 sj |
||
|
||
Folklore: Being British
|
|
|
Subject: Folklore: Being British From: Fidjit Date: 31 Jan 06 - 11:17 AM Someone sent me this recently. (from Switzerland) Being British. Is driving a German car to an Irish pub to drink a Belgian beer. Stopping on the way home for an Indian Curry or a Turkish Kebab. When at home, sitting on Swedish furniture to look at American soaps on a Japanese TV. And of course being very suspicious of anything foreign. Now we should surely be able to get a song out of this.
-Joe Offer- |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: TheBigPinkLad Date: 31 Jan 06 - 11:35 AM Pretty much describes everyone ... |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Kaleea Date: 31 Jan 06 - 01:35 PM Could describe lots of Americans I know. Especially the part about them thar ferrinerz! As fer me, I don't mind them thar ferrinerz so much. We git fellers come a callin' sumtimz from 3 er 4 counteez away. It's them durn revinooerz whut ditz m' dander up! Fetch me the jug & m' gun, please. By the way, whur yew frum? |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Grab Date: 01 Feb 06 - 08:17 AM Playing Irish and American music on guitars from Mexico and China... |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Bert Date: 01 Feb 06 - 05:32 PM British maybe, but an "Englishman" wouldn't be caught dead drinking Belgian beer. And Curry's OK 'cos most British still wish that India was still part of Britain. *BSAG* |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Bunnahabhain Date: 01 Feb 06 - 06:11 PM Now now Bert, what's wrong with Duval, or Leffe? They're proper bottle conditioned ales... |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Bill D Date: 01 Feb 06 - 07:37 PM Nothing wrong with any beer made right! If I was in England, I wouldn't NEED to search for Belgian beer, but I sure wouldn't turn one down..... |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: NH Dave Date: 02 Feb 06 - 02:33 AM I'd guess being one type of American would mean driving a Japanese car, because they are econimical and still go like stink, to a clone of an Irish or British pub, to drink Guinness or a good British ale, and listening to Celtic folk or Maritime music from Europe, mosly played on US or Japanese instruments. Yamaha started out as a musical instrument company, their logo is three tuning forks. When at home eating Thai, Szechuan, or Indian take-out, while sitting on your plastic furniture from some low wage country along the Pacific Rim, watching or listening to TV or Radio on Japanese equipment, because they make some of the finest equipment going, to watch a good British drama or comedy whose point seems a bit obscured by the accent of the locale. Dave |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Big Al Whittle Date: 02 Feb 06 - 03:23 AM I think it might be more fun to be Spanish. The folk music sounds more Spanish than English folk music sounds English. As for folklore who gives a shit what it means if you see three badgers on a Tuesday? We need some modern folklore like - three attempts to get on Mudcat means you're sad old git. |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Strollin' Johnny Date: 02 Feb 06 - 04:30 AM Grab, I'm British and I play Irish and American music on guitars from Ireland and America! Don't tar us all with the same brush! LOL! S:0) PS - I do admit to sometimes playing Irish music on the Martin and American music on the Lowden, just put it down to British idiosyncracy. :-) |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Dead Horse Date: 02 Feb 06 - 04:49 AM Irish guitar and a Yankee bohdran? :-) |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Paco Rabanne Date: 02 Feb 06 - 04:58 AM I am English, but I play flamenco guitar and irish tunes on an octave mandolin. The word Britain doesn't mean much nowadays. |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Paul Burke Date: 02 Feb 06 - 05:22 AM I play Irish pipes made in England, German pipes made in England, Irish music on a whistle made in England, a flute made in Germany and a fiddle made in Hell, and with grandparents called Burke, McGeoghan and Dolan, I must be pure English back to before the Conquest. Oh, and Ukrainian Jewish music on a flute invented in Germany and made in Japan (I think). And Norwegian music on the fiddle, which is perhaps appropriate. |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: John MacKenzie Date: 02 Feb 06 - 05:30 AM I don't know if anybody saw 'Who do you Think you Are' on TV last night, which featured Julian Clary looking for his ancestors. By the end of it I was so cross I could spit. His Mother [snob] said she'd like to find an artist amongst her forebears, but please don't find any 'foreigners!' His Father has a German Grandfather and apparently the Mother teases him about it, Julian