The life of people in the UK is how people live. Typical British: character, appearance, lifestyle National traits of the British and their features

Sukiasyan V.A.

MGOU named after V.S. Chernomyrdin

National character of the British

The character of the English is considered the most controversial and paradoxical of all European nations.

The British are credited arrogance, snobbery, detachment, hypocrisy, lack of sociability, restraint.

The geographical position of the country played a role in shaping the English national character. The insular position of the country formed the "island" thinking of the British. For Europeans, this isolation is associated with snobbery.

In England it is impossible to overdo it by saying "thank you" and "please". Perhaps this is the only country in the world where the one who has been stepped on apologizes.

The English hide negative emotions and feelings and, as a rule, do not express them openly and naturally. This leaves an imprint on the way of communication: it is very difficult for the British to speak with pronounced emotions and gestures.

In general, the British are modest and pleasant in communication.

The English are smart and quick-witted, they love to think. Their favorite activities, according to many researchers**, are reading, gardening and research.

The British are fond of sports. Golf, cricket, football and rugby- the most popular national sports, and fox hunting and running associated with the upper class.

The English love gambling. More and more Englishmen began to get involved in card games, special establishments appear (opening clubs is also a typical English occupation), where you can read, play cards and, finally, communicate.

The British are also famous lovers of nature and animals.

National character of Americans.

America, like any other nation, considers itself the best nation in the world. The Americans, however, have a strong proof of this: people from all over the globe come to this country and many manage to fully realize themselves. It is very important for Americans to be the very best. Winning is the foundation of American psychology. Every event in an American's life, from prom to marriage to buying a car, is orchestrated to look like winning a competition. In addition, the Americans consider themselves the only country that can win. Winning is important to the Americans, because the winner, as a rule, is doing great, and the Americans should be doing great. The remarkable factor is present in all manifestations of personal and social life. Universities give academic awards to anyone who is even slightly able to pass exams.

Primary school is primarily concerned with instilling self-esteem in children: children are taught how wonderful all their achievements are (even if these achievements do not involve the ability to divide one number by another without the help of a calculator). In some schools, dictations have been canceled altogether, because, after all, children will spell some word incorrectly, and this has a detrimental effect on their self-esteem, i.e. makes them feel less than wonderful. And therefore, because of their sense of superiority in many European countries, Americans believe:

-->impudent, impudent;

-->ignorant;

-->complacent;

-->obese.

The American nation as a whole is credited with several common traits:

-->Patriotism, bordering on religious faith in their state system, which they consider the best in the world. When asked what exactly they are most proud of, they answer that these are their state and political institutions.

The political views of Americans are most dependent on their family traditions.

-->Americans not interested culture of other countries, only their own.

--> Americans really appreciate individuality and privacy. They believe that they are responsible for their intentions, choices and destiny.

--> The right to privacy, to personal opinion, is universally respected in the United States. From an early age, American children are encouraged to make their own choices. Two-year-olds may be asked if they want to sit next to mom or dad.

It's believed that Aging fundamentally contradicts all American ideals and concepts. The slogan for both men and women is "Look twenty years younger." Old people, who are called "older people", try to hide their age by any means, thereby tinting their hair, putting on jeans, tightening their skin, and removing wrinkles through plastic surgery, etc.

Hi all. Welcome to my channel.

Today I would like to talk about such a phenomenon as a typical Englishman. My friends often ask me: what are they, these typical Englishmen, what is so special and unusual about them?

So, what is an Englishman by nature? According to my observations, many English people are very friendly and open. The stereotype that they are closed and cold is probably not entirely correct. Of course, there are people who are more good-natured and open, but the British can also easily invite you to their home. They do not have such an attitude: my house is my fortress, which is closed to everyone. Not at all.

The British go to visit each other, communicate. Sometimes an ordinary conversation in a store can turn into a story about your life, your family. But at the same time, it should be understood that under such good nature one should not expect anything more or some kind of long-term relationship. It may just be small talk. In general, the British are very social by nature. It seems to me that this quality is instilled from childhood, since schoolchildren quite often attend various circles.

