tea diluted with milk.

Another English weakness is the weather. All the jokes and ridicule they are subjected to for this are completely fair. Every English conversation really revolves around this topic, even semi-formal letters from organizations contain references to good or bad weather. The main problem is that the British are convinced that they have very bad, changeable and unpredictable weather, which, in their opinion, determines many aspects of their lives and character. While completely agreeing with the latter, one has to disagree with the rest. It’s probably bad (read: cold) for the residents of Spain, where the British love to go to warm up. For a normal (read: Russian) person, it’s very good: all year round the grass is greener, even in December flowers are blooming in the flowerbeds, and the occasional rare snowfall from above does not spoil the picture as a whole. Its changeability is also greatly exaggerated (one must hope that the British will not read this, otherwise the offense will be mortal). The nearby coast of France also has similar variability, like all coastal areas, but does not make a cult out of it. As for unpredictability, this is not even worth discussing; this is not a question of the weather, but of weather services, which can broadcast “It’s raining today” in bright sunshine, as if they had no windows.

Despite this, the weather for the British remains a source of constant surprise and secret admiration, and the whole country plays the same game “Who would have thought!” In winter, snow falls almost every year and, although not for long, the temperature drops to zero degrees, and sometimes to minus. But England is chronically unprepared for winter, all life is immediately paralyzed, trains do not run, buses stop, telephone communications are disrupted, electricity is supplied intermittently, of course - no one could have imagined this, like every year. This is unpredictability. A similar picture is observed in the summer, when stiflingly hot weather regularly sets in. But you won’t find air conditioning in offices and hotels - why do they need them in such a cold country? And finally, the favorite motive of the British “this year the weather is unusual” (according to the season, “hot”, “cold”, “rainy”, “windy”, etc. are inserted) it is always a surprise, a surprise.

And so on until the end, without end...

The British live in accordance with these principles. If calendar spring has arrived, all mothers put shorts and short-sleeved shirts on their children, which makes their bare legs covered in goosebumps under the icy wind, and their noses turn red and immediately begin to run. But it doesn’t matter - spring has come and no one expects it to be cold, and children have been wearing shorts at this time for 500 years.

There is no heating in the houses. Moreover, historically in England, fireplaces became widespread, which, unlike a stove, do not store heat, but only create coziness and are common in countries with warm climates. Firstly, there is no need to indulge and relax. Secondly, spend money on fuel in a country where, although the weather is bad, there is no frost. Thirdly, if it's cold, you can wear another sweater. Therefore, a completely fair stereotypical image of an English bedroom has developed, in which you wake up, shivering from the cold, splashing ice water in your face and you start a new day very cheerfully. The ritual has remained unchanged from the time of Jane Eyre to the present day. Sometimes, however, it is combined with another national hobby, and then you can get a cup of hot tea right in your ice-cold bed. Almost all English hotels (except those in the capital) certainly have a kettle, cups, tea and milk so that you can immediately prepare tea and drink it right in bed.

As was said at the beginning, the English character is complex, varied and full of contrasts and paradoxes. The small country, thanks to the strength of this character, was able to achieve great respect from others. Moreover, the preservation of this character has become an important goal of this people. .

Happiness
Despite significant increases in living standards, the proportion of Britons who are completely satisfied with their lives has remained unchanged over the past 25 years and remains at 1/3 of the population.

Money
According to a sociological study conducted in Great Britain, 45% of the country's residents remember how much money they have in the bank with an accuracy of 10 pounds, and 25% with an accuracy of a penny. About 10% of respondents check their account up to 4 times a day. Among those who use online and telephone account management systems, 35% regularly check their account at least 3 times a day.

Religion
About 1 million Britons attend Sunday services in more than 11 thousand parishes of the Anglican Church. 1.2 million believers come to churches every week. 6% of the population (3 million people) take part in the Christmas service.

Sex
British statisticians have found that 30% of the country's residents love sex more than anything else. According to 25% of British respondents, the most important thing when choosing a partner is appearance; in second place is a sense of humor; 18% of British people “voted” for it.

Family
Over the past decades, the institution of marriage in Great Britain has undergone significant changes. It's getting smaller complete families with 23 children. In 25% of cases, one of the parents prefers to raise children on their own (20 years ago this figure was 10%). More than 7 million Britons live alone today, up from 2 million in 1961.

Beer
According to data collected by Austrian researchers, over the past 5 years the number of beer lovers around the world has increased by 20%. In England, contrary to this trend, their number decreased by 5% compared to previous years. There, per person per year there is only 95 liters of intoxicating drink.

A game
According to sociologists, the UK has the highest concentration of players in the world - 75%. According to experts, by 2010 Britons will be spending on network games(Internet, cable and satellite TV, SMS, etc.) 2.1 billion pounds sterling per year (currently 588 million). Although today casinos continue to dominate the British gambling market, accounting for 46% of all gambling business.

Anna Pavlovskaya, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor