5 Facts about Britain You Should Know about

British culture and countries 

When talking about British culture it is easy to make rules that are too simple and too broad.  Every part of Britain (the same as any country) has its own identity and cultural behaviour. However, there are some elements that are helpful to know for anyone new to Britain. In this article we will discuss 5 facts about Britain:

  • the countries of Great Britain
  • languages spoken
  • religions
  • humour
  • the Morris dance 

 

A crowd of people in a street of London

Great Britain vs United Kingdom

Firstly, let’s look at the different names of Britain. The official names are Great Britain, the United Kingdom and the British Isles. 

What is the difference between Great Britain and the United Kingdom?

Great Britain (Britain) = England, Scotland, Wales and all the small islands around Britain, but not the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands. They are independent islands.

United Kingdom (UK) = the same as Britain but also includes Northern Ireland (NI).

The British Isles = all of the islands and countries but not the Republic of Ireland (ROI).

All the countries have different but similar laws. Scotland, Wales and NI are all part of the British government. ROI is independent. ROI and NI are different countries on the same island.

Independent countries 

The Republic of Ireland are very proud of their independence and fought hundreds of years to be free from the British government. Northern Ireland is also independent but the Irish are split almost 50/50, with half wanting to stay in the UK and half wanting to leave. This is a very sensitive argument because it is split over religious groups. Most Protestants want to stay and most Catholics want to leave. Be very careful when asking native English speakers about this topic, as it may become a very serious political discussion! 

Languages spoken

What languages are spoken in the UK?

Wales speak English and Welsh Gaelic and are generally very proud of their Welsh nationality. The Welsh government speak almost only Welsh when discussing politics. 

The ROI speak English and Irish Gaelic, and many TV shows are in Irish Gaelic. However, this language is not very common. English is the daily language of both official and informal sitioations. NI only speaks English, although Irish Gaelic is spoken by some people. 

In Scotland, Scottish Gaelic is only spoken by a very small number of people and English is the first language of most Scotts. 

 

UK accents

There is a wide variety of accents in the UK. Sometimes it can be difficult even for native speakers to understand strong accents. 

English in London

In London, immigration has also had a big effect on accents. Many Irish, Caribbean, Indian and other immigrants came to live in London and passed on their accents. In the capital, not only foreign but also native accents form the landscape of the English spoken here. 

Cockney

Cockney is an example of a strong London accent, made popular by the BBC TV show ‘Eastenders’. There is a type of slang called ‘Cockney rhyming slang’ which was said to be created by criminals in London’s history to escape the police and convey hidden messages. Here is a short list of Cockney examples: 

Butcher’s hook = look

Boat race = face

Apples and pears = stairs

Dog and bone = phone

For example ‘I talked with her on the dog’ can be translated as ‘I talked with her on the phone’. Now, not a lot of people know that, so don’t expect everyone to understand if you want to use it!

South of England accents 

South English accents are very different from North English, which sound more Scottish in pronunciation. NI accents are also similar to some accents in parts of Scotland. 

 

Religions in the UK

What is the main religion in the UK?

UK’s main religion is Christianity of which we have three main types: Protestantism, Catholicism and Anglican also called the Church of England (CoE). CoE is the official religion of the British government and the Supreme Governor (the leader) is the Queen or King. Its headquarters are located in the Church House building in Westminster, London. 

Religion in the UK is not as popular as in the past, but there are many churches all over the country. They all have a Sunday mass which anyone is welcome to if you wanted to visit. Although the church itself may be impressive, ask the priest before taking photos!

 

British humour

What’s special about British humour? 

Whether true or false, Britain is known for its sense of humour. British humour uses a lot of irony and sarcasm. This means people may say something which sounds serious for a joke. Classic comedy shows include Fawlty Towers and Monty Python. A more unusual example of British humour is the TV show The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer, which can be at times very bizarre. 

Morris dance

What is the Morris dance? 

Finally, an excellent example of British culture is our traditional folk dance, the Morris dance. Men wear bells on their ankles, wave napkins in the air and pretend to fight with sticks. Unfortunately, you are unlikely to see this in London. But hopefully, the video below will inspire you to find them and maybe even join them!    

 

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