Also here much attention is paid to sports, and usually all children play some kind of sports, and they are not limited to some classical disciplines (like football, basketball), but take part in a fairly wide variety of games in which girls also participate, in including. I think that all team sports adapt children very well to being in society, they become more sociable and open.

As for appearance: the British really take care of themselves. It cannot be said that they are some kind of sluts, but, perhaps, by our Slavic standards, their appearance will not quite fall under the concept of neatness and elegance - typical Englishmen are more relaxed, democratic in their clothes. And probably they do not pay as much attention to this as we do, because clothes for us are an expression of status, wealth. In England, this is somehow easier to do, but it cannot be said that the British wear things that are completely ugly or unstylish. The only thing I want to say about the girls (when you go to a pub or a nightclub): they go too far in the sense that they don’t dress at all for the weather. If it’s convenient not to take a jacket to a nightclub in winter, then the girl does so so as not to take it to the wardrobe and not forget it by accident, that is, she just puts on a dress (even without pantyhose) and walks down the street in this form, at that time how the snow lies all around. This is a slightly shocking moment. And at the same time, girls are very fond of false eyelashes, nails, various bright colors in their appearance. Maybe it would be good individually, but together it looks overly saturated.

Typical English people are very fond of going to pubs. And for the British, they are not bars or just places where you can have a drink, but more - as places to communicate and spend time with your friends, acquaintances, neighbors (that's why local pubs are very popular, where they constantly broadcast some matches, hold lotteries, karaoke ).

Another point that may seem trivial, but nevertheless, is that typical English people do not take off their shoes in a house or apartment. It's customary in our culture to take off your shoes, or at least ask about it. In England, you may be faced with the fact that guests will come to you and just walk straight into the hall without taking off their shoes. And only if the weather is already very bad and dirty on the street, they can ask whether to take off their shoes or not; but I have come across the fact that such a factor as inclement weather does not stop people, that is, they leave behind a pile of dirt. And when even you say: “Excuse me, can I ask you to take off your shoes?” - They might think you're rude.

Each nation has its own special character traits. This is especially true for the British. Every Englishman, wherever he lives at the moment, has a set of qualities that will not allow him to be confused with a representative of another nationality.

We can say that the features of the British are the result of the historical development of the country, a reflection of its traditions and customs, as well as a consequence of the island position of England.

Many authors tried to describe from the side of a typical Englishman, his character, habits, interests. But do not forget that each person is unique, so it is important not to simplify or exaggerate information about the life of an entire nation.

Constancy of character

Among the national characteristics of the character of the British, one of the main ones is singled out - their constancy and adherence to various rituals and traditions. Some traditions are turned into performances, such as the Key Ceremony at the Tower or the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

Some traditions are deeply embedded in the life of the British and are not even considered attempts to change something. An Englishman's own vision of the world is not able to change under the influence of external factors, just as his habit of five-hour tea drinking is not able to change.

It is believed that the inhabitants of England are imperturbable in any situation. Their equanimity and self-control is determined by the fact that from childhood they are taught to react in a certain way to life situations, not to show true feelings, to overcome hardships and hardships. It is rare to see an expression of emotion on the faces of the English, whether it be surprise or anger.

Paradox and eccentricity

Despite the constancy and restraint, among the character traits of the British, their eccentricity is not the last, which provokes some paradoxical behavior. The display of emotions during football matches does not correspond to the typical Englishman.

Also, the British rarely hold back their emotions when faced with criticism or ridicule of their traditions or way of life. This is a fairly patriotic nation, ready to pay taxes for the maintenance of the royal family, which may be dissatisfied with some rules until they are introduced into law.

The paradoxical character of the English is determined by some inconsistency in their behavior. They do not like heat, but they love fireplaces, they have no idea about the affairs of their neighbors, but they know everything about the life of the royal family, they can dress casually at home, but even at a cattle show they will put on a hat and put a flower in the buttonhole of their jacket.

These features of the national character of the English are inexplicable, but they are always proud of them.

