Compare the British. Is it possible?

Question

Can one compare the British? Where does the difference between Englishmen, Scots and Welshmen lie?

I'm a foreigner!

Answer 1

There are some social and cultural differences between the English, Scots, Welsh, Northern Irish, Manx and Cornish, but these days they are all pretty similar, and the differences are pretty much like the differences between regions of, say, England.

Ethnically the English are Anglo-Saxon and thus a Germanic people, whilst the Welsh, Scots, Irish, Cornish and Manx are Celts. Although again, many people are now of mixed blood, particularly in border areas. Also a huge number of English have actually got Celtic blood in them...i mean how many English peoples names begin with Mac, Mc, O', or have surnames like Blair, Cameron, Keegan etc Meaning Irish or Scots ancestry, or Tre or Pen, Cornish ancestry, eg, Trelawny, Tremayne, Penhalligan, Penrice etc, or Welsh names like Jones, Evans, Bevan, Price, Reece,Morris, Davis, Davies etc? LOADS!

Traditionally the Welsh and Cornish are darker haired and even sometimes a little darker skinned than the English, conversely, the celts are equally more likely to have Red hair and very pale skin than the English!

Language wise, a large number of Welsh still speak welsh, a much smaller number of Scots and Northern Irish speak gaelic, vast majority speak English, and a few people can speak Manx and Cornish still.

Hope all this helps.

Answer 2

Okay as an English person living in Scotland for the last ... too many years to mention .... Scots are generally more vociferous, gregarious, spiky, generous and will bite yer bum as soon as look at you (but generally don't hold a grudge).. the Welsh seem to be much gentler (must be all that singing) but more grumpy and up their bums (I seem to have a thing about bums) I've actually never met a Welsh person who I didn't like (odd that)... the English seem generally much happier with their lot but too flaming arrogant about it, more open and confident and, contrary to Celtic opinion, friendly and welcoming. That's just my opinion of course and I'm sure somebody out there is going to come back at me and tell me how wrong I am but I mean no offence. I think the Brits are great people (whichever nation) and after all I AM one!

Answer 3

A lot less differences that any of them would like to admit. The main difference probably is that Scots and Welsh are historically celtic while the English are more Anglo Saxon. But in reality, culturally, they are really close.

Answer 4

Below the waist mate!

Its all in their Willies man!

...the English ones are miniscule...(means really small!) ...
The English are known for their stiff upper lip and thats it!!!

Scots Willies are quite large which is said to be due to the supply of highland fresh air received as a result of the wearing of the kilt .. (traditionally worn without underwear of course)

As for the Welsh they like to give their Willies long names that can't be pronounced by anyone outside Wales. Many of the place names in Wales have been named after famous Welsh Willies from Historical times. Look at a map of Wales if you don't believe me.

Answer 5

historically the english belong to a very moderate protestant sect (anglicanism) while both the welsh and the scots followed much more radical protestant creeds (presbyterianism for the scots, and a form of presbyterianism (calvinistic methodism) for the welsh).

faith is not directly as important as it used to be in any of the three countries (the uk is very secular - even by european standards) but the scots (and to a lesser extent the welsh) tend to be more radical in their political beliefs than the english.

both scotland and wales now have national assemblies which are dominated by socialist and agrarian parties (labour and the snp in scotland, labour and plaid cymru in wales) with traditional conservatism / unionism being almost irrelevant in both countries.

in england, by contrast, a moderate conservative government reigned for eighteen years until 1997, and was then replaced by a moderate socialist administration which has been in power ever since.

so english politics tends to be very centrist (with a slight bias to right of centre), where both scotland and wales usually have administrations which are radical and reforming.

the welsh are far more like the belgians or the czechs than they are like the english. the english have much more in common with the germans (particularly saarlanders) and the dutch than with either the scots or the welsh.

Answer 6

The Scots want independence from the English. I, as an Englishman, want independence from the Scots who have been governing us for the past 10 years.

Answer 7

Huge differences. Not really something you learn though, like you cant really learn a culture.
They have different priorities, i would say. Welsh seem to have an attitude that says "I don't mind how im getting by, as long as im getting by im happy"
Scottish seem to like to joke that Scotlands the best at everything, but there seems to be an undertone that they actually think it, and like to see english (especially) and welsh looking silly.
English seem like they dont understand the scottish and welsh, and busy themselves with other things.

I'd say scots are like the uncles, welsh are the cousins, and english are the little kids.

Im sure theres differences between spanish and portuguese but i wouldnt know to meet them.

tbh im just rambling, its making some small bits of sense in my head lol

Answer 8

welsh people are sad, soulful and fey...scots are angry, soulful and fey...the english are all sorts but rarely fey! (welsh/scots extraction living in england)...but there's as much difference between a Geordie(northern english) and a londoner as there is between the welsh or the scots and the english.

Answer 9

No, the British are definitely unique !

Answer 10

one was better than the other two.could have gone either way.