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01-13-2006, 07:37 AM | #1 |
Pump my ride!
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Deep countryside of Surrey , England
Posts: 1,890
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Being British...
One of the British national daily newspapers is asking readers "what it
means to be British?". This answer from a Swiss guy sums it up nicely: "Being British is about driving in a German car to an Irish pub for a Belgian beer, then travelling home, grabbing an Indian curry or a Turkish kebab on the way, to sit on Swedish furniture and watch American shows on a Japanese TV. And the most British thing of all? Suspicion of anything foreign ". Sounds all too familiar....
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Always sufficient hills - never sufficient gears |
01-13-2006, 08:49 AM | #2 |
I can hear my ears
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colonialism by proxy
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This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan |
01-13-2006, 09:09 AM | #3 |
Slattern of the Swail
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 15,654
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I like it.
Now, what's with the British national obsession with Indian and Turkish foods? PS my professor 'friend' is in London now, teaching at some University or other. All I know is that his flat is somewhere near a club that features exotic dancers called the 'California'.
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In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum |
01-13-2006, 09:20 AM | #4 |
go ahead, abbrev. it
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
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and anything east of Dorset to be full of WOGS (wily oriental gentlemen).
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01-13-2006, 09:21 AM | #5 |
no excuse for being obtuse
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 14
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HAHA...gota say thats painfully true! Id have to add, at the risk of falling into my own category, we have a horrendous tendancy to miserably wallow in all that is bad about our country. That said, blighty's not a bad old place...just wish we had a lil more sunshine!
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01-13-2006, 09:24 AM | #6 |
Radical Centrist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Cottage of Prussia
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Britain and India are tied together through their unique history.
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01-13-2006, 10:02 AM | #7 |
Slattern of the Swail
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 15,654
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hm---interesting.
professor friend is at UEL-Docklands.
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In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum |
01-13-2006, 10:39 AM | #8 |
I think this line's mostly filler.
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DC
Posts: 13,575
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Geez. The US flag was based on a corporate logo? That explains so much...
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_________________ |...............| We live in the nick of times. | Len 17, Wid 3 | |_______________| [pics] |
01-13-2006, 10:44 AM | #9 | |
polaroid of perfection
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Quote:
Anyway - without wanting to sound too easily riled, I wonder if that Swiss man has any experience of England outside of London? And whether he drives a Swiss car or watches a Swiss TV? Perhaps that's part of being English - take the best of what the world is prepared to sell us, then nip down your local for a pint of real ale and a plate of fish-paste sandwiches. And chips. |
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01-13-2006, 10:49 AM | #10 | |
go ahead, abbrev. it
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Location: Lawrence, KS
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Quote:
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01-13-2006, 10:58 AM | #11 |
bent
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: under the weather
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Kinda off topic, but related:
England has lost alot of its "foreignness" around here. I don't know if it's because of the wide availability of BBC America, the fact that we do so much business with Brits, or what. But a British accent doesn't seem any more surprising to hear than a southern one or a New Yorker one. Didn't used to be that way -- when I was a kid, a British accent immediately conjured images of a guy in a bowler hat and monocle. Maybe there's just more of you in Colorado now.
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Sìn a nall na cuaranan sin. -- Cha mhór is fheairrde thu iad, tha iad coltach ri cat air a dhathadh |
01-13-2006, 01:26 PM | #12 |
The future is unwritten
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A Swiss guy, looking for directions, pulls up at a bus stop where two Englishmen are waiting.
"Entschuldigung, koennen Sie Deutsch sprechen?" he says. The two Englishmen just stare at him. "Excusez-moi, parlez vous Francais?" The two continue to stare. "Parlare Italiano?" No response, "Hablan ustedes Espanol?" Still nothing. The Swiss guy drives off, extremely disgusted. The first Englishman turns to the second and says, "Maybe we should learn a foreign language...." "Why?" says the other, "That bloke knew four languages, and it didn't do him any good."
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01-14-2006, 01:20 PM | #13 |
I hear them call the tide
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I think you need to leave Britain before you can truly understand what it means to be British.
No-one's mentioned sense of humour which is something expats often miss and people of other nationalities comment on. It's not necessarily "better" or "worse" than the SOH of other nationalities, but it is unique and usually a very dominant part of Brit personalities. If you ask an American, they'll say bad teeth and saying "tally ho".
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01-14-2006, 02:06 PM | #14 |
Your Bartender
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Well there's always the "vice anglais" and the "English pox" (both scurrilous rumors with no basis in fact, I'm sure).
Brianna, according to a friend who did a junior year abroad in London, the Indian restaurants had the only edible food available in the city. |
01-15-2006, 10:14 AM | #15 | |
... Maintaining ....
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