NationStates Jolt Archive

If the Scots get independence from the "Ask a Brit" thread, so do we!

Why do you hate us Scots so much?

Can't we just forget the past and share some tea and scones like civilised people?

We don't hate the Scots, we hate the way the Scots hate us because they think we hate them.

Tea and scones? Five million of you, one-and-fifty million of us? Sounds like Pimms o'clock! *lays table with cream tea and Pimms*

We don't hate you, the scottish papers hate you. Only the peasants who believe the propaganda in the tabloids hate the english, and you shouldn't concern yourself over what the revolting underclass think.

Ooh, I sound like a posh person. Nearly.

Hurrah! Rule Britannia! Now... let's DANCE!

I don't know many dances.

Can you do the Gay Gordon? :D

I prefer the Time Warp...

:thumbup: Only if we get everybody to do it in a corset!

Did I say that out loud?

What's the ratio of 'gentlemen' stereotypes to the modern... um... can't think of the name for the modern stereotype... Hmm. Hang on, I'll reword:

How many old-fashioned guys are there compared to non-old-fashioned guys? Does it vary greatly from area to area? Am I making any sense? Should I take my rabid Anglophilia elsewhere (and did I actually use the word correctly this time)

Woo, many questions. Go me...

Define an "old-fashioned guy"? Britain has a large number of people past retirement age but somehow I don't think that's what you mean...

are all englishmen brits?
and
are all brits englishmen?

What's the ratio of 'gentlemen' stereotypes to the modern... um... can't think of the name for the modern stereotype... Hmm. Hang on, I'll reword:

How many old-fashioned guys are there compared to non-old-fashioned guys? Does it vary greatly from area to area? Am I making any sense? Should I take my rabid Anglophilia elsewhere (and did I actually use the word correctly this time)

Woo, many questions. Go me...

I think he means how many English people wear bowler hats, carry umbrellas and/or behave like Hugh Grant in just about every duff romantic comedy we've managed to palm off on America.
The answer to which is about five. The rest of us are quite normal, really.
We don't have fog here any more either, you know.

are all englishmen brits?
and
are all brits englishmen?

yes.
no.
See the 'Ask a Brit' thread for more detail.

are all englishmen brits?
and
are all brits englishmen?
All English people are British, and never let a Scotsman or a Welshman hear you ask that second question...

I think he means how many English people wear bowler hats, carry umbrellas and/or behave like Hugh Grant in just about every duff romantic comedy we've managed to palm off on America.
The answer to which is about five. The rest of us are quite normal, really.
We don't have fog here any more either, you know.

Hee, 'she' actually (otherwise I'd have rather less interest in English guys :p).

And hmm... I think I just meant... hum. Man, I don't know what I meant.

I think I meant more along the lines of 'distinguishable from your average American/Australian/other 1st world country person, by more than accent alone'.

Then again, it's 2 in the morning here, so lord only knows what I meant.

Can I hand out Tim Tams to cover up any confusion? No? What about Mint Slice icecream?

All English people are British, and never let a Scotsman or a Welshman hear you ask that second question...

are all yorkshiremen tightarsed grimfaced tykes?

What's the ratio of 'gentlemen' stereotypes to the modern... um... can't think of the name for the modern stereotype... Hmm. Hang on, I'll reword:

How many old-fashioned guys are there compared to non-old-fashioned guys? Does it vary greatly from area to area? Am I making any sense? Should I take my rabid Anglophilia elsewhere (and did I actually use the word correctly this time)

Woo, many questions. Go me...

"Gentlemen" (or "old-fashioned guys") tend to be mainly the upper- and upper-middle class. I'd like to think every Englishman is a gentleman, but there are a lot of pillocks around. If you went 'gentlemen-hunting' you'd to best to look around the suburbs of relatively large cities and towns, especially in the home counties (eight counties in the south-east around London: Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent, Surrey, Middlesex and Bedfordshire)

are all yorkshiremen tightarsed grimfaced tykes?
I wouldn't say so, but then Leeds, my own city, is perhaps more cosmopolitan than the rest of Yorkshire. I think, to a large degree, that stereotype is about as valid as the one that all geordies are loud, impossible to understand and refuse ever to wear a coat, or that southerners are soft, slimy and chase after other people's women...