The eccentricity of behavior lies in the life of the British without regard to others. They do not care about the opinions of others, although they will politely listen to it. The British can collect strange things, walk with a folded umbrella in the rain, dress extravagantly.

This tendency to stand out, to become different from everyone, probably arose precisely because of the historically established strict norms of behavior, prescriptions and rules that do not allow one to be very different from others.

Ritual behavior

No matter how eccentric and original the inhabitants of England are, for the most part their behavior is ritualistic.

The English observe certain rituals when communicating: even with strangers, they will carry on a conversation about the weather, gardening or minor news, because that's the way it is. It is not even the topic of the conversation that is important, but the process itself.

There are certain rituals in organizing entertainment, meals, choosing clothes, organizing leisure activities on weekends, communicating with different categories of people. During the day, an Englishman can perform some actions, not because he wants to, but because it is prescribed by rituals.

English snobbery

One of the negative features of the British is their snobbery. Often this quality is explained as a consequence of the imperial psychology that came from the time when England subjugated almost half of the world. The English feel superior to other nations, and this superiority does not consist in having no one above them, but in having someone below them.

Previously, from childhood, a stereotype was introduced into their minds that they needed to show the greatness of the British nation, to be an example to the whole world. And even when the empire fell, this idea did not just leave the subconscious of people.

Also, often the British simply do not delve into the life and characteristics of other peoples, selfishly giving preference to their own internal problems. The island position of England determined the special hostile attitude of the British towards other peoples. What is happening on the mainland is in many ways perceived by the inhabitants of England as something different from their life as a civilization from the barbarians.

Tolerance of the nation

But we must pay tribute to the British, they will never show their hostility in person, for which they are often considered two-faced. This is determined by their politeness - they will never aloud express dissatisfaction or disagreement with someone else's opinion, saying something from complacent phrases: “This is a very interesting idea” or “Quite an interesting reasoning.” In fact, this will mean disagreement.

In general, they rarely utter categorical phrases. Even when answering the question "What time is it?" from an Englishman you can hear "I think it's six o'clock" or "I think it's six o'clock". Those who often communicate with representatives of the British people consider it impolite - such a polite treatment for show hides their indifference, indifference and suspicion.

The natives of England do not care how a person dresses, how he speaks, how he behaves. The eccentricity of others is not condemned and as if not noticed. This principle of their life can be expressed by the words “Live yourself and let others live.”

English tolerance extends to the attitude towards nature. England is considered a green country with a unique nature. It is not uncommon for Britain to have a lone house among the trees, which shows the presence of a person even in remote parts of the country, or parks and gardens in large cities that look more like wildlife.

The isolation of the British

The isolation of the nation is explained by the geographical position of the country. Island psychology separates not only England from the mainland countries, but also every person from each other. This nation is very fond of solitude. The British are very difficult to converge with other people, but keep in touch with the acquired friends for many years.

When meeting with acquaintances, men do not demonstrate joy, do not exchange smiles on duty, do not hug, but limit themselves to a classic handshake. Women do not exchange real kisses when they meet, but only imitate sounds and gestures somewhere in the ear of a friend.

Physical contact when communicating with friends is considered indecent and unnatural.

In this regard, the British live by the principle of "do not touch me." Any person tends to avoid contact with strangers. When such contacts cannot be avoided, for example, in public transport, they do not look into each other's eyes, they try to avoid eye contact.

English humor

It seems to all foreigners that the excellent sense of humor of the British is only a myth. Their jokes seem flat, ridiculous, uninteresting and stupid. The British themselves are proud of their sense of humor and react painfully to such an assessment from others.

Accusing them of not being able to joke infringes on their pride more than condemning other qualities of character. Perhaps the lack of a sense of humor is attributed to the British because of their inability to laugh at themselves, their traditions and interests.

English humor has more to do with the word than with sitcom or disguise. Therefore, it traditionally manifests itself in literature - in the comic characters of W. Shakespeare, C. Dickens, D. Austin, L. Carol and other authors. English humor can also appear without words: Charlie Chaplin's short comedies still cause laughter all over the world.

All these qualities define an original, unique and somewhat paradoxical world - a typical English character. It is simply impossible to confuse a representative of this country with someone else.

