Alles-cultuur-1 - Samenvatting Engels PDF

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BRITAIN CH4. Identity People in Britain with ancestors who were not English  strong national ('ethnic') loyalties  they may even join sporting/social/… clubs for people of these nations People living in England, with ancestors who are actually Scottish/Welsh/Irish  their loyalty is little more than a matter of emotional attachment Scottish identity  constant reminders of their distinctiveness  Education, the legal and welfare systems… are organized separately Even prints its own banknotes (but they are the same currency as the rest of Britain)  Different way of speaking English Modern form of 'Scots'; by working classes in lowlands; not understood by English/Welsh people  Many symbols of Scottishness Kilt, bagpipes, blue colour, thistle… Scottish Gaelic sense of cultural identity: in some of the Western Isles of Scotland & adjoining mainland  they speak Scottish Gaelic (they call it 'Gallic') as a first language Feeling of being Scottish = not that simple  historical cultural split between highland and lowland! 25 January = 'Burns suppers' Parties where they  read work of poet Robert Burns (~ Scotland's national poet)  wear kilts  dance traditional dances (= 'reels') and sing traditional songs  eat haggis (made from sheep's heart, lungs and liver) Two views on these parties: 1.    2.

THE SENTIMENTAL NATIONALIST they are celebrating 'Burns suppers' in the traditional way they are proud when they see the flag of their country they adore the romantic sentimental view of their country (kilts, bagpipes, songs etc.)

THE REALIST their opinion is that the people who join 'Burns suppers' aren't Scottish at all, they are pseudoScottish: they went to posh public schools and live in England, but they are 'Scottish' because their families have owned large parts of Scotland  because of that, the realist doesn't know what is really Scottish 

SCOTTISH TERMS

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Dundee cake

a rich fruit cake, supposedly originating from the town of Dundee

haggis

made from sheep's heart, lungs, liver

Tam O'Shanter

title of a poem by Burns, and also the name for the traditional cap of highland dress

realpolitik

an approach to politics based on realities and material needs, not on morals or ideals

Murrayfield

the Scottish national rugby stadium

loch

Scottish Gaelic for 'lake'

Hampden

the Scottish national football stadium

reels

traditional Scottish dances (e.g. Gay Gordons)

Welsh identity  do not have as many reminders of their Welshness in everyday life  organization similar to England  not many well-known symbols  large minority do not consider themselves Welsh at all  19th century: Scottish/Irish/English people went to find work there  today many English people still live there/ have holiday houses there  feeling of loyalty = regional rather than nationalistic  only ONE highly important symbol! = the Welsh language  everyone can speak English, but it's not always their first language  20% of population: mother tongue = Welsh  For them: Welsh identity = more than just living in the Welsh region Welsh = in a strong position  Successful campaigns; a lot of public support  All children in Wales learn it at school  Many local newspapers in Welsh  Welsh television channel  All public notices/ signs: written in English ánd Welsh!

 they have only one national hero: Owain Glyndwr (Owen Glendower in English) = sign of the times First years of 15th century:  he captured all the castles the English had built to help them rule in Wales  he established an independent Wales with its own parliament  it lasted for only five years  then he was defeated BUT legendary status in Welsh folklore because  he never surrendered  there is no reliable record of his death There is a campaign to make 16 September (the day he started) a national holiday Identity in Northern Ireland  a much more complex issue

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 explained at the end of this chapter English identity  last 200 years; people living in England: no distinction in their mind between 'English' and 'British'  confusion can still be found in the press and in public life 'the bulldog spirit' = phrase evoking courage, determination and refusal to surrender = often brought to life as 'the British bulldog' BUT it typically calls to mind an Englishman!

International football/rugby matches: Scottish/Irish/Welsh teams have their own songs English team: God Save The Queen (= British national anthem) BUT the 'English' part is becoming clearer! Not so long ago: English supporters waved with the Union Jack flag Now: they wave with the cross of St. George At the Commonwealth Games: England has even found its own anthem (Land of Hope and Glory) Teenagers think of themselves as English, more than the adults  so the new generation is more English minded! What does it mean to be English? 2005: British government wanted to put English identity on the map  website 'Icons Online': the public had to give their ideas for English symbols  the advisers drew up a list, so that the public could choose from things such as:  Stonehenge  Angel of the North  Routemaster London bus  SS Empire Windrush  A cup of tea  The FA Cup  The King James Bible  A portraitof Henry VIII BUT even in the starter list: finding distinctively English icons is difficult!  Stonehenge was not built by the English  a cup of tea comes from India  King James was Scottish  Henry VIII = as Welsh as he was English AND his portrait painter was German

Other ethnic identities Similarities in the four nations (with minor variations/exceptions):  They look the same

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   

Eat the same food Have the same religious heritage (Christianity) Learn the same language first (English) Have the same attitudes to the roles of men and women

