Those Strange Englishmen: Nationalism and Self-Consciousness. Typical Englishmen: character, appearance, lifestyle How they are perceived in reality

Speaking about the national character of the English, many authors of textbooks note the following features: conservatism, pride, reverent attitude towards their home and pets.

Actually, the British are the product of a mixture of many ethnic groups - the most ancient Iberian population with peoples of Indo-European origin: the tribes of the Celts, the Germanic tribes of the Angles, Saxons, Frisians, Jutes, to some extent the Scandinavians, and later the Franco-Normans. From the peasant nature of the Saxons, the English character inherited a penchant for everything natural, simple, uncomplicated, as opposed to everything artificial, ostentatious, pretentious: prosaic efficiency, putting the material side of life above spiritual values; adherence to traditions with distrust of everything unusual, unusual, especially foreign; addiction to the hearth as a symbol of personal independence. The Scandinavian Vikings (professional sailors) introduced another essential feature into the English character - a passion for adventure. In the soul of a homely Englishman, one always feels the alluring call of the sea, a romantic craving for distant shores.

So, the Anglo-Saxon practicality with the Celtic daydreaming, the pirate courage of the Vikings with the discipline of the Normans were embodied in the English character.

The first and most obvious feature of this nation is the stability and constancy of character of its constituent individuals. They are less susceptible to the influence of time, transient fashions than others. 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 are constantly taking place, 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.

The British are heavy on their feet, tend to go around sharp corners, they have a desire to be out of prying eyes, which gives rise to a cult of privacy.

Modern English consider self-control to be the main virtue of human character. The words: "Know how to control yourself" - the best way to express the motto of this nation. The better a person can manageyourself, 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. 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 one should hide one's true state of mind under such a mask. .

An Englishman from childhood is taught to calmly endure cold and hunger, to overcome pain and fear, to curb attachments and antipathies.

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. His nature is characterized by a love of order, comfort and a desire for mental activity. He loves good transport, a fresh suit, a rich library.

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 asked a foreigner a question will take him by the shoulder and begin to show him the way with various 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.

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.

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 of foreign customs and contempt for them do not allow them to get close to foreigners in a foreign land.

The house serves as a fortress for the Englishman, where he is able to hide not only from uninvited visitors, but also from annoying worries. Beyond the threshold of his home, he is completely freed not only from everyday affairs, but also from extraneous pressure. The English know how to feel at home as if in another world and at the same time respect the home life of other people.

The Englishman likes to live surrounded by familiar things. In the decoration of the house, as in many other things, he primarily appreciates antiquity and good quality. When it comes to updating the environment in a family, it does not mean a change of furniture, but its restoration. Every American first of all strives to show the guest his house. The English, on the other hand, rarely see anything other than a room where guests are received.

Gardening is the national passion of the British, the key to understanding many aspects of their character and attitude to life. Thanks to the temperate humid climate in England, the grass is green all year round and almost always something blooms, so that the gardener can work in the fresh air for a long time and admire the fruits of his labor. Roses and chrysanthemums continue to bloom outdoors almost until Christmas, and already in early March, the buds of crocuses and daffodils remind of the arrival of spring. Physical labor in the garden, practical skills in this matter are equally revered in all sectors of British society. In the garden, the Englishman throws off his reserve. His tastes, his behavior in the garden speak much more truthfully about his personality and character than any autobiography.

Another passion in which the personal qualities of an Englishman are manifested is pets. There is a surprisingly large number of people who breed dogs, cats, horses, cows, sheep or pigs. London parks can rightly be called the land of fearless birds and animals. The latter are not at all afraid of man: proud swans rush from all ends of the pond to a random passerby, sparrows and squirrels shamelessly feed directly from the hands of a person. Any living creature in England is accustomed to seeing a friend and benefactor in a person. Nowhere else in the world are dogs and cats cared for as much as they are here among the reputedly impassive English. A dog or cat is their favorite family member and often seems to be the most pleasant company.

