What the British say... and what they really think

[Maciamo]

I have always felt more British than I can justify. This is not going to make me think otherwise. It's hilarious because it is spot on, and that's also the way I am come to speak over the years, although I don't apply it to forum discussions, where I am much more straightforward.

 

[Jomid59]

That is exactly why I don't feel British. Let me re-phrase that, being born in England I shouldn't really speak for the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish. That is exactly why I don't feel English, although being raised with that cultural speak and hence understand other British people when they so those things, I am not comfortable with what I see as a kind of double-talk. I am very much a say what you mean and mean what you say type of person - this often gets me into trouble.

Having recently finished an academic course, the "I only have a few minor comments" made me laugh a lot, I had quite a few re-writes but got there in the end.

I have travelled a fair amount, but rarely seem like an Englishman - so people tell me. I do tend to be of the "when in Rome..." approach. Is that really how non-British interpret what other British people say.

 

[Jackson]

Haha that is quite spot on indeed - I guess it's over-diplomatic polite talking and it works fine if you are talking to someone using the same system, but it can be a pain in the foot if you aren't as like the table shows, people can take it quite seriously and matter-of-fact, which can mean many unwanted obligations...

I find i have the opposite (almost) of what you say, i find myself being over diplomatic on forums and online, and while i often speak like this in real life it's more often than not with regards to things that aren't overly interesting. But in any debate or discussion that is interesting i tend too talk quite bluntly.

I think it depends on where you go and who you talk with though, my guess is this is most pronounced in the middle-classes of the south. It's a bit like the whole apologising thing, i think it falls into the same category. If you have read Bill Bryson's 'Notes from a small Island' you will know what i mean, but it is common practice for the victim of say a minor mishap to apologise as well as the perpetrator. For example if someone knocks into you on their way past or something similar, it is most common to hear the person who has been knocked into apologise for daring to be in the way of the other person, followed closely by an apology of the person who knocked into them.

Quite funny and interesting!

Kind Regards,
Sam Jackson

 

[hope]

Very funny..and so true!
Have you any more like this?

 

[Nasturtium]

I love it - is it proprietary or can I borrow it? As an American, of some English ancestry, I can identify with about half of the "what he means" and for the other half, would be likely to mistake it for what I think he means!

I'm sure it's my fault - It's your fault

hilarious, but true

 

[edao]

I hear what you say, the post was quite good. It's very interesting and I'll bear it in mind for the future. I have only a few minor comments on the thread....

-------Translation-------

I disagree, the post was a bit disappointing. It's clearly nonsense and I've already forgotten it. Scrap the whole thread!

They should create a translation app for this kind of thing.

 

[Keegah]

Political correctness gone mad. I dearly hope that the majority of British (English?) people don't actually speak like that.

 

[Jackson]

Political correctness gone mad. I dearly hope that the majority of British (English?) people don't actually speak like that.

Probably most don't, but like i say it seems quite common in the middle-classes and more in the south. I don't think it is political correctness per se, but it is used a lot in that context, you are right. I hate political correctness and i find myself falling into speaking like that from time to time, mostly with strangers or people you have only just met. It's more funny than concerning when you do encounter it.

 

[LeBrok]

Political correctness gone mad. I dearly hope that the majority of British (English?) people don't actually speak like that.

That's what I thought too. We should add Political Correctness to the list of British Inventions in British Contribution to the world thread.