Clary later admitted on camera while driving a Mercedes that he didn't like Germans very much. Anyway he discovered that not only did his Mother have an artist in the family but she also had , shock horror, a German from what was Prussia when he left there to come to the UK. She said [dumbo!] do you mean Russia, I wouldn't mind that so much. So yet another Brit discovers that they're from a mongrel race! I'm still cross at that stupid snobbish woman!!!!! Giok |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: GUEST,DB Date: 02 Feb 06 - 06:26 AM Yes, I saw the Julian Clary programme - and it was a bit weird, to say the least. I really couldn't see why he should make such a fuss about having German ancestors - especially as all the modern-day Germans, who helped him, appeared to be impeccably polite and spoke equally impeccable English! This programme, with its odd xenophobic flavour, was a complete contrast to the very moving programmes about Jeremy Paxman, Stephen Fry and Sheila Hancock. On the subject of being British, and specifically being English, try a book called 'Britain AD' by the great archeologist, Francis Pryor (pub. Harper Perennial, 2005). This book is guaranteed to overturn everything that you thought you knew about British/English history. Although Julian Clary might have German ancestors it turns out that most of us are probably not the 'Germans' (ie. 'Anglo Saxons') we thought we were. In my view this has no political/racial connotations whatsoever - it's just interesting, that's all! |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Paul Burke Date: 02 Feb 06 - 07:22 AM Julian Clary came accross as just as unattractive a character in "home" life as he is in his stage persona. I think he portrays an unpleasant image of gays, and adds to homophobia. Pryors continuity hypothesis is pretty good, though it has been largely mainstream opinion for about 20 years, and is in fact being questioned a bit by recent DNA evidence. My own view is that mass migrations occurred- as they have in modern times- but that a fairly small proportion of actual immigrants (and their immediate descendants) had a cultural impact much greater than their numbers- rather like in modern times. |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Snuffy Date: 02 Feb 06 - 09:34 AM Being British means that your Folklore threads are in BS, while everyone else's folklore threads are above the line! :-) |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: John MacKenzie Date: 02 Feb 06 - 09:41 AM Snuffy that's got to be both the funniest and yet the bitterest post I've ever seen on here! Giok |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Wolfgang Date: 02 Feb 06 - 10:15 AM I've read that joke often, but it's that first time I've read it about the 'British'. The version I know also has the line "and the God he prays to is a Jew". Wolfgang |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Big Al Whittle Date: 02 Feb 06 - 01:37 PM Ralph McTell said at a gig recently, I love e-bay. I've bought 6 guitars this year ......why it's like getting Exchange and Mart delivered three times a day! that's the kind of Englishness that makes you proud. I bet no one else in the world loves simple pleasures like Exchange and Mart being delivered three times a day, as much as us. |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Snuffy Date: 02 Feb 06 - 07:09 PM Bitter, Giok? Now that is British. Black Sheep, Hook Norton or Landlord for preference. |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Bill D Date: 02 Feb 06 - 07:31 PM yum! Black Sheep,,,Riggwelter! Noreen brought me one two years ago...ambrosia.. |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Dave the Gnome Date: 03 Feb 06 - 04:46 AM I find it all a bit bewildering I'm afraid - Considering that most of the world has at one time or another been invaded, owned or integrated by someone else. That most cultures have their base elsewhere or at least have their traditions coloured by others. That most languages rely heavily on other peoples words. Nowadays TV, mass-media and the internet let us see what is going one everywhere at once. Fast transport lets us be anywhere in the world in a day or so. How come, then, people make such a fuss about national characteristics? Now then, did you hear the one about the Martian, the Venusian and the Grooookel from Alpha Centurai.. :D (tG) |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Wolfgang Date: 03 Feb 06 - 10:04 AM Pedant's corner: 'Centaur' is a half man half horse being. 