"Gentlemen" (or "old-fashioned guys") tend to be mainly the upper- and upper-middle class. I'd like to think every Englishman is a gentleman, but there are a lot of pillocks around. If you went 'gentlemen-hunting' you'd to best to look around the suburbs of relatively large cities and towns, especially in the home counties (eight counties in the south-east around London: Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent, Surrey, Middlesex and Bedfordshire)

Woo, someone knew what I meant! :D

...I think... *wanders off to write down list of places*

Now, if I can ask another egocentric question (last one, I promise!)... what are the odds of them pointing at me and shouting 'Convict' ('m Australian)? Because... well, that's something I'd rather avoid :p.

"Gentlemen" (or "old-fashioned guys") tend to be mainly the upper- and upper-middle class. I'd like to think every Englishman is a gentleman, but there are a lot of pillocks around. If you went 'gentlemen-hunting' you'd to best to look around the suburbs of relatively large cities and towns, especially in the home counties (eight counties in the south-east around London: Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent, Surrey, Middlesex and Bedfordshire)

Okay, so maybe 'five' was an understatement.

Do we get to use dogs and/or guns for gentleman hunting?

All English people are British, and never let a Scotsman or a Welshman hear you ask that second question...

I struggle with this daily. I'm british before I'm scottish, and it's the same with all of my friends. I don't understand why so many scots have such a terrible time with this.

Woo, someone knew what I meant! :D

...I think... *wanders off to write down list of places*

Now, if I can ask another egocentric question (last one, I promise!)... what are the odds of them pointing at me and shouting 'Convict' ('m Australian)? Because... well, that's something I'd rather avoid :p.

A proper gent would do no such thing, and chavy yobs are too thick to know the history of your country.

Ask an Englishman
What about us English women?!

"Gentlemen" (or "old-fashioned guys") tend to be mainly the upper- and upper-middle class. I'd like to think every Englishman is a gentleman, but there are a lot of pillocks around. If you went 'gentlemen-hunting' you'd to best to look around the suburbs of relatively large cities and towns, especially in the home counties (eight counties in the south-east around London: Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent, Surrey, Middlesex and Bedfordshire)
Depends on how you're defining 'gentlemen', I would say that they're just as prevalent among the middle classes, and that they're present pretty much everywhere, going on behaviour, but that if your idea of a gentleman is someone who rhymes house with mice and thinks that slaughtering defenseless creatures is a great past time then the home counties is the best place to look...

Woo, someone knew what I meant! :D

...I think... *wanders off to write down list of places*

Now, if I can ask another egocentric question (last one, I promise!)... what are the odds of them pointing at me and shouting 'Convict' ('m Australian)? Because... well, that's something I'd rather avoid :p.

Didn't mean to sound snappy, Shaed. :(
Among our country house set, the odds are regretfully high, I'm afraid, and probably even worse among City traders. But don't let that put you off the whole country.

Woo, someone knew what I meant! :D

...I think... *wanders off to write down list of places*

Now, if I can ask another egocentric question (last one, I promise!)... what are the odds of them pointing at me and shouting 'Convict' ('m Australian)? Because... well, that's something I'd rather avoid :p.

If you were to wear a cork-hat with a can of Fosters in your hand and a loud hawaiian t-shirt with shorts whilst inquiring about a "barby" or began to talk about sport, quite possibly. Other than that, not to your face :P. The odds of them calling you "Sheila", on the other hand, are lower.

Woo, someone knew what I meant! :D

...I think... *wanders off to write down list of places*

Now, if I can ask another egocentric question (last one, I promise!)... what are the odds of them pointing at me and shouting 'Convict' ('m Australian)? Because... well, that's something I'd rather avoid :p.
No-one would. At all. For the most part Australians are well liked in Britain, even if the place itself seems somewhat mysterious...Admittedly some kinds of people, scals (or townies or chavers etc. depending on where your from) would probably still mug you but it wouldn't be to do with your place of origin...

