British Stereotypes Essay

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British stereotypes Definition: A stereotype is “...a fixed, over generalized belief about a particular group or class of people.” (Cardwell, 1996). One disadvantage is that it makes us ignore differences between individuals; therefore we think things about people that might not be true Stereotypes: 1.Polite/shy/reserved Most British people are very polite. If I were given a pound every time I said thank you to someone, let’s just say I’d be pretty well off. Some would say the Brits are too polite; is saying thank you to a traffic warden when he gives you a parking ticket too far? It is also known that British people are shy and reserved, we don’t spark up conversations with strangers—if you go on a tube, everyone will be sitting or standing, reading a newspaper or looking at the floor, avoiding eye contact with everyone! 2.Weather It’s a statistical fact that in England, every month, no matter what the season, it rains for at least 31 days. We converse about the weather…A LOT. This is true, but hey if you lived in a country that rains as much as it does here, you’re going to talk about it. It’s a sort of national obsession and not that we often do but if you were to begin a conversation with a stranger, the weather is an excellent place to start. 3.Drinking culture Across Britain, getting hammered is the norm, and binge drinking takes place widely every Friday and Saturday night (and Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for most students). I mentioned before that the British are perceived as reserved but when the drink starts flowing, this is certainly not the case. Britain has some of the highest alcohol consumption levels in Europe and binge drinking is now regarded as a public and social health problem in some areas of the country—and don’t the rest of the world know it! There seems to be a perception that the British need a drink to

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