The British live on the island of Great Britain. It is also home to the Scots and Welsh. Actually, the British are the product of a mixture of many ethnic groups - the most ancient Iberian population with peoples of Indo-European origin: tribes of Celts, Germanic tribes of Angles, Saxons, Frisians, Jutes, to some extent - Scandinavians, and later Franco-Normans.

The national character is tenacious in all peoples. But this applies to no people more than to the English, who, apparently, have something like a patent for the vitality of their nature. Thus, the first and most obvious feature of this nation is the stability and constancy of the character of its constituent individuals. They are less susceptible to the influence of time, transient fashions than others. If the authors writing about the English repeat each other in many respects, this is due, first of all, to the immutability of the foundations of the English character. It is important, however, to emphasize that, for all its stability, this character is made up of very contradictory, even paradoxical features, some of which are very obvious, while others are difficult to grasp, so that every generalization concerning the English can easily be challenged.

The curiosity of the English allowed them to get acquainted with the best of what other peoples have, and yet they remained true to their traditions. While admiring French cuisine, an Englishman will not imitate it at home. Being the embodiment of conformism, the British at the same time retain their individuality.

It cannot be said that the English have never changed. Changes happen all the time, but these differences, so visible externally, do not affect nations.

For better or worse, the original features of English nature still remain a kind of common denominator, have a profound impact on the national character and general lifestyle.

When it comes to the "hard upper lip" of an Englishman, there are two concepts behind this - the ability to control oneself (the cult of self-control) and the ability to respond appropriately to life situations (the cult of prescribed behavior). Neither one nor the other was characteristic of the British until the beginning of the nineteenth century. Equanimity and self-control, restraint and courtesy were by no means the features of the English character for "jolly old England", where the upper and lower classes of society were rather distinguished by a violent, quick-tempered temper, where there were no moral prohibitions for defiant behavior, where public executions and whippings were a favorite spectacle. , bear and cockfights, where even the humor was mixed with cruelty.

The principles of "gentlemanly behavior" were elevated to a cult under Queen Victoria. And they prevailed over the tough temper of "old England".

The Englishman even now has to wage a constant struggle with himself, with the natural passions of his temperament, rushing outward. And such tough self-control takes too much mental strength. This may partly explain the fact that the British are heavy on their feet, tend to avoid sharp corners, that they have an inherent desire to be out of prying eyes, which gives rise to a cult of privacy.

It is enough to watch the English crowd at a national holiday or at a football match to feel how the national temperament is torn from the bridle of self-control.

Modern English consider self-control to be the main virtue of human character. The words: "Know how to control yourself" - as nothing better express the motto of this nation. The better a person knows how to control himself, the more worthy he is. In joy and in sorrow, in success and failure, a person must remain unperturbed at least externally, and even better - if internally. An Englishman from childhood is taught to calmly endure cold and hunger, to overcome pain and fear, to curb attachments and antipathies.

Considering an open, uninhibited display of feelings as a sign of bad manners, the English sometimes misjudge the behavior of foreigners, just as foreigners often misjudge the English, mistaking the mask of equanimity for the face itself, or not realizing why it is necessary to hide the true state of mind under such a mask.

The Englishman is usually tall, his face is broad, reddish, with soft, pendulous cheeks, large red sideburns, and passionless blue eyes. Women, like men, are often very tall too. Both have long necks, slightly protruding eyes, and slightly protruding front teeth. Often there are faces without any expression. The English are characterized by moderation, which they do not forget both during labor and in pleasure. There is almost nothing ostentatious about the Englishman. He lives first and foremost for himself. His nature is characterized by love for order, comfort, the desire for mental activity. He loves good transport, a fresh suit, a rich library.

Among the bustle of people, it is not difficult to recognize a real Englishman. No noise or shouting will confuse him. He won't stop for a minute. Where necessary, he will certainly step aside, turn off the sidewalk, wriggle to the side, never expressing the slightest surprise or fright on his important face.