Didn't mean to sound snappy, Shaed. :(
Among our country house set, the odds are regretfully high, I'm afraid, and probably even worse among City traders. But don't let that put you off the whole country.

Oh, don't worry. You didn't sound snappy at all. You sounded (rightfully, I imagine) like you didn't quite understand my shockingly-badly-phrased question.

And hee, I don't think anything could put me off the country - I've grown up on English comedy, and seem to simply have some sort of in-built love for the whole country (and a large part of Britain really).

Depends on how you're defining 'gentlemen', I would say that they're just as prevalent among the middle classes, and that they're present pretty much everywhere, going on behaviour, but that if your idea of a gentleman is someone who rhymes house with mice and thinks that slaughtering defenseless creatures is a great past time then the home counties is the best place to look...

LOL I hope you meant "rhymes house with mouse"... We don't rhyme house with mice here in the home counties - I can't even think how one would go about doing that. Your attack on the home-counties, on the other hand, for hunting demonstrates to me that - behaviour-wise - gentlemen are probably quite rare in Leeds. I'll have you know that there are few hunts in the Home Counties, and thus your generalisation was redundant.

P.S. Foxes aren't defenceless.

P.S. Foxes aren't defenceless.

Nor are badgers. It's a brave man who messes with toothy wildlife without a horse and a gun.

Oddly, not many people do mess with them sans horse and rifle.

No-one would. At all. For the most part Australians are well liked in Britain, even if the place itself seems somewhat mysterious... Admittedly some kinds of people, scals (or townies or chavers etc. depending on where your from) would probably still mug you but it wouldn't be to do with your place of origin...

Ahh, but I'd probably be wearing my trusty 'Yes, I am a tourist. No, I'm not carrying cash. Better mug the next gal instead' t-shirt :p. I don't know if it works, but I've never been mugged yet :D

What about us English women?!

Women... talk?! Hah! I suppose next thing we know women will be expecting the vote! Likely, I'm sure. Now get back in your cage! *pushes back into cage with walking stick*

are all yorkshiremen tightarsed grimfaced tykes?

All? Probably not. Most? Probably.

Nor are badgers. It's a brave man who messes with toothy wildlife without a horse and a gun.

Oddly, not many people do mess with them sans horse and rifle.

You can't keep me away from them, mate!

LOL I hope you meant "rhymes house with mouse"... We don't rhyme house with mice here in the home counties - I can't even think how one would go about doing that. Your attack on the home-counties, on the other hand, for hunting demonstrates to me that - behaviour-wise - gentlemen are probably quite rare in Leeds. I'll have you know that there are few hunts in the Home Counties, and thus your generalisation was redundant.

P.S. Foxes aren't defenceless.
I was thinking in terms of the geographical position of Eton, etc. I'm not saying everyone from the home counties is a posh git, but it's the end of the country in which they tend to congregate...I'm not particularly anti-hunt, and I wasn't suggesting the home counties had more of it per se, just that they had more of the sort of people who support it...The whole home counties being the centre of England thing comes from the fact that more of the aristocracy live there...
I think that the idea that they have more actual gentleman per head of population is just as blinkered and unfounded as anything I may have said...

PS. I meant mice...

You can't keep me away from them, mate!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/3023369.stm

Well I got sent this earlier and it's sort of appropriate...

An Englishman, an Aussie and a South African are in a bar one night,
having beer. All of a sudden the South African downs his beer, throws
his glass in the air, pulls out a gun and shoots the glass to pieces
and says: "In Sath Efrika our glasses are so cheap that we don't need
to drink from the same one twice."

The Aussie, obviously impressed by this, drinks his beer, throws his
glass into the air, pulls out his gun and shoots the glass to pieces
and says: "Well mate, in 'Straaaaailia we have so much sand to make the
glasses that we don't need to drink out of the same glass twice either.

