[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

That's a bit of a stretch. Our language isn't our culture.

One reason that the UK is attractive to foreign workers is that they tend to speak English as a second language rather than French or German.

As regards our culture vs Europe, as I've said before, we look alike but don't think alike.

Originally Posted by nomadking

Are you saying that foreign words and phrase haven't been incorporated into British culture. As they are foreign, it can hardly be classed as included in the English language. The French constantly complain about English words being included in their culture/language.


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<SNIP>

I'm drawing the distinction between language and culture. They are not the same.




---------- Post added at 13:47 ---------- Previous post was at 13:36 ----------

Originally Posted by Damien

We largely do though. The differences between British and most European cultures are quite superficial. Mostly similar values, shared history and a Judeo-Christian background. You don't have huge cultural disconnects if you're in Europe, talking to European people, eating European food or so on.

The differences people usually cite are small and involve stereotypes. I.E Germans are more logical or Southern Europeans more laid back.

If you're somebody coming from Asia the difference between Asian culture and European culture would be more pronounced than the different between British and European culture. They would lump us in with the continent quite easily.

Instead of "largely" I'd use the term "superficially".

I agree with the point you make about Judeo-Christian background (which I'd have to call culture!). The uniting factor there is the Ten Commandments which then falls through into law.

Talking about law, the bulk of the European countries work off a Codex (based on the principles of Roman Law), which essentially tells you what you are allowed to do and anything else may be an offence; not quite as severe as I've put it but that's how Roman Law works. The EU behaves in strict accordance with Codex principles. British civil law is more around your obligations and what you are not allowed to do and is interpreted buy the Courts using the principle of precedent where possible and by reference to Parliament's intentions otherwise. These factors bear on people throughout their lives and thus result in cultural differences. We look alike but don't think alike.

The differences of culture are most easily seen in the degree of formality you see in, e.g. France & Germany, Eastern Europe. That stems in part from the rigid rules of grammar and word gender. Whereas English (and indeed Dutch) has significantly less of that, which feeds through into behaviour.

Our sense of humour is radically different from that in France and Germany (the Dutch and Scandinavians or more aligned our way as, incidentally, are the Polish).

A wonderful sub-topic.