Paradoxically, in English families, pets clearly occupy a higher position than children. This is manifested both in material and moral terms, since it is the dog or cat that serves as the center of universal concerns.

At heart, the British are convinced that parents in relation to their child are better off being too strict than soft. There is still a proverb here: "To spare the rod means to spoil the child." In Britain, it is generally accepted that punishing children is not only a right, but also a duty of parents. The British believe that the immoderate manifestation of parental love and tenderness is harmful to the child's character. It is in their tradition to treat children with restraint, even coolness. This instructs parents to curb their feelings, and children - willy-nilly get used to it. The disciplining influence of parents is exerted on children from a young age.

Thus, in Great Britain, more than in any other European country, adherence to the traditions, life, and habits that have been established from time immemorial has been preserved.

All nations in the world perceive differently. Often these are opinions based on rather strange, but historically established stereotypes, such as, for example, bears with balalaikas on Russian streets. However, there is a grain of truth in every such opinion about the Russian or any other people.

Representatives of different nations behave in a certain way, visiting other countries during business trips, vacations, studies and for other reasons. Thanks to communication with people from another country or rumors from those who had the pleasure of communicating with them, locals form a certain opinion about foreigners. I wonder what the British, perceived by us as tolerant, reserved and prudish, think about Russians?

The character of a Russian person through the eyes of an Englishman

Most people in the world, and the inhabitants of England are no exception, know Russia and its inhabitants thanks to figures of culture, art, science, politics and sports. Naturally, the elite of society does not create a general idea of ​​the people, but the contribution of Russians to world history and culture is estimated by the majority of average Englishmen.

The British perceive Russian people as smart, but lazy, talented, but careless.. Very often, the same qualities that seem unacceptable to them become an advantage in working together. By Western standards, people in Russia could achieve much more if they put in more effort and were more responsible.

But on the other hand, it is precisely this slovenliness that to some extent allows solving problems that are insoluble for a different mentality. The ability to solve problems, considering them from an unusual angle, is perceived as a purely Russian trait.

The ability to laugh at their own problems is not alien to the British themselves, in Russians they also highlight this quality. Also, in their perception, our peoples are related by criticism of their own country, ridiculing their habits and character traits, however, if a foreigner does this, this is perceived by both the British and Russians with hostility.

Thanks to the Orthodox religion, widespread in our country, Russians are perceived as sacrificial, strong, persistent, understanding and forgiving. Many residents of London note that in terms of moral values, Russia has gone far ahead.

Russians in England are considered witty, although the English humor is far from ours, generous, although this generosity and the so-called willingness to give the last shirt borders more on imprudence and naivety.

The opinion of the British about the behavior of Russians

Many nations, including the British, present Russians as some kind of barbarians. To those things that cause indignation in the whole world, Russians for some reason are detached. In the eyes of the British, Russians are insensitive to any manifestations of violence, rudeness, discomfort, lack of choice.

The British believe that the Russian people are ignorant, rude, prone to violence.

Also, they consider the drunkenness of the Russian nation to be a manifestation of barbarism.. As far as one can believe the stereotype that has developed in England, a Russian person, in order to get rid of problems and all the surrounding troubles, consumes alcohol in huge quantities.

Even those people who note only the positive qualities of Russian acquaintances always point out that a representative of Russia can drink a huge amount of alcohol, knowing that he will experience not the most pleasant symptoms in the morning.

Another description that is often used by the British to characterize the behavior of Russians in the business sphere is hospitality along with recklessness.

The British, who adhere to such behavior as waiting for an invitation before even visiting relatives, or the desire to protect their private life from the eyes of strangers, sincerely do not understand how Russians can invite someone to visit after a week of dating to introduce them to their family. , or pop in for tea without prior notice.

Russian girls are perceived by the British as more faithful, honest and family-oriented. The beauty of the female sex in Russia has also been noted more than once by representatives of the strong half of humanity.

