Thanks for another interesting and thought-provoking link, Céline.

"the groups felt that Britain is now firmly a multi-cultural society"

This didn't seem to stop them coming out with the sorts of stereotypes usually associated with southern English white middle class male Britons.

I find the choice of "focus groups" extraordinary. One from the south-east of England, none from anywhere else in Britain, one from Italy (why?), one from India, where history has not exactly covered Britain with glory, and one from the USA. Just how does anyone think this can provide a picture of Britishness which is remotely representative or even meaningful?

Also surprised at the absence of any mention of one feature of Britishness which is becoming increasingly worrying: the lack of ability in, and even worse, the lack of any interest in, learning other languages. Ever fewer pupils are learning languages at school, and our highly Europe-friendly government has decided that those aged 14 and over need no language teaching at all. Our universities are closing language departments or "downsizing" them.

It's especially worrying in light of the fact that no monoglot Briton seems able to recognise that there is any problem.

This is also tied in with the lack of understanding of what learning another language actually entails and of what translators and interpreters actually do. And of course, we shouldn't forget that there are people who believe that online translation software is actually usable...

Rant over

Neij

Hi Neij, well, I didn't comment on this report because I find it impossible to make such blanket generalisations about 60 million people. However, it is interesting in the sense that it gives you an idea of what some people think, even if, as you pointed out, the choice of groups was very odd indeed.

Happy blogday en retard. Very nice blog. I just started mine...

Hi Celine! I'd say how much i love the blog, but I've probably done that far too much in the past.

It's an interesting, if not particuarly scientific, report. From my own experience when I was away in Greece these past 6 months, I generally got a hard time for being British (but nothing I couldn't laugh off!) Our food is awful, the weather is awful, we drink and fight, and British women are all easy.

(that last one got me into scary trouble on a couple of occasions!)

Generally, the other Europeans thought Britain was sh*t-hole, yet I somehow managed to suprise them during conversations about health and safety law, disabled access to shops and public buildings, a tolerant society, wide variety of foreign restaurants..

but they never did get the Tea thing.

I have a light-hearted question for you - this is something we discussed a lot with the French, Spanish and Germans; why do so many of the French never lose their accent, no matter how fluent in a language? (possibly excluding yourself!) I tried to teach the French woman to improve her (already excellent) English by losing the accent, but she couldn't get it.

Hi Sarah!

I've given up trying to defend England when I go back to France. Example of how I deal with people these days (translated of course, but for full effect you should picture French Person pulling a disgusted face at the thought of the abhorred country):
French Person: "The weather is awful in England isn't it?"
Céline: "Worse than you think."
FP: "They eat crap don't they?"
C: "Makes me sick just thinking about it."
FP: "Their football fans are all thugs."
C: "I buy enough food to last a few days and barricade myself in my flat when Brighton play at home."
FP: "They're quite cold and distant aren't they?"
C: "Would you mind moving away a bit? I am no longer used to such human proximity."
FP: "How on earth can England support the Bushies?"
C: "You're against Bush? So you must be a terrorist." THUMP

As for French people speaking English, *ahem* if I may say *cough*, most (all?) English-speaking people I've met have shown pure, unadulterated amazement and shock at the quality of my English accent. Ressucitation has been necessary at times. The most sagacious among them have spotted a teeny hint of a little something, but they normally go for Australian or South African. Or Turkish, once (?). But generally, you're right, most French people I know speak English with a very pronounced accent. Dunno why. Bless them.

"Would you mind moving away a bit? I am no longer used to such human proximity."

tehehe. Good answers; I got to that stage after a month or so.

"What are you complaining about? The rain? This? This isn't rain, in my country, when the weather's like this we go to the beach. Wuss."

Britishness, if there is such a noun, refers to the sense of poigniant re-call of the Old Country that is associated with living in a foreign country. The British temperament is slow to embrace patriotism, often called jingoism, or xenophobia and quick to critique the vaguaries of anything remotly Brit! But put a Brit in the remotest corner of the globe and then show him Nelson's column or Waterloo Bridge and his chest swells and eyes tear. It has little to do with the empassioned uncouthfulness that accompanies the Saturday night rampage of drunken football supporters waving the Union Jack and chanting racial epithets. Sadly that aspect of Britishness has become the all too familar face emblazoned across the Sunday papers