The Englishman, cool as a cucumber, picks up his beer and drinks it,
throws his glass into the air, pulls out his gun, shoots the South
African and the Australian and then says: "In London we have so many
****ing South Africans and Australians that we don't need to drink with
the same ones twice.


I'm going to be telling that tonight to a South African and an Australian

Well I got sent this earlier and it's sort of appropriate...

An Englishman, an Aussie and a South African are in a bar one night,
having beer. All of a sudden the South African downs his beer, throws
his glass in the air, pulls out a gun and shoots the glass to pieces
and says: "In Sath Efrika our glasses are so cheap that we don't need
to drink from the same one twice."

The Aussie, obviously impressed by this, drinks his beer, throws his
glass into the air, pulls out his gun and shoots the glass to pieces
and says: "Well mate, in 'Straaaaailia we have so much sand to make the
glasses that we don't need to drink out of the same glass twice either.

The Englishman, cool as a cucumber, picks up his beer and drinks it,
throws his glass into the air, pulls out his gun, shoots the South
African and the Australian and then says: "In London we have so many
****ing South Africans and Australians that we don't need to drink with
the same ones twice.


I'm going to be telling that tonight to a South African and an Australian
Yeah, someone told that joke on the site the other day, except that time it was an American, a Mexican and an African, I think...Was bad that time too...

Well I got sent this earlier and it's sort of appropriate...

An Englishman, an Aussie and a South African are in a bar one night,
having beer. All of a sudden the South African downs his beer, throws
his glass in the air, pulls out a gun and shoots the glass to pieces
and says: "In Sath Efrika our glasses are so cheap that we don't need
to drink from the same one twice."

The Aussie, obviously impressed by this, drinks his beer, throws his
glass into the air, pulls out his gun and shoots the glass to pieces
and says: "Well mate, in 'Straaaaailia we have so much sand to make the
glasses that we don't need to drink out of the same glass twice either.

The Englishman, cool as a cucumber, picks up his beer and drinks it,
throws his glass into the air, pulls out his gun, shoots the South
African and the Australian and then says: "In London we have so many
****ing South Africans and Australians that we don't need to drink with
the same ones twice.


I'm going to be telling that tonight to a South African and an Australian

:D Good one! I shall have to remember that for my South African colleagues. South Africans are the new Australians, for sure.

Here's a question...why, oh why...is the stuff you guys call "lemonade" something more like an aspartamine bomb with some picric acid added for flavor? It's got nothing at all to do with lemons.

Also, why do they still serve jellied eels and roll mops, when it's abundantly clear that they're the most loathsome things ever to masquerade as food?

I was thinking in terms of the geographical position of Eton, etc. I'm not saying everyone from the home counties is a posh git, but it's the end of the country in which they tend to congregate...I'm not particularly anti-hunt, and I wasn't suggesting the home counties had more of it per se, just that they had more of the sort of people who support it...The whole home counties being the centre of England thing comes from the fact that more of the aristocracy live there...
I think that the idea that they have more actual gentleman per head of population is just as blinkered and unfounded as anything I may have said...

PS. I meant mice...

I live just a couple of miles from Eton. Most of us aren't "posh gits", but the Eton boys tend to be stuck-up enough to make it up for the rest of us. And, by the way, the Eton boys come from all over - not just Eton :P.

There aren't any hunts around here whatsoever - you'd have to go a good few miles to find one.

I wouldn't say most of the aristocracy live around here, though obviously a lot do as it's a nicer habitual situation for an aristocrat than London and they would obviously do well to be living in the close vicinity of London for a good few reasons.

I still don't understand how one would rhyme "house" with "mice".

Here's a question...why, oh why...is the stuff you guys call "lemonade" something more like an aspartamine bomb with some picric acid added for flavor? It's got nothing at all to do with lemons.

Also, why do they still serve jellied eels and roll mops, when it's abundantly clear that they're the most loathsome things ever to masquerade as food?

Because it's cheaper than real lemonade and evil corporations like us. Remember, though, that we invented lemonade. You can buy "real lemonade" from a few places, but it's a lot pricier than the artificial stuff.