'Centurio' was an officer in the Roman army commanding roughly a hundred men. Most likely it was only a typo, but the star is named after the horse-man. Wolfgang |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Strollin' Johnny Date: 03 Feb 06 - 10:54 AM Actually the Roman Officer was a Centurion Wolfgang. Johnny The Mega-Pedant. |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Snuffy Date: 03 Feb 06 - 10:57 AM He would have been a centurion if he'd spoken English, but not in Latin. |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Paco Rabanne Date: 03 Feb 06 - 10:57 AM 'Centurion' should have been in inverted commas Johnny. Love and kisses, Ted the pedant. |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Azizi Date: 03 Feb 06 - 06:51 PM I'm wondering if the British {English?}who post on Mudcat have the same sense of "Who's that?" when reading threads by Americans which mention tv and stage and screen stars and American tv programs or movies or plays. Or do we also act like people should know what we're talking about and if not, too bad. I confess to not having a clue as to who Julian Clary is and what the Julian Clary programme. Neither do I know who Jeremy Paxman, Stephen Fry and Sheila Hancock are and whether their programs {excuse me "programmes"} were also about a search for their ancestors. I assume that these are famous actors/actresses but I may be wrong. And yes, I suppose I could google their names, but since Mudcat is an international forum, it seems to me it would be helpful if a bit of background could be given when posting about people and events like this program so that non-British 'Catters can follow the discussion even if we don't post to that thread. That way we can learn more about each others culture. Isn't that one of the benefits of being an international forum? |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Georgiansilver Date: 03 Feb 06 - 07:12 PM But we all know who Shatner is...he's the guy who advertises cereals in the UK. Captain Kirk the cornflake crittur. |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: gnomad Date: 03 Feb 06 - 08:58 PM Fair enough, Azizi, the answer to "I wonder.." is , often enough, yes. We (I) regularly read a comment on some TV or other personality and have little or no idea who is being praised and/or run down. The answer to your final question is also yes, for me at least, I learn about the US culture, I hope you enjoy learning about ours too. Those mentioned in your post have all recently been on UK screens in programmes which followed their (assisted) efforts to trace their respective ancestors. Some of them have been more moved or moving than others, but all have been interesting if you find the historic composition of our society as fascinating as I do. The four persons mentioned in your post are each to a greater or lesser extent "celebrities" in the UK. I'll try and give brief pen portraits, but these are entirely subjective and may contain massive holes (I'm not going to google them for you!) J Paxman: current affairs TV commentator, noted for a tenacious and sometimes abrasive attitude, esp when dealing with politicians. S Hancock: Quality actress, Royal Shakespeare Co IIRC, you have probably seen her on Masterpiece Theatre at some stage, though I can't cite any instances. Widow of John Thaw (another top actor) who you may know as Inspector Morse. S Fry: bit of a Renaissance man, actor, author, TV presenter, journalist, and folkie if his presenting the UK folk awards a year or two back is any guide. If you caught any of the later "Blackadder" series you may know him as Melchett (sp?). J Clary: Former drag-artist, now a rather camp TV presenter. SF and JC are both openly gay, but they have very different public attitudes to it. |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Jim McLean Date: 04 Feb 06 - 03:36 PM Who said that the English were the Germans who could swim? |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Azizi Date: 04 Feb 06 - 04:31 PM Thanks, gnomad! I appreciate your response. If I have been mentioned celebrities without or celebrity events without adding a brief descriptor, I apologize. One of the things that I like best about Mudcat is that its internationalism {if that's a word}. I like the program idea you mentioned {celebrities being televised while they are assisted in tracing their respective ancestors}. However, I don't think that this type of program will happen in the USA since it is my strongly held opinion that the chances of people finding out they have African ancestry are higher in the USA than in Britain, and it is also my strongly held opinion that far too many people wouldn't be happy for this to be publicly known. I think it's crazy isn't it, but then so much of the world is crazy. Sorry. I had/have no intention of pulling this thread off topic. I'll go back to lurking. Thanks again. |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Big Al Whittle Date: 04 Feb 06 - 06:34 PM In england most of us are Irish, they got around quite a bit. quite a lot of the people who are Afro Caribbean have Scottish names - presumably