Copy of a lecture given giving a "different" look at the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, forming part of an intercultural working module. Includes examples of speech, comedy, culture and a fair bit else.

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The United Kingdom of
Great Britain and
Northern Ireland
Darren Ingram
February 2015

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Introduction

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Challenge: To Say
Something Different!

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Lots of Things To Say?
• One problem is that MOST people know
SOMETHING about the United Kingdom.
• Often foreigners know MORE about “Britishness”
than the locals. Are we too lazy or just blasé?
• Should one look at the rich history, food, drink,
nature, sights, sounds and what attracts over 32
million foreign tourists annually (2013) making the
country the 8th biggest tourist destination?

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Questions?
Shout ‘em out!
Source:Wikipedia

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“Britain is
Changing”
Has the “Great” fell out of
Great Britain?
Is the Kingdom still United?
democraticaudit.com

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Small Country
• A relatively small country, but still travelling about
can be a very “big deal” requiring much planning.
• Traditions exist, but traditions are often held as
traditions rather than observed.
• Big differences can be perceived over small
distances between neighbouring towns and cities.

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Today?
• World’s 22nd most populous
country (official estimates
64.1m, unofficial estimates 70-
80m).
• Several names, for several
country groups.
• Diverse country, yet still c. 87%
white (2011 Census).
• World’s sixth largest country by
nominal GDP / 10th largest
purchasing power.
123DigitalMaps

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A Very Small Country
Yet there is space to move about!
TheLightsofBritain-BritainFromAbove-BBC

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But it is all the same!
Different names for the same thing?
BritishCouncil

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The Queen
Queen Elizabeth II (88) is the
world’s longest-reigning
monarch (62+ years), soon to
be Britain’s longest-reigning
monarch too (after Queen
Victoria, 63 years 216 days).
Broad public support although
possibly “last in the line”.
HMG/BuckinghamPalace

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The British Empire…
Showing “past glory” and possessions
Wikimedia

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Universal Language?*
*Regional differences notwithstanding

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Official Language
English as a majority language (dark blue)
English as a minority language (light blue)
English possibly used/understood (the rest)
Source:Wikipedia

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Accents & Dialects
• Dialects are linguistic varieties
which differ in pronunciation,
vocabulary and grammar from
each other and from Standard
English (which is itself a dialect)
• The accent is the difference in
pronunciation - interestingly a
word that is rather difficult to
say and spell in English for
many.
• The English language evolves
and changes.
Source: Andrew Jack

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Word Differences
• Many words can be familiar in both languages but it is
not guaranteed. A Chinese person who learned
American English might not understand the meaning in
British English and vice versa.
• Sometimes the context might make it clearer.
• Pants - trousers (British), under garments (US). Also a
form of abuse.
• “I want to buy some pants” (in USA): What will you get?

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• Living in the United Kingdom, you CAN be easily
confused due to the mix of different “versions” of
English being used.
• Dialects, very different localised words and different
implementations of “English” make a difference.
• Just one word: bun, bread roll, roll, bap, batch, barm
cake, flour cake, bin lid, blaa, bulkie roll, buttery,
cloverleaf roll, cob, dinner roll, finger roll, French roll,
Hoagie roll, Italian roll, Manchet, muffin, nudger,
onion roll, oven bottom, Parker house roll, Stottie…

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British Vocabulary?
At least to some American ears
Source: Buzzfeed

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More That Just Words

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Stereotypes

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ImagesviaGoogleImages,Individualcopyrightmayexist.

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Stereotypes Everywhere

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Accurate Stereotypes?
• We love tea?
• We are pale?
• We have bad teeth?
• We drink a lot/love pubs?
• We love to queue?
• We hate to talk to strangers?
• We are very sarcastic?
• We like to say sorry a lot?

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Euphemisms & Slang
• A euphemism is “the substitution of a mild, indirect or vague
term for one considered to be harsh, blunt, or offensive”.
• “… word or phrase which pretends to communicate but
doesn’t. It makes the bad seem good, the negative seem
positive, the unnatural seem natural, the unpleasant seem
attractive, or at least tolerable. It is language which avoids,
shifts or denies responsibility. It conceals or prevents
thought.”
• Also known as Doublespeak, a theme of George Orwell’s
famous novel “1984” - yet he didn’t use that term, instead he
used the terms “doublethink” and “newspeak”.
Source: http://lynnschneiderbooks.com

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Source:http://lynnschneiderbooks.com;sophia.org;pinterest.com

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Be Careful
• Fanny (a name; US slang for buttocks; British and other
slang for the vulva)
• Durex (brand of male condom in UK, previous brand and
continued derivative name for adhesive tape in Australia)
• Get Off (an instruction or act of leaving something (i.e.
getting off a boat). In British English it might also mean
“snogging”, in U.S. English a lot more…
• Toss, Tossing (throwing something in the air, also a
reference to self abuse)

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Rhyming Slang & Vulgarity
• Apples & Pears (Stairs)
• Alans (from Alan Whickers =
knickers)
• More “advanced” humour from
sources such as Roger’s
Profanisaurus (Viz magazine)

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British Humour or
“Humour”

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Seaside Humour
A very important part of Britishness!
Bamforth/TheTimes

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Humour
• Often very cutting edge, self-referential,
observational, requires a degree of thinking!
• It can require a “dirty mind” or interpreted in two
ways.
• A lot of comedy stands the test of time.

