Stereotypes of British people

Last updated

Stereotypes of British people are found in several cultures. [1] Some stereotypes relate to many specific ethnic groups of Britain while others are directed at British nationals in general.

Contents

Positive

Politeness and charm

Both historically and in the present day, the British have often been associated with good manners by many people around the world. [2] [3] In countries such as the United States, there is a widely-held belief in the concept of a "fancy British man" who is charming, suave, and well-dressed with an attractive accent. [4] Perhaps the most famous fictional example of this is James Bond, with the stereotype being bolstered by other fictional characters such as Lucifer Morningstar. There is also a preference for American media (usually Hollywood movies) to portray villains as British, with some studies suggesting that the British accent unconsciously leads audiences to believe the character possesses superior intelligence, thus making it easier to buy into the idea that the character's evil plan is plausible. [5] English actor Alan Rickman garnered a reputation as Hollywood's favourite villain during his career. [6]

Queueing

London's queue for the lying-in-state of Elizabeth II Mourners waiting in long line to see Queen Elizabeth II's lying in state.jpg
London's queue for the lying-in-state of Elizabeth II

The act of queueing (standing in line) holds a significant place in British culture and is often viewed as a quintessential British activity. Historically rooted in the British values of fairness, orderliness, and respect for social norms, not only is the adherence to queues seen in day-to-day activities such as waiting for public transport or purchasing goods in a store, but it also symbolises deeper cultural ideals about patience and propriety.

This penchant for forming and respecting queues has become a commonly referenced stereotype in both domestic and international media. While some scholars and commentators argue that the stereotype may be exaggerated, it remains an enduring symbol of British cultural identity. It has also been a source of self-deprecating jokes, with the British often acknowledging their habit of forming orderly lines even in the most informal settings. The social implications of queue-jumping are profound in Britain, and such actions are often met with silent disapproval, tutting or direct confrontation, underlining the cultural importance of this unspoken rule.

Sense of humour

British humour is well known for its use of absurdity, awkwardness, dark comedy, self-deprecation, dry comedy, innuendo, irony, sarcasm, satire, wit and word play. [7] Monty Python was a famous British comedic group, and some of the most highly regarded comedies worldwide, such as Fawlty Towers and Mr. Bean , are British. Banter and mocking in a friendly manner is commonplace in British culture. Making fun of one another is considered a form of bonding, particularly in working class environments. [8]

Stoic nature

The British are often seen as reserved and unemotional, but in a pragmatic sense rather than an overtly negative one. [9] This perspective has been bolstered by numerous popular British phrases such as "stiff upper lip", which means displaying an emotionless and determined exterior in the face of hardship; "keep calm and carry on", which was taken from a motivational poster produced by the British government in preparation for the Second World War; and "always look on the bright side of life", a popular Monty Python comedy song about persevering in the direst situations. [10]

Pluckiness

British athletes are stereotypically described as "plucky", meaning brave and determined, especially when success is unlikely. [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] The term is used in popular culture. [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] Success in the 2012 Summer Olympics challenged the stereotype of the British plucky loser. [21] [22] Chris Hoy stated "I think the Brits historically have got used to being the plucky losers. The attitude has been we'll support our lads and our lasses but we don't expect them to win anything. The teams go to the world cup in football and there are the usual tales of woe – losing penalty shoot-outs. It's like inevitable that the Brits are going to get beaten at some point. But I think that's there's a change in that culture in sport." [23] [24]

Tea

Drinking tea, specifically black tea, is seen as a key part of British culture. [25] Originally introduced as a luxury product in the 17th century, cheap imports from colonial India allowed its consumption to increase significantly during the second half of the 19th century. [26]

Surveys in 2017 showed that the United Kingdom had the 12th largest tea consumption per capita in the world, [27] and that almost 75% of British people who drank tea daily had at least two cups a day. [28] Other hot drinks, especially coffee, have become as popular as tea. [29]

Negative

Anti-social behaviour abroad

In Spain, Greece, Latvia and Malaysia, [30] British tourists have been associated with antisocial and violent behaviour in some countries, sometimes related to binge drinking. Barcelona blamed British tourism for an 18.5% rise in complaints to police from 2015 to 2016, with offences including street drinking and public nudity. [31] Amsterdam launched a tourism campaign in 2023 discouraging British tourists from antisocial behaviour, following years of complaints from locals about public urination and drunken fights. [32]

Similarly to Americans and other English speaking nationalities, British tourists have also been stereotyped as preferring to shout and talk slower in English when interacting with foreigners instead of making an effort to learn phrases in the local language. [33]