The same is largely true for those whose family origins lie in continental Europe e.g. a lot of who have Italian or Polish heritage (immigration after WW II) People in Britain whose family roots lie elsewhere  Most of them look different  they can't choose when to advertise their ethnic heritage and when not to  Two major groupings: BLACK CARIBBEANS  The longest-established of these groups  Most of them born in Britain  Immigration from the Caribbean began in 1948  Steamship "Empire Windrush" arrived with 500 Jamaicans & Trinidadians  They had fought for Britain in WW II  Next 14 years: many more arrived  They took low-paid jobs (mostly on London's buses & trains)  After 1962 it slowed down  A lot of similarities with the white majority:  Same proportion of Christian and non-religious people  Their language variety (creole or patwa) = same relation to English as Scots does  Several forms of Caribbean music (calypso, reggae, ska) have taken root in Britain  Most popular annual street festival in Europe (Notting Hill Carnival) = started by Caribbean immigrants ASIANS  Roots lie in and around the Indian subcontinent  First wave: at the same time as that from the Caribbean (after WW II)  Second wave: late 1960s and early 1970s  large numbers of Asian people arrived from east African countries  Following decades: Asian immigration at a slower rate  They stuck closely together  now they usually marry among themselves (more than in Caribbean community)  They have retained:  Their languages (Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati)  Their religions (non-Christian)  Their music, dress and food preferences  Parents have more control over their children  makes it hard for young Asians in Britain  Some differences between the Asians: Indian origin  education above the British average Pakistan/Bangladesh  education below the British average  their ethnic identity = less important than their religion (Islam) BUT most people of Indian origin and many of Pakistani/Bangladeshi origin: able to forge a distinct hybrid identity as British Asians with which they feel comfortable  it has found a voice in the mainstream media & in musical form of bhangra On British TV and film

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Before mass migration: From the start of the migration:

Examples:

characters from southern Asia and the Caribbean = objects of interest, and sometimes of fun they were able to define themselves, explore their situation as black British or British Asians

The Millionairess (1960) white comic actor played an Indian doctor he was obviously out of place in a sophisticated European world expression of surprise: "goodness, gracious me" parody of a supposedly typical Indian accent Goodness Gracious Me (2000) TV comedy sketch show; very popular! this time in a Yorkshire accent the show = written and performed by British Indians they made fun of the clichés

The rise in ethnic and national profiles 21st century: indigenous ethnic & national identities = more public Most obvious signs: Scottish parliament, Welsh assembly Other examples: 1.

Official forms: now it has a question on national identity People can choose as many as they like from British, English, Scottish, Welshi, Irish and 'Other'

2.

Skye, an island off the west coast of Scotland = now officialy renamed: "Eilean a'Cheo" This is its Gaelic name & it means 'the misty isle'

3.

Cornish language = a relative of Welsh The native speakers died, but now people learn it in evening classes There has even been a film in Cornish in 2002: recognised as an official minority language  it now has legal protection under European law  'Kernow' on signs in Cornwall

The family  a fairly typical northern European country  family identity = rather weak  weddings/births/funerals/… = not automatically accompanied by large gatherings of people  still roles like 'best man', 'godmother/father': but they are of sentimental significance only  they do not imply lifelong responsibility  family gatherings: mostly just around the Christmas period Family unit = still the basic living arrangement (But just the nuclear family! This means the parents with their children) Especially in Britain: o Adults of different generations living together = very unusual o Proportion of people living alone = higher

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o o o

Less respect for formalities of marriage a lot of children born outside marriage (40% of births) A lot of single-parent families But still 85% children are born to parents who are living together (they are just not always married)

Is there a generation gap any more? 1950s: invention of the 'teenager' (because advertisers spied a new market) During social revolution  awareness of it heightened  generation gap! Divergent attitudes/conflict between parents and their teenage children  this was even the expected norm!  it is now part of British folklore A study in 2002 showed: this stereotype is outdated 4 out of 5 teenagers were happy with family life The age of when young people leave home is rising fast!  because of high cost of housing  but also because they like it at home What's in a name? Honour of the family name = almost non-existent in England Except: o to some degree in the upper classes, o in the other three British nations, o

among ethnic minorities

It's very easy to change your family name (to anything you like!) In Britain: also no laws about surname of wife/child  names can be useful pointers to social trends  e.g. double-barrelled names like Barclay-Finch = symbol of upper-class status Until recently  they started thinking it was pretentious In 1962: only 1 in every 300 surnames was double-barrelled BUT by the start of 21st century: one in fifty had a double- barrelled name again! New motivations: 1. FEMINISM In Britain it is normal for women to take the husband's name, but some keep their maiden name  independent-minded women find a compromise by doing both 2. PARENTS FROM DIFFERENT CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS they want their children to have a sense of both of their heritages Geographical identity  not very strong in most parts of Britain  very few live in the same place all their lives There IS a lot of local pride  when they just like where they live

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 not because they feel they belong to that place More of a sense of identity with a larger geographical area Sometimes there is a strong sense of identification with a city: o Liverpool:

o

they are called 'Liverpudlians' or 'Scousers' very conscious of the distinct identity of their city long history as international port; consequent cultural and ethnic mix Newcastle:

o

they are called 'Geordies' because of the position of their city (far north of England) Manchester ('Mancunians')

o o

Glasgow ('Glaswegians') London ('Londoners')