Another feature that the British notice is the ability to defend one's position, express one's opinion, the ability to stand up for oneself. This is manifested in communication with friends, and in the working atmosphere, even with bosses.

The British, who, out of necessity or at will, often communicate with Russians, note that in Russia, as everywhere in the world, all people are different, and each person has his own special opinion, his own life principles and different behavior.

Someone is a believer and goes to church weekly, someone is nostalgic for the collapsed USSR, someone is set to develop according to the Western example, and someone is not at all interested in news in their country and in the world.

Each person can behave differently every day, as, in principle, the British themselves. But the Russians do not have as many conventions as the British have.

By the way, the opinions of people who communicate with Russians in Great Britain itself, and people who visit Russia and deal with them here, differ somewhat. Probably, like the behavior of Russians, less restrained and civilized in their own country.

The British in England first of all note the responsiveness of Russians, their desire to help, friendliness and sociability. The British, who have visited Russia, note the aggression and discontent that constantly accompany Russians in everyday life, rudeness in dealing with service personnel, intemperance and familiarity in relations.

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 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 floggings 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 various 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 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 overwhelming 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, elegance 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"

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Whether you like it or not, good command of English is not enough to communicate with native speakers; you also need to be familiar with the culture and traditions of the English-speaking people so as not to get into trouble by asking a question from.

“The British nation is unique in this respect: they are the only people who like to be told how bad things are, who like to be told the worst.”

“The British nation is unique: they are the only people who like to hear that everything is very bad, and even worse than nowhere”

~ Winston S. Churchill

The national character of the English people is felt better than in any other people. It has a sense of superiority, which can also be called "island pride". British patriotism is based on a deep sense of security. in which they, as a nation, have been for centuries.

Appearance and character of a typical Briton

The British are easily recognizable by their appearance and demeanor. And looking more closely, determine from which part of the country this person

Appearance of a typical British

The middle-aged Englishman is usually tall, his face is broad, reddish (rarely tanned), with soft, pendulous cheeks, and often with blue, expressionless eyes. Women, like men, are often very tall too. Both have long necks, slightly protruding eyes, and slightly protruding front teeth.

Against the background of the English, the Scots and Irish look simpler, but more colorful.. Squat with a lively face and a firm gait, the Scots are often carriers of thick red hair. Scots usually have light eyes - gray, blue, green. Also, the inhabitants of Scotland are characterized by fair skin, which is not blushed by the cold northern sun.

Scotland has the highest percentage of redheads in the world, with about 13% of the population having red hair.

Many often confuse scots with irish, they say, the Irish appearance is bright red hair, freckles and blue eyes. So, this is a stereotype. On the streets of cities, you will often meet guys with dark hair and a red beard. The performer of the role of Harry Potter is a typical representative of Irish appearance: a narrow face, often elongated, sunken cheeks that blush with spots, not “apples”.

Order and calm

The British value discipline very highly. and are considered the most well-mannered and polite in the world. Since English politeness is specific, it is often confused with coldness. Violent temperament and ardent passions rage under the guise of coldness and superiority. Principles of "gentlemanly behavior"(exemplary self-control), were elevated to a cult under Queen Victoria, but are still active today.

The British are heavy on their feet, tend to go around 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.

For example, they politely respect and respect their and your personal space, do not stick their nose into your affairs, do not ask questions, even just to know the name of a person without a good reason is indecent rudeness.

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.

Naturally, they want to see the same manners in others. Therefore, the best reason to start a conversation with a friend and even with an unfamiliar Briton is

British habits and lifestyle

“My house is my castle,” the British joke, preferring to spend evenings in a quiet family circle, discussing the events of the past day in front of the fireplace.

Conservative or traditional?

The British value public order very much. and never rude. Their passionate commitment to games is widely known, but despite this, the British are very serious in business matters.