Food

Jokes are often told about British food being either low-quality or inedible. While it is true that British cuisine was historically quite bland in the post-Second World War period, globalisation and immigration have since made it more diverse; in modern times, lists of the most popular cuisines in the United Kingdom usually include imported cuisines such as Chinese, Indian, Italian, Spanish, French, Japanese, Mexican and Brazilian. [34] [35] [36]

Football hooliganism

Football hooliganism has a worldwide association with Britain; so much so that it is often dubbed the "British" or "English disease". [37] In 1985, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher established a "war cabinet" to combat football hooliganism. [38] Football hooliganism has been linked to such events such as the Heysel Stadium disaster. However, the British government has led a widespread crackdown on football-related violence since the 1980s, and British football fans now have a better reputation abroad. At the forefront of English football violence in Europe was West Ham United's Inter City Firm, who became well-known for their strategy of steaming foreign home supporters out of their own ends and trying to dismantle the stadium. [39] [40]

Monolingualism

There is a common stereotype that the British are only able to speak English. [41] [42] This has some truth to it as levels of bilingualism are relatively low, but this is also the case in the majority of English-speaking countries. [43] [44] [45] [46] [47] Additionally, the number of people who speak a language other than English as their first language is reasonably low, especially among those who were born in the United Kingdomeven among those with immediate immigrant ancestry. [48] However, British schoolchildren receive compulsory lessons in one or more of French, German, Spanish and other modern languages. [49] This used to happen during the first years of secondary school, [50] but teaching foreign languages at an earlier age has been viewed as increasingly important. [51] [52] [53] [54]

Teeth

Americans often joke about the British having bad teeth. [34] This stereotype appears to stem from a particularly American view of dental health in which artificially straightened and whitened teeth (sometimes referred to as "Hollywood teeth") are the healthiest, [55] but this primarily affects only the outer appearance of teeth and some evidence has shown that artificial whitening actually has a negative effect on dental health. [56] In reality, British teeth are tied with Swedish teeth for the rank of fourth healthiest in the world, with American teeth behind in ninth place. [57]

Jokes about British teeth appear in American popular culture. In The Simpsons episode "Last Exit to Springfield", a strict dentist scares Ralph Wiggum into brushing his teeth by showing him a fictional book titled The Big Book of British Smiles that depicts a Queen's Guard member and Prince Charles (now King Charles) with exaggeratedly crooked teeth. [58] A Rimmel cosmetics television advertisement featuring Georgia May Jagger became an internet meme in 2014. In the advertisement, Jagger says "get the London look" and viewers ultimately associated the "London look" with the gap between her front teeth. [59]

Weather

British weather is often associated with rain [60] and fog, [61] although London's reputation for foggy weather dates from before the passing of the Clean Air Act 1956, which was brought in after the Great Smog of London in 1952. [61]

British people are often stereotyped for frequently discussing the weather, [62] with a 2010 study finding that 94% of British respondents said they had discussed the weather in the previous six hours. [63] British weather is noted for its unpredictability, and historically, with the United Kingdom's agrarian roots, the weather was important for farmers, making it a staple topic of discussion. Over time, this frequent dialogue about weather has evolved into both an ice-breaker and a cultural touchpoint, sidestepping potentially controversial subjects and fostering communal connections. [63]

This cultural phenomenon is reflected in various aspects of British culture, from literature and art riddled with references to rain and fog to traditional attire like trench coats and Wellington boots, which are tailored to combat the unpredictable British weather. [64] [65]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Kingdom</span> Island country in Northwestern Europe

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The UK includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, and most of the smaller islands within the British Isles, making up a total area of 94,354 square miles (244,376 km2). Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland; otherwise, the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel, the Celtic Sea, and the Irish Sea. The United Kingdom had an estimated population of over 68.2 million people in 2023. The capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom is London, whose wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 14.9 million. The cities of Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast are the national capitals of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hooliganism</span> Disruptive or unlawful behavior such as rioting, bullying, and vandalism

Hooliganism is disruptive or unlawful behavior such as rioting, bullying and vandalism, often in connection with crowds at sporting events. A hooligan is a person that engages in illicit reckless behaviors and is a public nuisance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of the United Kingdom</span>

The culture of the United Kingdom is influenced by its combined nations' history; its historically Christian religious life, its interaction with the cultures of Europe, the individual cultures of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the impact of the British Empire. The culture of the United Kingdom may also colloquially be referred to as British culture. Although British culture is a distinct entity, the individual cultures of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are diverse. There have been varying degrees of overlap and distinctiveness between these four cultures.