Jellied eels and roll mops? I don't recall the last place I saw serving those...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/3023369.stm

Ahh! So that's were Cuddles went! I'd wondered where he'd gone. :(

I still don't understand how one would rhyme "house" with "mice".

hice? Have you never listened to Prince Philip?

I live just a couple of miles from Eton. Most of us aren't "posh gits", but the Eton boys tend to be stuck-up enough to make it up for the rest of us. And, by the way, the Eton boys come from all over - not just Eton :P.

There aren't any hunts around here whatsoever - you'd have to go a good few miles to find one.

I wouldn't say most of the aristocracy live around here, though obviously a lot do as it's a nicer habitual situation for an aristocrat than London and they would obviously do well to be living in the close vicinity of London for a good few reasons.

I still don't understand how one would rhyme "house" with "mice".

Easy.... 'hice'. Now, I think the question is WHY would you want to do so? I mean, that's not even something I'd expect from royalty... Now, the random adding of h's... *that* makes sense to me (quote from Discworld to illustrate what I mean: "Hwhat is the meaning of this? Hwell?"). Then again, that seems to spring up more with military folk than the aristocracy...

And eee... 'gits'. God, I love English slang. Curse my parents for moving to Australia before I was born! Rar!

LOL I hope you meant "rhymes house with mouse"... We don't rhyme house with mice here in the home counties - I can't even think how one would go about doing that.

have you never heard prince charles talk?

hellay thar, hev yew gort a nice hice? end hev yew gort nice trisers?

pee ess - where did they get the revolver?

Jellied eels and roll mops? I don't recall the last place I saw serving those...

Jellied eels can still be had at the very wonderful Pie & Mash shops still remaining in London. Roll mops are in just about every supermarket - though I've always thought of them as more of a Central Europe/Scandanavian thing. The former are indeed an acquired taste and not to be contemplated with a hangover, but the latter are most excellent and suitable for all occasions.

have you never heard prince charles talk?

hellay thar, hev yew gort a nice hice? end hev yew gort nice trisers?

:p I stand corrected, within minutes of my post - that must be some sort of record.

Ok, I retract my statement and change it from "that's not even something I'd expect from royalty" to "that's something I'd only expect from royalty"

*sits and waits to be proven wrong a second time* :rolleyes: :D

I live just a couple of miles from Eton. Most of us aren't "posh gits", but the Eton boys tend to be stuck-up enough to make it up for the rest of us. And, by the way, the Eton boys come from all over - not just Eton :P.

There aren't any hunts around here whatsoever - you'd have to go a good few miles to find one.

I wouldn't say most of the aristocracy live around here, though obviously a lot do as it's a nicer habitual situation for an aristocrat than London and they would obviously do well to be living in the close vicinity of London for a good few reasons.

I still don't understand how one would rhyme "house" with "mice".
Bah. House with mice is a (I thought well known) stereotype for an upper class accent. I really don't have anything particular against the home counties, though I do with the Eton boys, the reason I started this was your suggestion that gentlemen were more likely to occur among the upper and upper-middle classes and down South which to me seemed to be vastly wrong. I don't give a damn one way or another about the hunts, and I wasn't saying they happen more often in the home counties, I was just looking for an example of upper class activity. So, let us, as gentlemen, leave this subject 'cos it's got damn stale...

Easy.... 'hice'. Now, I think the question is WHY would you want to do so? I mean, that's not even something I'd expect from royalty... Now, the random adding of h's... *that* makes sense to me (quote from Discworld to illustrate what I mean: "Hwhat is the meaning of this? Hwell?"). Then again, that seems to spring up more with military folk than the aristocracy...

And eee... 'gits'. God, I love English slang. Curse my parents for moving to Australia before I was born! Rar!
I think house with mice might be a Discworld quote as well...Possibly about Lord Rust...

hice? Have you never listened to Prince Philip?

I went to his sodding wedding, but for some reason I did not once hear the man rhyme "house" with "mice".

I've never heard anyone do that, as a matter of fact.