Often the British are called conservatives because of their adherence to traditions, which they passionately try to preserve in their original form. But it is this commitment that is most attractive to tourists from all over the world.

Tradition in Britain is anything that has stood the test of time.: rituals and habits, features of everyday life and behavior (for example, green hedges, bright red mailboxes, right-hand drive and left-hand traffic, double-decker red buses, judges in robes and powdered wigs of the eighteenth century, fur bear hats on the royal guards, which they do not remove even in 30-degree heat).

You can learn more about the way of life of the British in the article.

After work, the inhabitants of England like to spend time in pubs, football and various clubs (for example, fan clubs, gardeners). These places are very fond of them, because here they feel more relaxed, it is easier to make new friends, united by a common interest.

And therefore, today we will try to figure out what underlies the attitude of the subjects of the British crown to the population of the Russian Federation. What is it in general - positive al negative? Wouldn't it be better to hide your Russian origin, or, on the contrary, to flaunt it at every opportunity and not so much?

So, if you decide to experiment by stopping the English in the street and asking them the sacramental question "How do you feel about the Russians?", it is quite possible that after your victims, discouraged by surprise, come to their senses, their confused speeches can be understand the following:

Confusion

Many English people don't know anything about Russians. Rice. pikabu.ru

The English don't know much about the Russians. Therefore, the first reaction to your question will most likely be a bewildered "I know nothing about Russians".

It's about as if you were casually asked how you feel about the Laotians. Can you quickly describe your attitude towards them? This is where the British get in trouble.

It is quite possible that in their entire lives they only crossed paths with a couple of either Russian or "Soviet" citizens (and it is beyond the power of the majority of the British to make a distinction between Russians and the same Ukrainians - in their view, everyone who speaks Russian is one big nation, including Belarusians, Moldavians, Uzbeks and other immigrants from the post-Soviet space).

Many Englishmen still associate Russia with communism, the Soviet Union and the Cold War. Erasing the sad Soviet past from the memory of the British is not so easy. However, we must pay tribute, most of them do not put an equal sign between the concepts of "state" and "people". And even if the British may have a generally negative attitude towards the state, this does not mean at all that such an attitude extends to the entire population of the country. Far from it.

The British are smart and educated enough not to succumb to the propaganda pouring on them from the media, and to form their own independent opinion about world events and people inhabiting a particular country.

Yes, the British themselves admit this, and I see it with my own eyes: the British media stubbornly demonize Russia, creating for it the image of an aggressive, backward country, with a cruel and unpredictable leader. And yet, paradoxically, with all the efforts and eloquence of local journalists, on the whole, the British sympathize with the head of the Russian state. They are impressed with the strength and will that Putin openly demonstrates to the world - something that, in their opinion, soft-bodied British politicians lack.

But still, if you ask the British for their opinion about the Russian people, it is unlikely that you will be given a detailed answer. Russia is too distant and mysterious a country to have a clear idea of ​​its inhabitants.

Whether it's French neighbors. The attitude towards them is clear and long-formed. "Frrogers" should be surreptitiously ridiculed and in every possible way taunted, which the British have been quite successfully doing for centuries. Or take the same Indians. Although they arrived from afar and look exotic, they are on the board, native and understandable. Not completely getting rid of the large-scale colonial heritage, the British treat them in a paternal patronizing way, with a bit of sympathy and remorse for their own historical wrong.

Curiosity

Some English people are curious to know more about Russians. Rice. wikia.com

Another possible reaction of the British to the news that you are from Russia may be curiosity. This logically follows from the previous paragraph - the British know little about Russia. Outwardly, we look like Poles, who are openly disliked in England, and we speak a similar language, but if the British are a little tired of the plumbers who came in large numbers from Poland, the Russians are still an unread book for them.

It is very likely that you will be asked clarifying questions - where exactly are you from, although it is unlikely that your interlocutor knows something other than Moscow and St. Petersburg. So, you can take a moment and arrange a small educational program on the geography of Russia. Moreover, there is a chance that the Englishman's interest is not purely formal, but quite sincere.