The Life in the United Kingdom test is a computer-based test constituting one of the requirements for anyone seeking Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK or naturalisation as a British citizen. It is meant to prove that the applicant has a sufficient knowledge of British life. The test is a requirement under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. It consists of 24 questions covering topics such as British values, history, traditions and everyday life. The test has been frequently criticised for containing factual errors, expecting candidates to know information that would not be expected of native-born citizens as well as being just a "bad pub quiz" and "unfit for purpose".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brit Awards</span> British popular music awards

The BRIT Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain", or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trusts Show. The awards were first held in 1977 and originated as an annual event in 1982 under the auspices of the British record industry's trade association, the BPI. In 1989, they were renamed The BRIT Awards. Mastercard has been the long-term sponsor of the event. In addition, an equivalent awards ceremony for classical music, called the Classic BRIT Awards, was held annually between 2000 and 2013, before being revived in 2018 but has not been held since.

This glossary of names for the British include nicknames and terms, including affectionate ones, neutral ones, and derogatory ones to describe British people, Irish People and more specifically English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish people. Many of these terms may vary between offensive, derogatory, neutral and affectionate depending on a complex combination of tone, facial expression, context, usage, speaker and shared past history.

<i>Mind Your Language</i> British TV sitcom (1977–1985)

Mind Your Language is a British sitcom that premiered on ITV in 1977. It was produced by London Weekend Television and directed by Stuart Allen. Three series were made by London Weekend Television between 1977 and 1979, and it was briefly revived in 1985 with six of the original cast members.

<i>Da Ali G Show</i> English satirical television series

Da Ali G Show is an English satirical sketch comedy television series created by and starring English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. In the series, Baron Cohen plays three unorthodox journalists: faux-streetwise poseur Ali G, Kazakh reporter Borat Sagdiyev, and gay Austrian fashion enthusiast Brüno Gehard. These characters conduct real interviews with unsuspecting people, many of whom are celebrities, high-ranking government officials, and other well-known figures, during which they are asked absurd and ridiculous questions.

"Chav", also "charver", "scally" and "roadman" in parts of England, is a British term, usually used in a pejorative way. The term is used to describe an anti-social lower-class youth dressed in sportswear. The use of the word has been described as a form of "social racism". "Chavette" is a related term referring to female chavs, and the adjectives "chavvy", "chavvish", and "chavtastic" are used to describe things associated with chavs, such as fashion, slang, etc. In other countries like Ireland, "skanger" is used in a similar manner. In Ontario, the term is "hoodman", an equivalent of the term "roadman" used in England. In Newfoundland, "skeet" is used in a similar way, while in Australia, "eshay" or "adlay" is used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mass media in the United Kingdom</span>

There are several different types of mass media in the United Kingdom: television, radio, newspapers, magazines and websites. The United Kingdom is known for its large music industry, along with its new and upcoming artists. The country also has a large broadcasting, film, video games and book publishing industries.

The British diaspora consists of people of English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish, Cornish, Manx and Channel Islands ancestral descent who live outside of the United Kingdom and its Crown Dependencies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British people</span> People from the UK and its territories

British people or Britons, also known colloquially as Brits, are the citizens of the United Kingdom, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown dependencies. British nationality law governs modern British citizenship and nationality, which can be acquired, for instance, by descent from British nationals. When used in a historical context, "British" or "Britons" can refer to the Ancient Britons, the Celtic-speaking inhabitants of Great Britain during the Iron Age, whose descendants formed the major part of the modern Welsh people, Cornish people, Bretons and considerable proportions of English people. It also refers to citizens of the former British Empire, who settled in the country prior to 1973, and hold neither UK citizenship nor nationality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tinie Tempah</span> British rapper and singer

Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu, better known by his stage name Tinie, is a British rapper and singer. He has been signed to Parlophone since 2009, now a subsidiary of Warner Music Group. He created his own entertainment company Disturbing London in 2006, along with his cousin Dumi Oburota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UK City of Culture</span> Cultural designation in the United Kingdom

UK City of Culture is a designation given to a city in the United Kingdom for a period of one calendar year, during which the successful bidder hosts cultural festivities through culture-led regeneration for the year. The UK-wide programme, which is administered by the UK Government's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in collaboration with the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, is to "build on the success of Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture 2008, which had significant social and economic benefits for the area". Bids solely in Greater London are excluded from the competition, although boroughs and places in the UK capital may submit a joint bid with a city or place outside of Greater London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rudimental</span> British drum and bass band

Rudimental are a British drum and bass band, signed to Asylum Records, Atlantic Records and Black Butter Records. The band consists of Piers Aggett, Kesi Dryden and Leon "Locksmith" Rolle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Football hooliganism in the United Kingdom</span> Hooliganism associated with football in the United Kingdom