The common English are extremely friendly and helpful. An Englishman who has addressed a foreigner with some question will take him by the shoulder and begin to show him the way with different visual techniques, repeating the same thing several times, and then he will look after him for a long time, not believing that the questioner could understand everything so soon.

The English not only know how to bypass all obstacles, avoiding breakage, but the work itself is carried out with perfect calmness, so that even the nearest neighbor often does not even suspect that a gigantic work is in full swing next to him.

In a country overwhelmed by fierce winds, rains and fogs, conditions have been created in which a person, more than anywhere else, is secluded in his home and removed from his fellows.

There is no people in Europe whose custom is elevated to such an inviolable law. Once a custom exists, no matter how strange, ridiculous or original, no well-bred Englishman will dare to break it. Although the Englishman is politically free, he is strictly subject to social discipline and ingrained customs.

The British are tolerant of other people's opinions. It is difficult to imagine to what extent this people have a strong passion for betting. The proliferation of clubs is also a phenomenon. The club is considered a home, a family sanctuary, the secrets of which no one can violate with impunity. Expulsion from the club is the greatest disgrace for an Englishman.

The Englishman feels a strong need for society, but no one knows how to retire among many friends better than him. Without violating decorum, he is perfectly capable of being with himself among a huge crowd, indulging in his thoughts, doing whatever he pleases, never embarrassing himself or others.

No one knows how to allocate his time and money as strictly as an Englishman.

He works extremely hard, but always finds time to relax. During the hours of labor he works without straightening his back, straining all his mental and physical forces; in his free time he willingly indulges in pleasures.

Every Englishman, wherever he lives, bears the stamp of his nationality. It is not always possible to distinguish a Frenchman from an Italian or from a Spaniard, but it is difficult to confuse an Englishman with anyone else. Wherever he comes, he will bring his customs, his manner of behavior everywhere, he will not change his habits anywhere and for anyone, he is everywhere - at home. This is an original, original, highly integral character.

The Englishman is very vain. He is sure that everything is going better in his country than in others. Therefore, he looks at the foreigner arrogantly, with regret and often with complete contempt. This defect in the English developed as a result of a lack of sociability and an exaggerated consciousness of their superiority over others.

Money is the idol of the British. No one treats wealth like this. Whatever the social position of an Englishman, be it a scientist, a lawyer, a politician or a clergyman, first of all he is a businessman. In every field, he devotes a lot of time to making money. His first concern always and everywhere is to make as much money as possible. But with this unbridled greed and passion for profit, the Englishman is not at all stingy: he loves to live with great comfort and in a big way.

The English travel a lot and always try to find out more facts, but they get very little closer to the people of the countries they visit. Etiquette, pride, misunderstanding and contempt for foreign customs do not allow them to get close to foreigners in a foreign land. In England, nothing turns into ruins, nothing outlives its life: next to the legends, innovations are crowded.

The Englishman has a natural ability to seek adventure. Phlegmatic by nature, he is able to passionately get involved in everything great, new, original. If the life of an Englishman develops in such a way that he is deprived of the opportunity to wage a difficult struggle with worldly obstacles, then he begins to suffer intolerable blues. Then, out of oppressive boredom, it is taken to seek entertainment in the strangest adventures.

In the field of art, the Englishman loves, above all, grandiosity and originality. The latter manifests itself, in particular, in the enormous size of bridges, monuments, parks, etc.

The ideal of the English is independence, education, dignity, honesty and disinterestedness, tact, grace of manners, refined courtesy, the ability to sacrifice time and money for a good cause, the ability to lead and obey, perseverance in achieving the goal, lack of swagger.

V. Sukhareva, M. Sukhareva, The book "Psychology of peoples and nations"

Right hand traffic. Plugs for electrical appliances with three flat pins. Two taps where cold and hot water does not mix. Fiscal year starting on April 6, unlike in the rest of the world. For decades, the British government has been trying to get the population used to the metric system, but until now, shoppers are asked to weigh goods in pounds, distance and speed are measured in miles, and the volume of liquid is measured in gallons and pints. Even to indicate the time, two options are used - the global 24-hour format and the more familiar to the British - 12-hour ... This list of British oddities can be continued endlessly.