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• Some might be just plain weird.
• Some might be visual or rely on stereotypes.
• Some might be outdated or hard for foreigners to
understand, such as the class system, yet to Britons
it can be something very special.
• Capable of adding new words and phrases to the
English language, just to confuse the unwary!

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Catchphrases
“Yeah baby!”
"I'm free!”
"You are awful... but I like you”
"You stupid boy”
"It's all done in the best possible taste!”
"You dirty old man”
"Don't mention the war”
"I'm the only gay in the village”
“I shall say this only once…"
“Nudge Nudge!”
“Yeah-but-no!"
"I don't believe it!"

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Don’t Mention The War
Fawlty Towers “The Germans” 1975-10-24
GreatestComedyCatchphrases,C4,2008/YouTubeandoriginalcopyrightowners

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Visual comedy can
often be enough!

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Ooh Betty!
Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em “Father’s Clinic” 1973-12-20
Youtube/BBC

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Food & Drink

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Images:Wikipedia/Flickr

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Images:Wikipedia/Flickr
Clues: Pork Scratchings, Jellied Eels, Spotted Dick

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Shepherd’s Pie
• Originally a way of using up
leftovers, first called “Cottage
Pie” and popular from 1790s as
potatoes introduced as an
edible foodstuff “for the poor”.
• In more recent times it has
been split into “Cottage Pie”
(beef) or “Shepherd’s Pie”
(lamb).
• Many variations exist.
Foodnetwork

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Also Known As…?
• A vegetarian version (occasionally named "Shepherdless Pie”) can be made using
soya or other meat substitutes or legumes such as lentils or chickpeas.
• In Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Nicaragua and Uruguay, a similar dish is called "pastel
de papa" (potato pie) or pastel de carne (meat pie). The Chilean version includes
minced meat, minced and fried onions, black olives, raisins and hard-boiled eggs.
• In the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico this is called pastelón de papa (potato
casserole), it has a layer of potatoes, one or two of meat, and another of potatoes,
topped with a layer of cheese. This is called "Yaroa" in Dominican Republic and is
usually sweeter than other versions because they either can use potatoes, sweet
plantain or yucca.
• In France, a similar dish is called hachis Parmentier.
• In Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Lebanon a similar dish is referred to as "Siniyet
Batata" (literally meaning a plate of potatoes), or "Kibbet Batata”. are broken before
sprinkling the cheese and baking the topping).
Source:Wikipedia

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• In Quebec, a similar dish is called pâté chinois (literally, "Chinese paste"),
which contains a layer of corn between the meat and the potato. In
English-speaking Canada, the traditional British shepherd's pie prevails.
• In Russia, a similar dish is called "Картофельная запеканка"
(Kartofel'naya zapekanka, or "potato baked pudding”).
• In Portugal a similar dish is called "Empadão", with two layers of mashed
potatoes and a layer of minced beef in between.
• In the Low Countries, a similar dish is called "Filosoof".
• In Finland, a similar dish is called "lihaperunasoselaatikko", with the mince
(e.g. mix of pork/beef) mixed thoroughly with the potato mash.
• "Herderspastei" in Afrikaans South Africa, with the addition of peas in the
mince and topped with grated cheese (occasionally eggs are broken
before sprinkling the cheese and baking the topping)
Source:Wikipedia

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Make Your Own
Remember! Versions vary and families can argue!
TheFWord/Channel4Television/GordonRamsay

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Favourite Foods?
• Surveys vary but fish and chips, roast beef dinners,
with Yorkshire pudding, bacon sandwiches often
come to the top.
• Curry (chicken tikka masala) topped many surveys.
• “Going out for an Indian” is still very, very popular.

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Diversity In Food
Use Your Imagination
Use Your Tastebuds
Marks&Spencers

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There’s So Much To
See & Do…
You can probably Google it better!

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So take a 60 second tour
BBC “2012 Olympics” countdown promotion that packs in
a lot of Britishness in a very short space of time!
BBC

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It’s Not Easy
Being British

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First World Problems?
Stereotypes at play again!
Buzzfeed

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Thank you awfully for
your kind attention!
Please do not hesitate to ask any questions

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Questions?
Disagreements?
Darren Ingram
darren@ingram.fi
linkedin.com/in/DarrenPIngram
about.me/DarrenPIngram