Beginning in at least the 1960s, the United Kingdom gained a reputation worldwide for football hooliganism; the phenomenon was often dubbed the British or English Disease. However, since the 1980s and well into the 1990s the UK government has led a widescale crackdown on football related violence. While football hooliganism has been a growing concern in some continental European countries in recent years, British football fans now tend to have a better reputation abroad. Although reports of British football hooliganism still surface, the instances now tend to occur at pre-arranged locations rather than at the matches themselves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brit Awards 2014</span> Award ceremony

Brit Awards 2014 was held on 19 February 2014. It was the 34th edition of the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop Brit Awards. The awards ceremony was held at The O2 Arena in London and was presented by James Corden for the fourth consecutive year. Leading the nominations was Ellie Goulding with five nominations. Arctic Monkeys and One Direction both won the most awards, winning two awards each. For the first time ever, a backstage livestream was broadcast on the internet, via YouTube. The stream was hosted by internet vloggers Daniel Howell and Phil Lester, with guests including One Direction and Ellie Goulding. 67-year-old David Bowie became the oldest winner to date of the British Male Solo Artist award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Countryballs</span> Genre of political cartoon and Internet meme

Countryballs, also known as Polandball, is a geopolitical satirical art style, genre, and Internet meme, predominantly used in online comics strips in which countries or political entities are personified as balls with eyes, decorated with their national flags. Comics feature the characters in various scenarios, generally poking fun at national stereotypes, international relations, and historical events, with the balls moving about by walking or jumping. Other common features in Countryball strips include non-English countries speaking in broken English — with vocabularies of their national languages included — political incorrectness, and black comedy. Strips are generally created using Microsoft Paint or more advanced graphic art software, often made to intentionally look crudely drawn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meal</span> Eating that takes place at a specific time

A meal is an eating occasion that takes place at a certain time and includes consumption of food. The names used for specific meals in English vary, depending on the speaker's culture, the time of day, or the size of the meal.

