Since Anthony Clavien moved to the UK, he noticed some quite British things. Some are definitely more traditional than others. Here are some things that Anthony Clavien noticed.
Crisps
People in the UK eat around 500 million crisps per day. That’s a lot of crisps!
‘SORRY’
British people apologise all the time, I have never heard so many sorry’s in my life. People here say sorry, even if it’s not their fault.
British politeness
It is very common for people here to say thank you, after someone thanks you. Every eye contact with a stranger results in a short-lived smile. British people are just overall very friendly and polite to each other.
British clothing
People here mix seasonal cloths all the time. During winter, someone may be wearing shorts and t-shirts, or a sweater and flip flops at the same time.
Sandwiches
Sandwiches… everywhere. You will see sandwiches at almost every conference, school, or business event. And, of course, very British, a sandwich with crisps inside of it.
Afternoon tea
Afternoon tea is a is a light meal in the late afternoon between lunch and dinner. A typical British afternoon tea is tea, sandwiches, scones, bread and butter, and cakes. The scones come with cream and jam. Some say the cream comes first, some say the jam comes first. To be honest, I don’t taste the difference.
Scottish and Northern Irish Currency
Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own currency. But if you use them anywhere else, people might not accept them.
Henry the vacuum
A true British staple is the Henry vacuum cleaner, which was invented in 1979 by a British company, Numatic, to appeal to both children and adults alike. The Henry range expanded over the years to include other characters such as Hetty, George, and James. Often Henry is used as a commercial vacuum cleaner and rolls around empty stores and office buildings in the late evenings.
British Expressions
Some British expressions Anthony Clavien noticed are:
- I reckon
- whilst
- mate
- lads
- cheeky
- cheers (a lot)
Love, lovely
”Hiya love” is a typical thing to say, even to strangers. Mostly man to women, or women to women. “Darling”, or “love”, are quite a normal thing here.
Signage
The UK takes health and safety information boards very seriously. The signs are created to appeal to the mass public. For example, speed signs on roads feature pictures from children at the bottom. A reminder to drivers of what breaking the rules could mean.