Bah. House with mice is a (I thought well known) stereotype for an upper class accent. I really don't have anything particular against the home counties, though I do with the Eton boys, the reason I started this was your suggestion that gentlemen were more likely to occur among the upper and upper-middle classes and down South which to me seemed to be vastly wrong. I don't give a damn one way or another about the hunts, and I wasn't saying they happen more often in the home counties, I was just looking for an example of upper class activity. So, let us, as gentlemen, leave this subject 'cos it's got damn stale...


before we do, I have to point out that the area between harrogate and york is crawling with hoorays, and many of them have mansions in north yorkshire.

yay the red rose. we won. you lost. etc.

I went to his sodding wedding, but for some reason I did not once hear the man rhyme "house" with "mice".

I've never heard anyone do that, as a matter of fact.

You don't have to hear him actually rhyme them. He says "hice" when he means house, he doesn't go round spouting poems about houses.

have you never heard prince charles talk?

hellay thar, hev yew gort a nice hice? end hev yew gort nice trisers?

Well I guess that's one thing I could trust old Charlie boy to do, other than be a dodgy heir to the throne of course.

I sort of get the accent you're trying to achieve here, but I think the "house with mice" would be pronounced more of a quick "hoise" than "hice". I'm sure it's an exaggerated stereotype though, because even with my semi-posh accent I can't achieve anything close without it sounding completely foreign and getting a headache at the same time.

before we do, I have to point out that the area between harrogate and york is crawling with hoorays, and many of them have mansions in north yorkshire.

yay the red rose. we won. you lost. etc.
That's not the way they teach it in Yorkshire...The Yorkist kings held the throne for more time than the Lancastrians did and they also won more battles...Henry Tudor who won the war wasn't even a proper Lancastrian...
www.warsoftheroses.com (http://www.warsoftheroses.com)

Well, as fun as it's been dragging this discussion completely off-track, I have to bow out now. Not only is all the English slang and discussion awakening my libido (and god, that's not something I need to put up with at 3 in the morning) but it's... well, 3 in the morning.

So night all, and thanks for putting up with my semi-demi-hemi-trollery.

:D

Oh, and cookies for all (because I've still got half a pack left)

You know, the House of Lancaster won overall. Do you know why? Because they don't have to go on about how great they are all the time for reassurance and mis-calculated self-defence.


Good night, Shaed.

Because it's cheaper than real lemonade and evil corporations like us. Remember, though, that we invented lemonade. You can buy "real lemonade" from a few places, but it's a lot pricier than the artificial stuff.

Jellied eels and roll mops? I don't recall the last place I saw serving those...

I used to see roll mops and jellied eels in southeast London a lot, usually in the grocery stores and the pie and mash shops. Cockney stronghold, I guess.

Waitrose, though, would sell them too, and it tarnished my opinion of Waitrose a bit to see them there. ;)

Anyway, I'm just bitter. I was refused for life at the bloodmobile today. I can never donate blood in the US. The reason why? I was in the UK for five years, the first year of which was 1996, six months before the cut-off date for the BSE connected ban.

You know, the House of Lancaster won overall. Do you know why? Because they don't have to go on about how great they are all the time for reassurance and mis-calculated self-defence.
I do it more for the fun of it than anything else...Anyway...Back in those days, I bet they did...I don't need reassurance, my natural arrogance gets me through fine...

hice? Have you never listened to Prince Philip?

Listening to Prince Philip is always a laugh. He's like the royal comic-relief. I think he must be stoned about 90% of the time, and they only bring him out of the palace when they absolutely have to.

Listening to Prince Philip is always a laugh. He's like the royal comic-relief. I think he must be stoned about 90% of the time, and they only bring him out of the palace when they absolutely have to.
I saw Phil the Greek in action one time at a small town sailing regatta. He was brilliant, like a buff, batty uncle come to smile and wave at the kids. (And scare them slightly.)

I think they bring Phil out to prove that they haven't got him locked up. I remember hearing about some gaffe he made at Wembley or something, looking at a fusebox and asking if it was a paki that had put it together. He's a charmer. *cough*

I used to see roll mops and jellied eels in southeast London a lot, usually in the grocery stores and the pie and mash shops. Cockney stronghold, I guess.