References

  1. "12 Stereotypes of British People You Need to Know About". Gap Year. 3 March 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  2. Mills, Sara (19 October 2017). English Politeness and Class. Cambridge University Press. ISBN   9781107116061 . Retrieved 20 May 2019 via Google Books.
  3. [ dead link ]
  4. "Most Common Cultural British Stereotypes". 15 July 2014.
  5. "Why So Many Movie Villains Have British Accents". 19 January 2017.
  6. "AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains". AFI.com. Archived from the original on 7 May 2007. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  7. "Most Common Cultural British Stereotypes". Moviehub.com. 15 July 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  8. Ivie, Devon (21 November 2018). "The Definitive Guide to British Comedy TV Since Fawlty Towers". Vulture.
  9. Deacon, Michael (3 October 2012). "Ian Hislop's Stiff Upper Lip: an Emotional History of Britain, BBC Two, review". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  10. Geddes, Linda. "Is being reserved such a bad thing?". Bbc.com.
  11. Gibson, Owen (19 March 2014). "'This is a very dark day for sport' – funding appeals rejected by UK Sport | Sport | The Guardian". The Guardian. theguardian.com. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  12. "The year British sport got serious | Sport | spiked". spiked-online.com. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
  13. "Nicole Cooke suggests Plucky Brit can be slain". Times. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
  14. Wheeler, Brian (2005-07-25). "The art of failure". BBC . Retrieved 2013-07-12.
  15. "Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards and the Cult of the Plucky Loser, 1988". Financial Times . Retrieved 2013-07-12.
  16. Lewis, Tim (13 July 2013). "Like it or not, Andy Murray's win shows we're the best in the world | Tim Lewis | Sport | The Observer". The Guardian. theguardian.com. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
  17. "Being British and a 'good sport' - the story of 'Sport and the Law' | News | Law Society Gazette". lawgazette.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
  18. "Great Britain's Olympic Golds Win Hope, Lift the Public Mood | TIME.com". Time. 2012-08-05. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
  19. "A nation of winners? Not yet | Life | Sport | spiked". spiked-online.com. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
  20. "Andy Murray and the death of the plucky British loser". Channel 4 . Retrieved 2013-07-12.
  21. Gerard, Jasper (2009-01-31). "Plucky British loser reduced to highlights". The Daily Telegraph . London. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
  22. "Britons: winners or losers?". YouGov . Retrieved 2013-07-12.
  23. "London 2012 Olympics sets the standard for a generation - Report: London Olympic Games 2012 - RFI". english.rfi.fr. 13 August 2012. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
  24. Millward, David (2013-05-28). "Olympics has turned Britain into nation of winners says Hoy - Telegraph". London: telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
  25. "English Stereotypes: Fact or Fiction?". Tandem - Speak Any Language. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  26. "UK Tea & Infusions Association - A Brief History". Tea.co.uk. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  27. Smith, Oliver. "Which country drinks the most tea? The answer might surprise you". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  28. "UK: average cups of tea per day 2017". Statista. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  29. "Tea vs. Coffee | YouGov". Yougov.co.uk. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  30. "From Barcelona to Malia: how Brits on holiday have made themselves unwelcome". The Guardian . 17 January 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  31. Keeley, Graham (17 January 2017). "Barcelona tires of the uncultured British". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  32. Holligan, Anna (28 March 2023). "Amsterdam launches stay away ad campaign targeting young British men". BBC News. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  33. Kampfner, John. "Shouting at Johnny Foreigner is no substitute for learning the lingo". The Times .
  34. 1 2 Finnis, Alex (24 April 2018). "The stereotypes Americans have about Britain which are actually completely wrong". Inews.co.uk. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  35. "Chicken Tikka Masala and its History". Ethnicspoon.com. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  36. "Most Popular Food in UK: 10 Dishes for Your Restaurant | Beambox".
  37. Asser, Martin (19 June 2000). "Analysis: Soccer violence an international problem". BBC. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  38. "Conservative Governments and Football Regulation". Urban75.org. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  39. Bodin, Dominique; Robène, Luc; Héas, Stéphane (January 1, 2005). Sport and Violence in Europe. Council of Europe. ISBN   978-92-871-5511-5 via Google Books.
  40. Layton, Michael; Pacey, Alan (January 15, 2016). Tracking the Hooligans: The History of Football Violence on the UK Rail Network. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN   978-1-4456-5181-1 via Google Books.
  41. "Parlez-vous English? Brits 'getting better' at languages on holiday - Telegraph". 21 July 2013. Archived from the original on 21 July 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  42. James A. Coleman (2009). "Why the British do not learn languages: myths and motivations in the United Kingdom" (PDF). The Language Learning Journal. 37 (1): 111–127. doi:10.1080/09571730902749003. S2CID   143012807 . Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  43. "Oh, to be bilingual in the Anglosphere". New Scientist . Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  44. "British people 'least likely' to speak foreign language". Scotsman.com.
  45. Nardelli, Alberto (26 September 2014). "Most Europeans can speak multiple languages. UK and Ireland not so much". Theguardian.com.
  46. Worne, John (27 January 2015). "Language learning in the UK: 'can't, won't, don't'". Telegraph.co.uk.
  47. Paton, Graeme (20 November 2013). "Three-quarters of adults 'cannot speak a foreign language'". Telegraph.co.uk.
  48. "Languages in the UK". Multilingualcapital.com. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  49. "Britons aren't xenophobic about language learning – and we should stop saying we are". Blogs.lse.ac.uk. 14 December 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  50. Tickle, Louise (13 May 2013). "Languages in UK schools: where we are vs where we need to be". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  51. "Languages to be compulsory in England". BBC News. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  52. Pisanu, Angela (22 January 2019). "Welsh pupils to learn new languages at an earlier age". Education Business. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  53. "Most P1 pupils learn a foreign language". 11 February 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  54. "learning a second language in Northern Ireland's primary schools". Qpol.qub.ac.uk. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  55. Mamona, Sheilla (2 March 2021). "From Kylie Jenner to Kate Middleton: The most dramatic celebrity teeth transformations". Glamourmagazine.co.uk.
  56. "How dangerous is teeth whitening?". Bbc.com. September 20, 2015.
  57. "10 Countries Whose Citizens Have Healthy Teeth". Orchardscottsdental.com. October 16, 2017.
  58. Stoppard, Lou (13 June 2019). "Why 'British teeth' are something to smile about". Financial Times . Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  59. Das, Shanti (31 January 2021). "How Instagram changed modelling: the lies behind where the power lies". The Times . Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  60. Puiu, Tibi (14 January 2015). "Why does it rain so much in London? Well, it's not that much really". ZME Science. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  61. 1 2 Wignall, Alice (31 July 2012). The Guardian Postgraduate Guide. Guardian Books. p. 81. ISBN   978-0-85265-354-8.
  62. Jenkins, Richard (17 August 2018). "British people will spend over four months of their lives talking about the weather, study says". The Independent . Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  63. 1 2 Geddes, Linda. "Why do Brits talk about the weather so much?". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  64. "Why do the British talk about the weather so much?". www.sciencefocus.com. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  65. "Why do Brits like talking about the weather?". Great British Mag. 2021-09-15. Retrieved 2023-12-28.