There are always stories about the climate and harsh Russian winters - something that the inhabitants of rainy Albion are deprived of. At the mention of snow and snowdrifts in the eyes of the British, a spark of envy steadily slips, although I can’t imagine what to envy here.

Respect

The British, who have interacted with Russians before, usually show respect for the Russian nation. Rice. memecdn.com

If the British had the good fortune to communicate with the Russians before, and those were lucky enough to be decent, educated people, they forever become fans of the Russian nation. You can hear a sea of ​​compliments addressed to you and mentions of the names of famous immigrants from Russia. Most likely, you will be reminded of Leo Tolstoy and Dostoevsky. Those who are especially advanced can go further and, wishing to please you, will list the names of Tchaikovsky, Gagarin and Maria Sharapova.

In a word, you will be given to understand that Russia has something to be proud of and you, as its representative, deserve a respectful attitude towards yourself, until you prove the opposite.

Those Englishmen who got to know the Russians better note that the initial alertness and severity of the Russian people is quickly replaced by sincere friendliness and warmth in further communication.

The English are also pleasantly surprised by the erudition and education that Russians demonstrate - in modern England, few people are able to talk about books for hours.

Sympathy

Russian model Natalia Vodianova with her ex-husband - English Lord Justin Portman - and common children. Photo from uznayvse.ru

As a rule, men all over the world, and the British are no exception, sympathize with Russian women. This sympathy is confirmed by the eloquent statistics of marriages with Russian women. In my environment, there are countless examples of happy English + Russian couples (read about how to marry an Englishman).

However, I have to note that English women are still less supportive of Russian men and I have not seen reverse examples of couples (English woman + Russian) in 5 years of my life in England.

English men are very willing to marry Russians, have children with them, and the fact that a woman has offspring from a previous relationship is not a problem for them.

What bribes them? Undoubtedly, not least - the external attractiveness of the Slavs. But the main thing is still not this, but the readiness to support your man in word and deed, to take care of the household and the house, to give birth and raise heirs - in a word, to share all those traditional family values ​​that most normal men have been dreaming of since childhood.

From what else appeals to the British, we can mention the sound of Russian speech and the unique Russian accent. In their opinion, the Russian language sounds melodious and provides rich opportunities for artistic expression of thoughts.

Those who have visited Russia usually note the beauty and grandeur of Russian architecture, and the Moscow metro is considered a work of art at all - in this regard, Moscow really has something to be proud of: the London underground looks frankly wretched and dull.

Indifference and antipathy

Political relations between Russia and Great Britain can hardly be called warm. Photo from rt.com

How else can the British treat Russians?

If not with sympathy and curiosity, then with indifference, and in some, fortunately, rare cases, with outright antipathy.

The British may be repelled by the straightforwardness and even rudeness of the Russians, which the latter may not be aware of. Therefore, before communicating with the British, it is very useful to master some elementary rules of behavior - I wrote about this in the article "How to communicate with the British: 10 behavioral mistakes".

Of the qualities that make Russians generally unsympathetic, the British also recall assertiveness and toughness, using such unflattering epithets as "mean", "blunt" and "tough" (it is best to look up their meaning in an explanatory dictionary).

By the way, about dictionaries: the English are frankly offended by the Russians' lack of knowledge of the English language. It is difficult for them to understand how their native language can be incomprehensible to someone. After all, nowadays everyone is simply obliged to speak English, period. This is how the British think and therefore are too lazy to learn something else, and the Russians think the same way about their native language. In this sense, our nations are similar.

I would like to finish my story about the attitude towards Russians with the words of one Englishman, which give hope:

“Russians are wonderful people. I would say this: do not consider every Russian a bad person just because you know a couple of Russian rogues. Personally, I prefer the Russians to the British, even though I myself am an Englishman.”