Episode 2: Being British

In this episode:

• Top 30 things that British people do

Top 30 things that make you British (Metro March 2019)

This episode plays on stereotypes - not all British people are like this.

Stereotype = a popular generalisation about a group of people.

1. Putting ketchup on everything

1. Never letting your emotions get the better of you - 

To get the better of you = to strong for you to control

1. Shouting wahey when someone drops a drink in the pub

TEST IT!

1. Being squashed on the train by a larger person and pretending you don’t notice when they are half sitting in your seat.

Tolerant/To tolerate = To accept something you don’t like.

1. Saying ‘right’ before you’re about to do something.

1. Moaning about our commute

To moan = to complain    A commute = a journey you do regularly, usually to and from work/school 

1. Respecting our elders 

Elders - people older than you / Elderly (adj) A polite way to say ‘old’

1. Wearing shorts and sunglasses the second the sun comes out

1. Holding the door open for someone when they’re unnecessarily far away so they end up running for the door

1. Having a barbecue as soon as the sun comes out

1. Having meals based on what day it is – like Fishy Friday - a Sunday roast

1. Not complaining in a restaurant when the food is bad

(an example of being tolerant)

1. Pulling together in a crisis

To pull together = To cooperate with people/to work together to solve a problem.

1. Being proud of where you are from

A fry up - a meal with fried food: sausages, egg, bacon, tomato, baked beans, toast

1. Sarcasm

Sarcastic (adj) = saying the opposite of what you mean to be funny, or to criticise. 

1. Having good manners

Manners = doing polite socially acceptable things. Eg saying please and thank you.

1. Having a dry sense of humour

The joke is not always obvious, perhaps said in a normal or serious tone of voice. Sometime plays on misleading or unexpected details. (what are you doing in my house? Turned off the lights jokes).

1. Having a stiff upper lip

Not expressing emotion / hiding your emotions

1. Going to the pub

To dunk = to dip = to put something into liquid, and pull it out again quickly.

1. Saying please and thank you

(good manners)

1. Saying ‘sorry’ too frequently

Kettle = a machine to boil water

To put the kettle on (a collocation)

1. Having a roast dinner on Sundays

(not queue jumping or cutting in line)

1. Talking about the weather

Generational differences were also found:

42% of older people considered it British to be proud of where you’re from 

19% of younger adults agreed

13% said they weren’t proud to be British at all

Talk to a Teacher

Shereen from An English Nerd - Living in Manchester

Phrasal Verb of the week

To put up with

To accept something which you don’t like.

To not complain about something which is unpleasant. Or someone who is unpleasant.

Eg: I put up with some of the TV shows my wife suggests we watch together.

Learn from a learner

Chien likes British weather. 

Q: Does she prefer summer or winter?

She can enjoy the day and enjoy the sunshine, and it’s pretty nice here

(she lives in the UK).

Temperature pronunciation

Repetition of nice

The temperature is - pleasant, just right, warm,