Stereotypes-of-the-British(英国人的典型特征)

StereotypesoftheBritishDefinitionof“Stereotype”Astandardizedpictureorimpressionofapersonoracountry.刻板印象,传统模式,固定的形象Stereotypesofanationmaynotbeindividuallytrue,butit’snormallythecase.Whatarethefirstthingsthatcomeintoyourmindwhenyouheartheword“UK”,“Britain”or“British”？E.g.WhenIthinkof“Britain,”Ithinkof…WhatarethedescriptivewordsyouassociatemostwithBritishpeople?E.g.()()()JohnBull:ApersonificationofEnglandortheEnglish.AtypicalEnglishman.约翰牛；英国佬–thenicknameforBritainHeisshortandfat,withabowlerhatonhisheadandapairofbootsonhisfeet.JohnBull约翰牛出自16世纪英国著名作家兼宫廷御医约翰?阿布斯诺特(JohnArbuthnot,1667—1735)的政治讽刺作品。阿布斯诺特在1712年写了一本讽刺小说，名叫《约翰牛的生平》(TheHistoryofJohnBull)，该书的主人公约翰牛就是英国的人格化、形象化。可以缩写为J&BJohnBullish英国精神的，英国人的JohnBullist英国迷OneveryBritishbreakfasttable,akindofjammadewithorangesorothercitrusfruitsTimetoeatcreamandjamandcakeat4p.m.Muchmorethanaplaceforadrink.Theyhavearelaxingatmosphereinwhichyoucanchatwithyourfriends,haveasnack,andperhapsplayagameofcharts.InLondontheirdriversarefamousfortheirknowledgeofthestreetsofthecityUsuallyred.Yougetagoodviewwhenyourideonthetop.PubsDouble-deckerbusesmarmaladeTeatimeCabsAnswer1Themanwearingabowlerhat&astripedtie,withanewspaperunderthearmandcarryingalongunopenumbrella.BowlerHat圆顶礼帽WinstonChurchillCharlesChaplinAnswer2BigBenShakespeareAfternoonTeaBigBenBigBenisthenameofthe13-tonbellwhichcanbefoundinsidetheclocktower.Itwascompletedin1859andnamedafterabureaucrat(官僚),SirBenjaminHall(whooversawtheinstallationoftheGreatBell).Anexcellenttimekeeper&oneofLondon’sbest-knownlandmarks.ItstrikeshourswithitsstrikingsoundbroadcastbyBBC.(amicrophonepermanentlyinstalledinthetowerandconnectedbylinetoBroadcastingHouse.)Answer3Reddouble-deckersRoyalfamily&PrincessDianaGardeningFootballandDavidBeckhamHorse-ridingBritishgardenAnswer4Talkingabouttheweather:1)theuncertaintyoftheweather;2)asafewayofbeingfriendlywithoutgettingheated–“Theweatherwillhurtnone.”LadiesFirst:Respectthefemale.Thiscanalsobereflectedfromtheexpression“Ladiesandgentlemen”.Three“Don’ts”:1)Don’tjumpthequeue.2)Neveraskawomanherage.3)Don’ttrytobargaininBritainwhenyoudotheshopping.Three“-ings”:betting,drinkingandtippingAnswerfroma13-year-oldEnglishBoy:“Patrioticpeople.Somethinkwearesnobs(自命不凡的人；势利小人),butwearejustproudofourcountryandQueen.Weareverycourteousandpatient,althoughasinmanycountries,therearebadeggs.Butonthewholeweareaverypleasantnation.”“AndtheEnglisharecrazyaboutpetdogsandlovethemmorethantheirkids!”WhatarethecommoncharacteristicsofEnglishpeople?Traditionally,anEnglishmanisthoughttobereserved,unemotional,courteous,shyofstrangers,suspiciousofchangeandslowtoacceptnewideas.HebelievesthattheEnglisharesuperiortoanyotherraceinthecountryandevenonearth.Inoneword,themaincharacteristicsofBritishpeopleareasfollows:1.Exclusiveness孤傲排外2.Conservativeness因循守旧3.Reserve沉默缄言4.Politeness彬彬有礼5.LoveofPrivacy热爱独处6.SenseofHumour英式幽默1.ExclusivenessThebest-knownqualityoftheBritishand,inparticular,oftheEnglishpeopleistheirexclusiveness.Thismeans,“IamEnglish.Youstayawayfromme.I’mquitehappytobemyself.Idon’tneedyou.Leavemealone.”It’sverydifficulttoknowsuchamanwhodoesn’ttalkmuch,neversaysanythingabouthimself,doesn’tshowmuchemotionandhardlyevergetsexcited.ThespecialgeographicallocationofBritainBritainisanislandcountrywhichiscutoffandisolatedfromtherestoftheworld.WhentheBritishareinBritain,theydon’tregardthemselvesasEuropeansalthoughtheUKisamemberoftheEuropeanCommunity.TheyfeeldifferentfromtherestofEurope.ThedistinctdevelopmentofitshistoryTheEnglishpeopleareveryproudoftheirhistoryandthinkthemselvesbetterthanmostpeopleintheworld.(Parliament,IndustrialRevolution,Shakespeare...)2.ConservativenessTheBritishpeopleareusuallyconsideredratherconservative.ManypeoplearesupportersoftheConservativeParty.Theirconservativeattitudeusuallyincludestwoaspects:1)Anacceptanceofthingsthatarefamiliar.2)Aninclinationtobesuspiciousofanythingthatisstrangeorforeign.MostBritishpeoplehavebeenSLOWtoadoptreforms.(await-and-seeattitude)Englishmenthinktheirwayofdoingthingsisalwaysthebest.Sotheytendtobehostile,oratleastbored,whentheyhearanysuggestionlike:“Somemodificationsofyourhabits,ortheintroductionofsth.newandunknownintoyourlives,mightbetoyouradvantage.”Theirconservatismcanbebetterillustratedinthefollowingexamples:1.Themonarchyhasbeenretained.2.Whilethere’scriticismoftheroyalfamilyforitslargeexpenditure,thecostlyroyalceremonyisstillpopularasareminderofthepast.3.ManyroomsinEnglandareheatedbygas&electricfire,buttheirownersstillspendmoneykeepingfireplacesthatareofnouse.4.Notuntil1971didBritishold&troublesomecurrencybecomedecimalizedafteracentury-oldbattleforreform.(Shillingsdisappeared&thepoundisdividedinto100pence.)5.Englishjudgesstillwearlongwigsinlawcourts.AttitudeTowardMonarchyTheyarereluctanttochangetheold-fashionedsystemofhavingamonarchthatisaproductoffeudalism.Becausehavingaqueenmakesthemfeelcompleteandtime-honored（久享盛名的）.That’swhythemonarchisheldinaffectionandrespectedbynearlyallthecitizens.FireplaceModernmethodsofhouse-heating,byelectricityorg