# British stereotypes- clichés needed! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 25, 2017, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410 "2017-05-25T11:21:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/1 "2017-05-25T11:21:32Z")
I’m looking for inspiration for an event, basically a sort of festival, 9 days long, which is hosted by a different country each year. It’s generally attended by approx 5-6 thousand people, primarily European, but some from further afield as well. In 2019, it’s England’s turn. This isn’t a request for advice on actual organisation (I’m not really involved in the serious bits), but for fun things to to make it memorably British. I know what the British stereotypical views of _ourselves_ are, but I don’t really know what other countries think is a British cliché, and we don’t want it to turn into too much of an in-joke fest. I’m ideally looking for stereotypes that can be turned into suggestions for silly things we can do, workshops we can advertise, or just things that will make people laugh. We’re more than happy to make fun of ourselves. At the moment I’m mostly focusing on England (being English- we have a group from Scotland as well, not sure on Wales and Northern Ireland yet, it’s early days). We don’t have a massive budget, but we can probably get some for a good enough idea, and we can probably get a lot of volunteer hours, both for prep over the next two years and during the actual event. Current ideas include handing out tea and cucumber sandwiches to people queuing correctly on the way in, mock fox hunts (on hobby horses), passive aggressive apology workshops… Hopefully you get the idea. Any suggestions appreciated (especially funny ones). What does Britishness mean to _you_? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/2 "2017-05-25T11:27:30Z")
Going out in the midday sun. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/3 "2017-05-25T11:36:21Z")
Stereotypes huh? Cricket. Morris dancing. Bowler hats. Umbrellas. Queuing. Drinking tea. Sherlock Holmes. Robin Hood. Doctor Who. Stonehenge. Tower of London. London Bridge. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/4 "2017-05-25T11:38:12Z")
I recommended checking out “Very British Problems” on Social Media 🙂 How about a game of “Pin the Union Jack on the Country”, using a map of the world? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/5 "2017-05-25T11:38:24Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Going out in the midday sun. That does rather assume we’ll _get_ some sun. Still, if we do, everyone will immediately go out in it and get sunburn. We don’t have to organise that, it’ll just happen naturally. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/6 "2017-05-25T13:24:32Z")
Please don’t assume that British is English. British is English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish. I know the definition of territory Britain excludes Northern Ireland, but at the moment if you’re using the term they are included. So that reduces that big list to: Umbrellas. Queuing. Drinking tea. Take the big list if you mean English. Probably does include: Politeness Nonconfrontational if Angry Sarcastic ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/7 "2017-05-25T13:42:09Z")
One stereotype from Spain, hoping it won’t lose too much in translation: A telegram arrived as the English businessman was putting his jacket on to leave the office on a Friday afternoon. He signed for it and left it in his “in” tray unopened, saying as he closed the door behind himself “man, will I have such bad news on Monday!” We consider the two-day weekend as the best of all inventions to come out of Evil Albion, and reckon that you guys are skilled in the art of leaving work at work. We also admire your response to bad times of all kinds; I’m not talking about the famous “stiff upper lip”, but about normal people running to help those who have been hurt either by some asshole or by an act of nature. On the bad side, the assumption upon seeing an agressive drunk who spouts something that sounds like it may be some version of Her Most British Majesty’s language and looks like a badly-grilled shrimp (black and hot pink) is that he’s English. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/8 "2017-05-25T13:47:47Z")
…white and hot pink… 😛 definitely not black, 'cept maybe the hair. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/9 "2017-05-25T14:28:43Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > On the bad side, the assumption upon seeing an agressive drunk who spouts something that sounds like it may be some version of Her Most British Majesty’s language and looks like a badly-grilled shrimp (black and hot pink) is that he’s English. Another stereotype that I have which I can’t shake even though I know it’s not true is that they’d be on hard liquor, especially gin, on these benders, whereas it’s more difficult for me to think of them getting really and truly wasted on beer. I know that these days about the only thing not used for this purpose as much is fine wine (had to add “fine” to exclude Buckfast.) ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/10 "2017-05-25T17:00:22Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > Please don’t assume that British is English. > > British is English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish. I know the definition of territory Britain excludes Northern Ireland, but at the moment if you’re using the term they are included. > > So that reduces that big list to: > > Umbrellas. > Queuing. > Drinking tea. > > Take the big list if you mean English. > > Probably does include: > > Politeness > Nonconfrontational if Angry > Sarcastic We want both- the actual event is in England, the team putting it on are from all over, including a few organisers from each country. Finding a funny, but accurate, way to explain the differences to attendees is already on The List (isn’t Northern Ireland part of Britain btw, just not _Great_ Britain, which is the island? That’s how I’ve heard it defined). We did suggest shipping in some drunk, belligerent, sunburned Scousers for some added authenticity, but it got ruled out, for some reason 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/11 "2017-05-25T17:06:57Z")
Isn’t there a website for all the old _Punch_ cartoons? There was a wonderful series called “The British Character” that ran all through the '20s and '30s. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/12 "2017-05-25T17:15:46Z")
I think we Americans tend to regard the monarchy with a combination of bemusement and curiosity. How about something related to royalty? ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/13 "2017-05-25T17:21:02Z")
For the ladies, the big showy hats worn to Wimbledon and other popular public events. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/14 "2017-05-25T17:24:01Z")
Red telephone booth, missing penalty kicks, fish and chips, James Herriot, fox hunting… ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/15 "2017-05-25T17:38:07Z")
Dr.Who, biscuits, cucumber sandwiches (no crusts), Morris Minors, Fookin Amazing, Fooking Fantastic, Save the Shrimp! ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/16 "2017-05-25T17:42:15Z")
Damp. Overcast. Towering buses, and terribly narrow lanes in which to drive them. Warm beer. Bland food. WAY too much Indian carry-out. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/17 "2017-05-25T17:44:25Z")
How about lacking in expressed emotion? Also extreme shyness especially when it comes to asking out a girl. Also look for a YouTube video on the difference between British and American humor. Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/18 "2017-05-25T18:51:16Z")
Some interesting ideas, though I’m not quite sure how some of these would translate to things I could help organise at an event! ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/19 "2017-05-25T19:17:55Z")
Benny Hill shuttle run. Stiff upper lip contest: contestants pair up, staring at each other upclose. First to lose stiff upper lip loses. Winner goes on to face another winner until there is only one. That player is declared queen/king and wears a monocle as prize. Pictionary on the theme of: Things we hate about/are jealous of the French. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410/20 "2017-05-25T19:56:21Z")
How about a buffet of foods with the sort of odd names that the British never seem to run out of? You know, like toad in the hole, spotted dick, bubble and squeak, bangers and mash, Bedfordshire clanger, dripping cake, and so forth. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-stereotypes-cliches-needed/787410.md?page=2)