Be a Brit Different

Robinson Crusoe finished and Waverly left to tackle, I wanted to take a few moments and write about the “Britishness” of, well, Britain! Over the past few days, I’ve been struck by the enduring quaintness of this increasingly modern country. Let me explain with a few examples.

In terms of expression, real estate agents remain ‘solicitors’ and handymen are still called ‘joiners’, evoking words that have been used for centuries. Expressions like ‘aye’ and ‘och’ are regularly sprinkled throughout street-corner conversations. Another endearing element of British language is the practice of shorting words to one syllable whenever possible. Campus becomes ‘camp’, a pub called The Victoria has been re-christened ‘The Vic’, and universities are known as ‘uni’.

Tea time, which is reserved for stuffy grandmothers back in the States, is still alive and well on this island. I’m sure that when four o’ clock rolls around even the toughest, most hardcore, chain-smoking gansta’ of them all would pause for a cup of PGtips. He just would. Tea is a great unifier, I think. Everybody, from that gansta’ to the Queen, enjoys a daily cuppa.

British history and heritage has been imprinted in daily life, perhaps in ways that even Brits themselves don’t realize. An English friend of mine, studying Math, could readily discuss the novels of Austen, Gaskell, and Montgomery with the deftness of a Literature student, putting my knowledge to shame. An “Average Hamish” Scotsman earnestly asked me if I could recite any Burns. Traditional country dancing is commonly taught in primary schools. Train stations and bus stops are proudly named after famous British statesmen and scholars; it's been my experience that locals are quick to share the stories of their favorite countrymen.

In addition to these cultural nuances, I find it interesting that political and social structures are present even in the most ordinary of events. As I saw before, foods which are served at Her Majesty’s table bear a royal seal of approval. (Sugar does taste so much sweeter knowing that the Queen also agrees!) Brits are far more comfortable talking about socio-economic statuses than, say, Americans. In the States we would lump everyone as middle-class if possible, whereas hierarchy is still very definable here in the UK. People are given away by their voices, clothes, and hometowns – validating Professor Henry Higgins’ observation, “An Englishman's way of speaking absolutely classifies him/ the moment he talks he makes some other Englishman despise him.”

Before studying abroad, I was afraid that my ideas of a quaint United Kingdom were all fabricated; I’m happy to report that, in the wake of rapid modernization, the old-world lives on!