In other cases: identity is associated with a county = most ancient divisions of England they have little administrative significance these days but they still claim the allegiance of some people e.g. Yorkshire, Cornwall Cornish people still talk about 'going to England' when they cross the county border At larger level: northerners vs. southerners  well-known sense of identity  this feeling was stronger in the industrial past  but a strong sense of difference remains

northerners tough honest warm-hearted

southerners soft hypocritical unfriendly

Crap towns British people rarely feel a sense of loyalty to the place they live In 2003: a book called "Crap Towns: the 50 worst places to live in the UK"  you'd expect a lot of people would have taken offence  some did, BUT the book sold especially well in the 50 towns  one of the very few negative reactions? people from Slough (41st in the ranking) were disappointed that their town wasn't on number one! What is a Cockney? People from a wider area of the innermost eastern suburbs of London & an adjoining area south of the Thames Cockney = also to describe a strong London accent = associated with working-class origins

trouble and strife apples and pears loaf of bread butcher's hook

= wife = stairs = head = look

They used rhyming slang! Some has passed into general informal British usage: Use your loaf (= think!) Have a butcher's (= have a look) Class Class system survived because of its flexibility  always been possible to buy/marry/work your way up People don't approve of clear class differences  BUT they find it difficult to become friends with someone from a different 'background'

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 not because they want to stay loyal to their own class BUT because the different classes have different sets of attitudes and daily habits o They eat different food at different times of day (and call the meals by different names) o o

They enjoy different pastimes and sports They talk about different topics using different styles and accents

o

They have different values about what things in life are most important/about how to behave

It's not just about relative wealth or the appearance of it  it's mostly about what he or she says:  the speaker's attitudes and interests  the speaker's accent  the grammar and vocabulary used 'standard British English': on TV news, radio, books, newspapers… 'non-standard British English': used by e.g. working-class people Everybody in the country is capable of using standard English when necessary  they are taught to do so at school Most prestigious accent = Received Pronunciation (RP) People refer to it as 'BBC English' or 'the Queen's English' It's not associated with a particular part of the country Last quarter of 20th century: In Britain, a certain amount of 'social climbing' goes on  people try to appear as if they belong to as high a class as possible These days: the opposite is common! 'inverted snobbery' = middle-class people try to adopt working-class values and habits They think working-classes are 'better' (more honest) Nobody wants to be snobbish e.g. the word 'posh'  it means: 'of a class higher than the one I belong to'  but it's mostly used with negative connotations  people use the word to accuse someone of being 'distant and/or pretentious'

The three classes Stereotype view of upper, middle and working classes Seen in a satirical television programme of the 1970s (this is now a long way from the reality though)

Today: o Different classes mix more easily with each other o o

Great increase in people from working-class origins who are home owners and do middle-class jobs Lower and middle classes have drawn closer to each other in their attitudes

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o

Relation between wealth and perceived social class seems to be even looser than ever: a lot of wealthy people regard themselves as working class a lot of the poorest regard themselves as middle class

Men and women Similar as in other parts of northern Europe No longer differences in public and social roles of men and women  even illegal to discriminate on basis of sex!  BUT people still expect differences in everyday behaviour and roles (British society more than most other European societies) Examples:  More acceptable for a man to look untidy and scruffy  More acceptable for a woman to display emotions and affection But number of these differences is being reduced  grooming services (e.g. manicures) are not longer effeminate for men  women are now getting drunk just as much as British men Domestic roles:  Decorating the house = woman  Everyday care of the children = mainly woman's responsibility (nearly half of them work part-time) But differentiation has decreased!  A family's financial situation = not just the responsibility of the man  Changing babies' nappies, putting the children to bed, dressing them, feeding them… = not just the responsibility of the woman A 2003 study showed that British man score very good Public roles:  Positions of power and influences Britain: first with a woman Prime Minister & a woman chairperson of debate in its parliament  BUT only 1/5 MPs is a woman Only 1/9 of university heads is a woman … Women's football One area is lagging behind: sport 10% of the place in newspapers = devoted to sport played by women On TV: women only in individual sports (athletics, tennis…) Women's team sports are now catching up! At the turn of the century  football overtook netball as most popular sport for British women  2007: more than 7000 female football teams  because women want to play sports that give them more exercise  also because playing football is not considered as un-feminine anymore (since rise of e.g. David Beckham) Social and everyday contacts British desire to 'belong'

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   

everyday personal contact is important for them the pub, the working man's club… plays an important part in many people's lives work is also an important factor in making social contacts more and more contact via the Internet

Making contact and finding your roots Britain = geographically mobile society A lot of people in their lives, some of them become friends  but often only temporarily Extended family gatherings are rare  which is why even family members can lose touch In 2000: website called "Friends Reunited" 5 years later: 12 million registered users Tracing family roots = also a booming activity in Britain! Religion and politics Religion and politics = not very important It won't determine where British people work, who their friends are, which trade union they belong to… Except in  Northern Ireland  Some people in Scotland  The Islamic community The sign of the cross Britain...