Waitrose, though, would sell them too, and it tarnished my opinion of Waitrose a bit to see them there. ;)

Anyway, I'm just bitter. I was refused for life at the bloodmobile today. I can never donate blood in the US. The reason why? I was in the UK for five years, the first year of which was 1996, six months before the cut-off date for the BSE connected ban.

Southeast London is not Cockney. Cockney is north of the river, within the ear-range of Bow bells. ;)



Prince Phillip. Bloody hell, reading this over I've realised how confused I am. I read it and thought Edward for some reason, probably the mutual baldness between he and his father. Arh I dunno.


By the way, I believe the exact words looking at the fusebox in Wembley were, "Looks like it's been put in by Indians!"

I think they bring Phil out to prove that they haven't got him locked up. I remember hearing about some gaffe he made at Wembley or something, looking at a fusebox and asking if it was a paki that had put it together. He's a charmer. *cough*

He didn't say it quite that terribly. He suggested that it had been put together by an indian. Which still wasn't very clever, obviously, but not quite as bad as Ron Atkinson's latest career move.

Edit: Ah, borrocks. Pipped to the post by a sassenach.

He's said worse, eg. "Do you still throw spears at each other?" (to aboriginies in Australia)

He's said worse, eg. "Do you still throw spears at each other?" (to aboriginies in Australia)

:D

He makes me laugh, anyway. I don't imagine his wife finds him quite as amusing as the rest of us do.

Probably not, but how would we ever know she has a sense of humour anyway?

one thing that is true to stereotype about practically all English people. We do talk about the weather a lot.

one thing that is true to stereotype about practically all English people. We do talk about the weather a lot.
And that is understandable since you have so much rain.

And that is understandable since you have so much rain.

thats true but the main reason is because the weather is so unpredictable. Where else could you wake up in June and not know whether to put on jeans a jumper and a winter coat or a bikini and shorts?

thats true but the main reason is because the weather is so unpredictable. Where else could you wake up in June and not know whether to put on jeans a jumper and a winter coat or a bikini and shorts??
I now I get unpopular when I say that here. But there is another country where this is the case as well: Ireland.

I now I get unpopular when I say that here. But there is another country where this is the case as well: Ireland.

Why would that make you unpopular? Its true!

Why would that make you unpopular? Its true!
Because English-Irish relations weren´t the best in the past. Well, and things aren´t completly settled even today.

Because English-Irish relations weren´t the best in the past. Well, and things aren´t completly settled even today.

I understand that, but it doesn't change the fact that the weather in both countries is so random its almost farcical!

I now I get unpopular when I say that here. But there is another country where this is the case as well: Ireland.

Ok then, where else but the U.k AND Ireland would this happen.

He's said worse, eg. "Do you still throw spears at each other?" (to aboriginies in Australia)

God, I'd forgotten all about the spear-chucker comment. It reminds me of something I'd heard, an urban legend, about how the Queen Mum had had two sisters who they kept locked up, because they were mad.

Remember, when you're rich or royal, it's "eccentric". When you're poor and common, it's just "weird". ;)

As for cockneys being north of the river, the ones south of it would fight you over the distinction. The ones from Essex, though...they just don't care. If you don't know better, it's your loss. :D

The ones south of the river can argue all they want - they aren't cockney unless they're born within the sound-limits of the Bow bells. I don't know how many places South of the river one could hear the bells at, but if people are born where they can and feel cockney they are more cockney than I am (though I am 1/4 genetically cockney myself). Otherwise, cockney is not a general East London thing.

I talk about the weather all the time. I hate the bloody sun, I'm a rain person. A truely climatised Englishman. Hurrah!

Ok then, where else but the U.k AND Ireland would this happen.
True: but since we are speaking here about England why not formulate it that way: where else but in England, Wales, Scottland, Northern Ireland (UK) and the Republic of Ireland would this happen.

Isle of Mann?