The stereotype around the world depicts the Briton as dressing in impossibly formal clothes, eating tasteless food, playing boring and leisurely sports, and having a peculiar sense of humor that foreigners don't understand. And also as a conservative, reserved and cold person. Indeed, the British are not the most open and spontaneous people.

Undoubtedly, the formation british national character had a great influence. The weather has been the main topic of small talk and family conversations for centuries. A popular description of British weather is "cold grey, warmer grey, gorgeous short burst of summer, gray again" or gloom-gloom-hope-gloom.

The unpredictability and variability of British weather has made them so different from all of continental Europe. For comparison, Rome averages 2500 hours of sunshine a year, London 1500 hours and Glasgow only 1250!

English coldness is a consequence of the cold climate. The inhabitants of the British Isles simply did not have and do not have the opportunity to communicate outside the home as much as the southerners, who have formed a cafe - culture, communicate. While the French and Spaniards sipped their wine leisurely in the cool of cozy courtyards, the British drank beer in large quantities to warm up in cold rooms and “warm up” conversations.

Bad weather largely explains the natural restraint and gloominess of the British, the lack of unnecessary excitement in solving problems.

There is no place like home and My house is my castle are two of the British's favorite sayings that reflect their attitude towards home. Most of the time they spend at home behind closed doors. Visits, for the most part, must be pre-arranged. About 70% of Britons own houses, most have gardens and enjoy gardening and lawn care. Many houses, especially old ones, are surrounded by thorny hedges, symbolizing the British desire to protect privacy.

The British not only love their homes, they are also absolutely crazy about their pets and are also very concerned about the living conditions and the rights of wild animals. The country has more animal rights foundations than any other country in the world. For example, the Foundation for the Protection of Ugly Animals. Paradoxically, hunting for wild animals is considered one of the favorite pastimes of the British. And driven fox hunting, which had been the privilege of the nobility for many centuries, was banned quite recently.

The British are completely tolerant of accents and mistakes made by foreigners in English. Apparently, because they really do not want to learn foreign languages, considering themselves incapable of them.

One of the best characteristics of British culture is an unquenchable courtesy and concern for the needs of others. Indeed, they are very polite: they stand patiently in waiting for their turn, they keep the door open for the one who comes behind. British police officers have a reputation for being helpful and the friendliest in the world. On the other hand, football fans in Britain are known around the world as hooligans and vandals who can smash the stadium to pieces.

When asking strangers questions, the British usually do not use personal pronouns. For example, the question "Where can I find the changing room?" usually sounds like "Where's the changing room?" A direct question can be regarded as overly harsh or even rude.

Exactly the same question "What?", if you did not hear or understand the interlocutor, it will be regarded as rude. A much more appropriate question would be "Sorry?"

The British traditionally apologize a lot, even if it seems to foreigners that in this situation they should not apologize at all. For example, if you accidentally stepped on someone’s foot, you will hear “I’m sorry”. Do not forget to apologize too, and the question "What are you sorry about?" will only emphasize that you are a foreigner. It is very common for British people to start a conversation with a stranger with "sorry", for example, "Sorry, do you know where the nearest toilets are?" "sorry" in this case is the equivalent of "excuse me", and is not an apology.

The British are very respectful of personal space and in lines, transport, cinemas, etc. always leave free space. If people do not know each other, they will prefer to sit further away from each other if there is space available.

Foreigners often avoid addressing unfamiliar people in the UK by their first names, but this is acceptable in most social institutions. In a very formal or business setting, the name is used only when people get to know each other well enough. Officials, such as police officers and doctors, are referred to by their title and surname, such as Mr Smith.

The greeting also depends on the situation. In most everyday situations, it is enough to say "hello (name)!" Young people say say "Hi," "Hiya," or "Hey," although the latter serves mainly to attract attention and may be considered impolite by a stranger.

Another greeting commonly used in colloquial speech is "You're all right?" or "All right?"(we hear to" A"right"), which is a combination of two greetings - Hello and " How are you?"