from when their ancestors were sold into slavery after the 1745 rebellion. I can't really understand all the questing after roots that goes on. Its like all these old songs that they dig up. some of them are nice songs - but most of them are pretty bloody awful. I wish someone would write some songs that chronicled our times - not just what happens but they way we feel. the way we live, the way we sit for hours in traffic jams - both actual, mental and spiritual. Its a bit like that Paul simon song, 'i don't a dream that's not been shattered and driven to it's knees.' I don't think there's any version of Britishness that anybody with any taste would subscribe to.........see the BNP threads |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Shields Folk Date: 04 Feb 06 - 07:16 PM "I don't think there's any version of Britishness that anybody with any taste would subscribe to.........see the BNP threads" Its because off people like those that we should take pride in what is good in Britain. |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Strollin' Johnny Date: 05 Feb 06 - 03:02 AM I missed a couple of commas too, Ted! Big hugs, Sweetcakes! S:0) (ROFL!) |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Liz the Squeak Date: 05 Feb 06 - 06:09 AM Stephen Fry isn't openly gay, he's openly celibate. He once referred to it as being "bi-non-sexual, I don't sleep with either sex". It's interesting watching these people discover their roots. I've been researching my family history for over 20 years now, got back 9 generations (6 in one village!) with one side and a likely 12 with another side; 1600s and 1700s). So far, not a single one has come from another country, and only a small number from outside the county! I'm sure my story would be mindbogglingly boring for anyone not connected to the family, but to me, it's finding out what I am the product of. Most of my family were agricultural workers, farmers, dairymen, shepherds and thatchers; so much so that it reads like a Thomas Hardy novel sometimes.... my generation is the first to own their own houses, the first to have white collar jobs, the first to have University educations. We're also the first not to have children in double figures, have children dying before their 6th birthdays, have smallpox and scarlet fever to worry about or the stigma of being illegitimate to blight our lives. LTS |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: Grab Date: 05 Feb 06 - 02:23 PM Probably, Azizi. We've got a reasonably common pool of actors and actresses, and we've probably got a bit of a clue about the major policitians. But some things are always going to be obscure. Politicians, for example. Most Brits with a reasonable grasp of politics could do a rough sketch of many of GWB's cabinet, cos their personalities and opinions are important. But Newt Gingrich? Or anyone in Congress or the Senate? No way. Same with the UK Parliament - even Brits don't have a clue who most of the House of Lords are, or what their views are, so there isn't a hope in hell of Americans knowing, or of Americans knowing any politicians other than Tony Blair or (maybe) Gordon Brown. Similarly for TV, although we share actors and actresses, we don't share presenters, or any of the current-affairs shows or chatshows. 99-point-some percent of Brits don't know Jay Leno or Howard Stern, have never seen Saturday Night Live, don't know any of the US newscasters or sports presenters, etc... And that works the other way round too. Frankly, I don't think it'll happen in the US bcos there isn't enough in the way of records. In the UK they had regular censuses (censi? :-) and people didn't move around too much. In a country that's *all* immigrants, where a large minority chose to change names on entering the country (or had their names changed for them in the case of slaves), where a further large minority chose to change names after that to fit into whatever society there was - any search for records is almost certainly doomed to failure. There are exceptions though - the Kennedys and all that crowd who can trace their blood back to the Mayflower. Amusingly, America is incredibly class-ridden in this. (Just bcos the US aristocracy don't have titles like "Duke of Pisswaterhall" or something, it doesn't mean that an aristocracy class doesn't exist.) Graham. |
|
Subject: RE: Folklore: Being British From: kendall Date: 05 Feb 06 - 02:40 PM I know that this country was made great by foreigners. My ancestors came here in 1635, but other than Samuel F.B.Morse, inventor of the telegraph, and Wilbur Morse, creator of the Friendship Sloop probably didn't do much of the great making. In my own case, I'm not a failure, I started at the bottom and I like it here. I drive a Hyundai, made in Korea, but at least all my instruments are made in the USA. |
| Share Thread: |
