14 True and False British Stereotypes

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Learn which of these stereotypes about the U.K. are rooted in reality, and which aren't
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The British are known for their love of tea, the queen, and standing in lines as well as for being very polite (except for when it comes to football—or soccer, if you’re in the U.S.)—but do these stereotypes hold water? In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the most popular stereotypes of British people, from the fun and flattering to the, well, less-than-flattering, and uncover which myths are rooted in fact and which are totally fictional (hint: the English actually have pretty good teeth!). Keep reading for all the tea (get it?).

Popular British Stereotypes

  • British people love tea (true).
  • British people are known for their wacky and absurd humor (true).
  • British people have got bad teeth (false).
  • British people love standing in lines (kind of true).
  • British food is bland (sort of true).
1

British people love tea.

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  1. Drinking tea is a British pastime!
    This stereotype is rooted in reality. Sure, maybe not every single Brit loves tea, but tea—especially black tea—has been a huge part of U.K. culture since it was first introduced to Britain in the 17th century. A 2017 survey indicated that the United Kingdom had the 12th largest tea consumption per capita in the entire world! [1]
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2

British people are plucky and courageous.

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  1. They’re known for being brave underdogs. In the face of sure defeat, British people are famous for their determination and perseverance, especially in sports. British football lovers in particular are sure to stand by their beloved teams even when they don’t have a chance of winning. The word most commonly used to describe this British fearlessness and resolve is “plucky.”
3

British people are reserved.

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  1. British folks are frequently viewed as stoic and respectfully reserved. The term “stiff upper lip” has become almost synonymous with Britain’s famous unemotionality—but they’re not seen as reserved in a negative way; rather, British people are often depicted as determined and pragmatic, rather than cold or unfeeling.
    • As an example of this, the phrase “Keep calm and carry on,” which has since gained popularity all over the internet, was originally created for a motivational poster by the British government in World War II. It illustrates the courage and perseverance in British citizens’ stoicism.
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4

Every British person is from London.

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  1. Obviously false. A moment's thought would tell you not every single person in the entire United Kingdom is from London. Yet somehow, when we think of an English person, we tend to think of the most popular city in the U.K.
    • Even though the U.K. isn't nearly as big as the U.S., it's still pretty darn big, and there are loads of other cities where English people might live.
    • In fact, a lot of English people tend to avoid London, as it's so big, crowded, and busy.
5

British humor is absurd, witty, and dark.

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  1. From Mister Bean to Monty Python, British humor is known for being wacky, witty, sarcastic, and downright strange. British people are known for their witty banter and mocking humor, and teasing one another is a popular form of bonding in British society.
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6

There are telephone boxes all over England.

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  1. Alas, it just looks that way in movies and TV. Popular media like Harry Potter , Doctor Who , and anything on the BBC have convinced the world that England is crawling with telephone boxes (especially bright red ones), but sadly, England doesn't really use phone booths anymore, what with the invention of, you know, cell phones and landlines. Most of the phone booths have been removed.
7

British people love the Queen.

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  1. A lot of Brits love her...but all of them? No way. This is just like claiming everyone in the United States loves the president, which really could not be more untrue. Plenty of people do like the idea of the British monarchy and, sure, are really in love with the royal family, but many people either don't care or actively disapprove of the royal fam.
    • Meanwhile, how many of us in the U.S. got up in the middle of the night to watch Harry and Megan's wedding? (We're guilty.)
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8

British people have bad teeth. (It’s not true!)

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  1. England actually ranks fairly high in dental health worldwide. The stereotype that Brits have bad teeth is prevalent in the United States, where celebrities are known for their blindingly white, straight teeth (often, they’re veneers). Comparatively, Brits’ teeth may look…well, natural. But in fact, not only does England rank high in dental health, they outrank the U.S. on many lists. [2]
9

Brits love to stand in lines.

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  1. Queueing is a big part of English culture! Standing in line is viewed as a quintessential British activity—and, to be fair, Brits do stand in queues a lot. It’s less that they love doing it, though, and more that British people value fairness and order, and they respect societal norms.
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10

British people only speak English.

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  1. Bilingualism is fairly uncommon in British countries, and the number of people who speak a language besides English as their first language is also rather low. [3] However, this isn’t so different from most other English-speaking nations.
    • This is changing gradually, as British schoolchildren receive required lessons in French, German, and/or Spanish as well as other modern languages, and learning a language besides English is increasingly viewed as very important.
11

British people are very charming.

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  1. British people have historically been associated with refinement and good manners. In the U.S. in particular, there exists a stereotype of the fancy, suave, charming English man, the most famous example of this being James Bond. Whether or not Brits really are more charming than people in other countries, they have been associated with good manners and politeness in cultures worldwide, including the U.S.
    • In American media, villains frequently speak with a posh British accent (that is, the Queen’s English): think Alan Rickman in…well, almost everything. This could be because, as studies have indicated, the accent may make people seem more intelligent and suave, but also less trustworthy or sincere. [4]
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12

British people are always talking about the weather

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  1. This one is kind of true. British weather is often stereotyped as rainy and foggy and gray…partly because, well, it is. But it’s also famously unpredictable, and since the U.K. has such an agrarian history, the weather was and remains very important for farmers—hence, it’s long been a popular topic of conversation, and still is today.
    • One study even found that 94% of British people interviewed reported discussing the weather in the previous 6 hours! [5]
13

The British get wild about football.

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  1. They do love their sports. While we can't generalize about every single person in the United Kingdom, the U.K. is famous worldwide for their football hooliganism—to the point it’s even sometimes called the “British disease”! In the past, football hooliganism was way more aggressive and even violent at times, but in recent decades, the British government has gotten the matter a lot more under control. Phew.
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14

British food is bland and unexciting.

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  1. Jokes abound on the internet about beans on toast for breakfast (as if we wouldn’t eat that in a heartbeat—who doesn’t love beans and toast?), and truthfully, British food was historically pretty bland post-WWII. But thanks to immigration and globalization, British cuisine has become a lot more exciting (and flavorful), with popular foods in the U.K. now including such diverse cuisine as Chinese, Indian, Italian, Spanish, Brazilian, French, Mexican, Japanese, and more.

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/maps-and-graphics/tea-consumption-per-capita/
      2. ↑ https://chicagofamilydentalcare.com/blog/teeth-in-different-cultures/
      3. ↑ https://multilingualcapital.com/bilingualism-in-the-uk/languages-in-the-uk/
      4. ↑ https://www.jstor.org/stable/455449?mag=very-british-villains-and-other-anglo-saxon-attitudes-to-accents&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
      5. ↑ https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20151214-why-do-brits-talk-about-the-weather-so-much

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