In response, you can also say a greeting or answer briefly, about how you feel now - "I"m fine, you?", "I"m all right, you?". Foreigners often misinterpret this greeting as an expression of real concern about the interlocutor and try to answer everything that is sore. For the British, it can be surprise and annoyance.

Brits who work in the service industry by company rules usually initiate small talk or small talk while you are being served. Among the popular topics are the weather, the country you come from, sports (the British are a very sporty nation).

The safest way to talk about nationality is to refer to the inhabitants of the United Kingdom as British. The name of the English is not to be applied to the Welsh and Scots. They are usually very sensitive about it. For most Northern Irish unionists, the name Irish sounds offensive. Conversely, Irish nationalists insist that they are Irish and not British. They usually hold two passports - the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

For more detailed information, you can refer to numerous books on the subject, for example, Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behavior by Kate Fox.

Fundamental components of British self-identity:

• Law supremacy. Our society is based on the idea that we are all subject to the same rules, regardless of status or amount of money.
• Sovereignty of the Crown and Parliament. The House of Lords, Commons and the Monarch are the supreme power in the country.
• pluralistic state. Equality before the law of all citizens, regardless of their affiliation to parties, religions, sects, adherence to ideology. Respect for rivals.
• Personal freedom. The priority of the individual over the state. Respect for any manifestations of individuality, if they do not harm others.
• Private property. Freedom includes: the freedom to buy and sell property without fear of confiscation, the inviolability of private property.
• political institutions. National character is manifested in the political system of the United Kingdom, which respects the freedom of the individual, regulating behavior and providing for the needs of citizens without coercion.
• A family. The existence of civil society is not possible without the transmission of these values ​​from generation to generation. A strong family is a necessary component of a stable British society.
• Story. British children inherit a political culture, a set of rights and obligations, and a vast array of national achievements. A rich history is a matter of special pride for the British.
• Anglosphere. The British still perceive the English-speaking world as a single country and every event in this world is perceived as taking place at home.
• British character. Or as Rudyard Kipling called him Saxon character - stoic, stubborn, uncompromising in the struggle for justice. "A Saxon never means anything serious until it comes to justice and rights."

50 main characteristics of the British according to the British themselves:

1. Talking about the weather

2. Great at queuing

4. Watching soaps

5. Getting drunk

6. A love of bargains

7. A love of curtain twitching

8. Stiff upper lip

9. Love of all television

11. Obsession with class

12. Gossiping with neighbors over the garden fence

13. Obsession with the traffic

14. Enjoying other people's misfortune

15. Inability to complain

16. Love of cheap foreign holidays

17. Working long hours

18. A soothing cup of tea to ease worries

19. Eating meat and two veg

20. Looking uncomfortable on the dance floor

21. Feeling uncomfortable when people talk about their emotions

22. Clever sense of humor

23. Obsession with property values

24. Pandering to political correctness

26. Being unhappy with our weight

27. Wanting a good tan

28. Being proud of where we live

29. Not saying what we mean

30. The ability to laugh at ourselves

31. Washing the car on a Sunday

32. Taking the mickey out of others

33. Asking people about their journey

34. Inability not to comment on how other people bring up their children

35. Jealousy of wealth and success

36. Being overly polite

37. Texting instead of calling

38. An inability to express our emotions

39. Obsession with the Royal Family

40. Fondness for moving the lawn

41. Love of rambling through the countryside

42. A love of all things deep fried

43. Emulating celebrity lifestyles

44. Leaving things to the last minute

46. ​​Keeping our homes neat and tidy

47. Take decisions and accept the consequences

48. Achieving against odds

49. Wanting our sportsmen/teams to fail

50. DIY on a Bank Holiday

It is not at all easy to decide what are typically British characteristics. Not all Brits are cold, taciturn and boring, not all of them are "turned" on pets and lawns.

One thing unites all Britons - adherence to traditions and love for their country and culture. Some might say that the British live in the past, but in fact they are just very proud of their originality, proud to be British.

Naturalization is the most common way for adults (over 18s) to acquire UK citizenship. A prerequisite is that the applicant has the settled status (Indefinite leave to remain or Permanent residence card).