General Characters of British People
It is hard to give a general description about the characteristics of the British people. The people living in different regions and of different social classes vary enormously in tempers. However, the following are generally regarded asqualities of the British.
Exclusiveness
The British, especially the English, have a reputation for being reserved in their dealings with other people. “I am English, you stay away from me. I’m exclusive. I’m quite happy to be myself. I do not need you. Leave me alone.” That is because of the special geographical location and the distinct development of its history, such as Shakespeare’s plays and the Industrial Revolution, which all account for the shaping of their general character.
Conservativeness
The British people do not like change. They may not behave in traditional ways, butthey like symbols of tradition. They have to wait a long time before they areprepared to try something new; they do not accept change although they are toldto. For example, the British don’t consider it especially smart to live in anew house. They like their Christmas cards to depict scenes from pastcenturies, they like their pubs to look old, and they even complained bitterlywhen their system of currency was changed.
Politeness
The British are always thought to be polite, which can beseen from 3 points:
1. Language: Most British people use the words “please” and “thank you” all the time, particularly when asking for or afterreceiving help from others.
2. Punctuality: British people expect punctuality especially in thework place or place of study. This means that if a lecture begins at 10 o’clock,you must be present in the room at or before 10.
3. Day to day etiquette （礼节）:
1) When you are invited to dinner, ten minutes late is excellent. Whenat table, it’s polite to sit straight, to keep your elbows off the table andnever to talk with your mouth full of food; you can ask what to do or copyothers if you are not sure and then keep the conversation going.
2) British people will normally queue in shops or whilst waiting forbuses, buying tickets and so on, even though they don’t enjoy it. You shouldexpect to do the same.
3) It’s customary to leave a 10% tip when eating in restaurants for good service, but not in fast food restaurants such as McDonalds.
Love of Privacy
The idea of privacy underlies many aspects of British life. It is not just a matter of privacy in your own home. Just as important isthe individual’s right to keep personal information private, it is still seenas rude to ask somebody what are called “personal” questions, such as how muchmoney they earn or their family life, unless you know them well.
The following words best describe British people attitude towards privacy. “My home is my castle. The wind can come in, but the Kings and Queens and human beings can never come in without my permission.”
Love of nature and love of animals
Maybe the love of countryside is another aspect of British conservatism. The countryside in the UK represents stability, peace and quiet, and no crime. Having a house “in the country” means prestige. When they cannot get into the countryside, many British people still spend a lot of time with “nature”. They grow plants. Gardening is one of the most popular hobbies in the country, and gardening programs on TV are also popular.
Meanwhile, the British tend to have a sentimentalattitude to animals. Half of the British households keep at least on domesticpet, and most of them are prepared to pay quite a lot of money to give theirpets a decent burial. Moreover, their love of animals is not only limited to domesticanimals. Wildlife programs are also the most popular kind of TV documentary. Millionsof families have “bird tables” in their gardens.
Stiff Upper Lip
TheBritish are said not being like to show their feelings very much. They don’t show their emotion if they are very happy and nor if they are sad. You can alsosee this character from their most famous slogan “keep calm and carry on”,which are written on T-shirts and many tourist souvenirs in the UK.
Sense of Humor
If thereis one personal quality that the British cling to above the others, it is asense of humor. In other words, if a person is regarded as one with no sense ofhumor, it must be the worst shame of all. It’s an everyday way of talking totell jokes. People expect it. If the “joke” is about your own experience, itwill be better. The ability to laugh at yourself and to “take a joke” is highlyprized. Additionally, the British enjoys making fun of their own customs, class system and even their government.
Superstition
The British are a superstitious lot. Even the most hardened cynic will probably find themselves ‘touching wood’ or saying 'fingers crossed' a lot more than they realize. Many superstitions date back to pagan times, and in Britain, a surprising amount of these are still observed today. Let’s see some of the most common ones, advice on what not to do and why.
Good Luck: Next are things which are considered as symbols of goodluck.
u It is believed that it is lucky to touch wood. Touch or knock onwood, to make something come true, or to get rid of bad luck.
u Three leaves clovers are common. Four leaves are rare. It is luckyto find a clover plant with four leaves.
u Heather is a low wild plant with small purple, pink or whiteflowers, that grows on hills and areas of wild open land. Among them, whiteheather is considered as a symbol of luck.
u A horseshoe over the door brings good luck. But the horseshoe needsto be the right way up. The luck runs out of the horseshoe if it is upsidedown.
u Catch falling leaves in Autumn and you will have good luck. Everyleaf means a lucky month next year.
u Number 7 is a commonly believed lucky number. It is true that three sevenswill bring you a large fortune in casinos.
Next are omens of bad luck.
u Unlucky 13
The UK takes the unlucky 13 superstition reallyquite seriously. Almost a third of streets don’t have a number 13 and if theydo, it is likely to be valued on average £4,000 less than an identical house onthe same street. Many buildings do not have the 13th floor. Did you know?The London Eye has 32 capsules, but they are numbered 1 – 33. Number 13 hasbeen left out ‘for luck’.
u Friday 13th
The exact origin of this superstition is unknown,one common theory is that it is a combination of two superstitions: The number13 and Unlucky Friday. According to Christian Bible, Jesus was crucified on aFriday, and since the 1800s numerous disasters have occurred on a Friday,leading to the term 'Black Friday'.
u Unlucky to walk under a ladder
According to a 2010 poll, this is the most commonlyobserved superstition in Britain. Do you know why this is considered bad luck? Itis said that the triangle created by the ladder leaning against a wall isrepresentative of the Holy Trinity. Walking through the triangle conveysdisbelief in the trinity and allegiance with the Devil.
u Breaking a mirror equals 7 years bad luck
Lots of people have all done this, some people severaltimes. According to some tales, there are a few quirky remedies to avoid theseven years of doom? You can:
l Bury the pieces under a tree during a full moon
l Place the shards of glass in a river running south
l Touch the broken piece against a gravestone
² Table Superstitions
u If you drop a table knife expect a male visitor, if you drop a forka female visitor.
u Crossed cutlery on your plate and expect a quarrel.
u Leave a white tablecloth on a table overnight and expect a death.
² Animal Superstitions
u Black Cats
It is lucky to meet a black cat. Black Cats arefeatured on many good luck greetings cards and birthday cards in England.
u Ravens
In some parts of the UK it is incredibly bad luck to see 2 or 3 ravens together. One very English superstition concerns the tame Ravens at the Tower of London. It is believed if they leave then the crown of England will be lost.
u Bats
It is said to be bad luck if you see bats flying and hear theircries. In the middle ages it was believed that witches were closely associatedwith bats.
u Rabbits
In some areas black Rabbits are thought to host thesouls of human beings. WhiteRabbits are said to be really witches and some believe thatsaying 'White Rabbit' on the first day of each month brings luck. A commonlucky charm is a Rabbit's foot, but not for the Rabbit.
u Magpies
One for sorrow,
Two for mirth,
Three for wedding,
Four for birth,
Five for silver,
Six for gold.
² Wedding Superstitions
u Bride and groom must not meet on the day of the wedding except atthe altar.
u The bride should never wear her complete wedding clothes before theday.
u For good luck the bride should wear “something borrowed, somethingblue, something old and something new”.
u The husband should carry his new wife over thethreshold of their home.
