How do people view the English?

Question

I was just wondering how people preseved English people, I know we are portrayed as either posh or cocknies in forgein programmes or films.

Just what is your opinion?

I am actually from the Liverpool area and anyone who is forgein thinks I am scottish!!

Answer 1

I'm English, but live in Nth Spain, in the Basque Country, where basically u HAVE to speak Spanish. They have mixed feelings about us: on the one hand they love how educated we are (regarding manners etc), our culture etc., but on the other hand, hate the arrogance of the Brits abroad (refusing to try & speak another language), drinking culture, yobbish behaviour etc. I understand where they're coming from. having witnessed all the above when I used to work in a bar here. Example: English guy very politely ordered a glass of wine (NOT in Spanish), got it poured, and then proceeded to argue about the glass it was served in, thinking her knew better than a population of 180,000 ppl (city where I live), as to how it should have been presented. U ask for a cheap wine, u get a cheap glass.....simple, but nope, HE was in the right. We as a nation are too arrogant and need to lighten up a little. After living here for the last 5 years, i can now look at us as emotionally reppressed people that go to the other extreme away from home. We should learn to find the balance between both, only then will we be regard as true friends by the rest of the world.

Answer 2

Generally crafty, innovative, and intelligent. But whether that is seen as a good thing or not would depend on where you go. Americans generally see you as more sophisticated.
Many Asian countries wish they would have been colonized by you instead of the Dutch or the French.
But the Middle East and Persia are still a little upset about the arbitrary borders you drew last century (they see America as the great satan, but that the British are pulling the strings)
And judging by the jubilation in India when they recently bought an English company shows they still resent colonization a bit.
Oh, and the Irish can't stand you.

Answer 3

They had a reputation of looking down there noses at everyone else because of there Empire and some still do especially in the South of England around London. I hate that nauseating clipped high pitched snobby Accent that some of them have it is really irritating,and is not welcome in many Countries. Apart from that they are 100 % very Friendly easy to get along with especially away from the London region where you meet a different sort of person. So long as you dont run into the Football Lager louts who want to fight People and smash up Peoples Property, and there fellow hangers on the National Front the British Fascists who always follow the Soccer Fraternity around.Otherwise as I have Stated they are very nice some good some bad.

Answer 4

Has anyone else noticed how the baddie in recent films and books is often English, why this happens in American films I do not know. People from other countries when on phone in radio shows often describe all English people as falling down drunks! This kind of statement is never corrected by the presenter!Of course there are badly behaved English people, but the vast majority are decent and hardworking. Perhaps English people need a Max Clifford to up our profile?

Answer 5

I love the English, probably because I live here (have for almost 4 years). I find them in general to be educated and well informed as well as quite openminded. That could have something to do with the way news is reported in the UK as well. Very informative and objective I think. Obviously not all are nice and some absolutely hate foreigners but as a whole the English are wonderful!!!

Answer 6

hi, this is only my opinion..i like the english people..they are nice and human..of course there is good guys and bad guys as everywhere in the world..they are polite,educated,kind(not all of them,of course) but the thing that i dont like it in them is that their relationships between each other (english -english) are sooo cold..if u tell an english friend that u have a trouble or u ill ..etc? all they gonna say is : ohh, dear ,so sorry to know that... and thats it..and they just saying it for the sake of saying it..im not say they don not have emotions but its so cold..but the good thing is they are logic and practical?
plz dont forget that country or area has its own traditions and culture which comes from the old generations and been affected by the area enviroment,weather,geography..etc....so u can not judge anyone on who he/she is cos thats how they been created,learnt,brought up and experinced.

thanks

Answer 7

As funny in a good way. I have always loved Benny Hill but admittedly did not understand the jokes in every skit. No reason to hate any nationality due to their leaders as some have said here- people on the street on any country have such minimal control of such things.

Answer 8

who gives a monkeys uncle what people think of us, we are English , Scottish , Welsh , and Irish, Indian , west Indian , etc etc etc the list is endless. but if the crap its the fan we " are the first to be there " unless we are portrayed, oops you were talking about the English , in a world cup game of any sports if England got knocked out i would support any one of our fellow country men PS " and i am sure so would the Scot's etc etc etc "

Answer 9

Monolinguals who don't like the fact that other nations speak other languages.They come to Wales and complain that Welsh is above English on roadsigns(yes,really!!).I had one Englishman come up to my friends and me in OUR pub ,in OUR country to ask..no tell ..us to stop speaking in Welsh because he and his wife did n't understand what was being said.
Had we been violent people he would have been cra*ping his teeth for the next week but we just told him politely(or not)..that we had no intention of doing such a thing.I realise not all English people are like this but it gives people a perception that they are.

Answer 10

Look at the Sun (fri 9 feb), and refer to Mr Anderson's comments about the British when he was interviewed regarding his friend's friendly fire incident. It explains a lot.

Secondly, I've also noticed the TV portrayal of Brits. We don't help matters with our upper-class newsreaders. I'd imagine nobody's heard our teenagers accents outside the UK. They'd think we were from the carribean.

But, all said, we are just as guilty of stereotyping foreigners as they are of us. In an event the other day, I heard somebody refer to their Japanese friend as 'he's, you know, eastern. One of them martial arts types'. I classed that comment as slightly racist so I denied it any reply.