Being... British?

[Monster]

Now I know this might be a pointless thread, correct me if I'm wrong but this is a perfectly valid question.

Many members of the Hype! are actually British or come from the United Kingdom.

Being British myself, born in Oxfordshire and still living there now after seventeen years I've always wondered what's so great about being British.

People say to me all the time "You're so posh", if I'm perfectly honest, I'm not posh. I've just learned and adapted to speak the way I do, is that a crime?

Anyway, the point of this thread is to simply ask the following question:

- What is it about the British that foreign people find attractive?




That is all,

Monster

 

[Crowforge]

Not being british I always assumed it was the whole equating the accent with being worldly, exotic, or some similar not-very-reasonable reason, it's the only excuse for the blanket treatment of anyone with anything other than a canadian accent by some. It's like some mild form of stereotyping base on outdated idea of what whatever you come from is like usually picked up from some movie somewhere (so you better hope that you at least come from a people that make a sexy villain). It's all very intriguing in small doses, in large unintelligible servings (read: 90% of actual dialects) you're just too hard to understand and visions of soccer hooliganism bubble to mind... at least to my mind.

 

[Monster]

Good theory.

 

[Eggyman]

Nice thread. *Waits for BluTac*

 

[Clobberin' Time]

For me, the best part about being British is the sense of pride for our great music.

 

[The Amazing Lee]

I think one thing good about being British is the independent nature of the UK, especially when you look at the arts in forms and cultures.

The expressionistic views and opinions are alot more open and relaxed to say other countries...especially in times of extreme fundamentalism. (Not even going to bother mentioning what country I'm talking about here )

 

[November Rain]

You can get stabbed and happily not be racist yet still make a note about not liking pakistanis or muslims...

The amount of non racist brits who don't like pakistanis or muslims is beyond comprehension.



oh and there's a high probability one is getting stabbed right now.

 

[The Amazing Lee]

"I'm not Racist...I just want them pakis out of our country..."






















..Please...who are you to say you "Own" Britain, it doesn't belong to anyone...or at least it shouldn't.




(This was directed at Racists, if you hadn't guessed. )

 

[terry78]

The accent. That's the first thing you hear when someone british says something here in the states, "I love your accent." The person could be as dumb as a bag of hammers, but that accent gives off the "I'm more intellectual than you" vibe. Hell, there's one chick here at work that's from the UK who's basically the social equivalent of Paris Hilton...extremely vapid, only cares about the latest E! entertainment type **** like who's gonna be the next top model and what not, yet some dude was still like, "wow, your voice makes you sound really smart." Yeah. On the flip side, my old boss at Marcus Evans utilized it for authority, like the time he called all the guys into a conference because somebody smeared **** all over a bathroom stall. Good times, good times.

 

[The Amazing Lee]

My heroes.

 

[Gallagher]

Jullian Barratt and Noel Fielding make me proud to be British :heart:

 

[hammy]

Great Britain has such a long and colorful history, for one thing. And the U.K. dominated and colonized much of the world. A lot of power was wielded from that small island. Now they seem to be making up for past sins and the pendulum has swung too far the other way. Too many people on the dole, chavs run amuck, drop outs, racial tensions, social engineering, etc.

But Terry's right. It's the accent. It makes you sound posh. Well, not all, there are so many. (The cockney is equivalent to the New Yawk accent, imo) My personal favorite is the Welsh.

 

[Crowforge]

Great Britain has such a long and colorful history, for one thing. And the U.K. dominated and colonized much of the world. A lot of power was wielded from that small island. Now they seem to be making up for past sins and the pendulum has swung too far the other way. Too many people on the dole, chavs run amuck, drop outs, racial tensions, social engineering, etc.

But Terry's right. It's the accent. It makes you sound posh. Well, not all, there are so many. (The cockney is equivalent to the New Yawk accent, imo) My personal favorite is the Welsh.

Yeah, I try to keep my murderous rage over than under my hat. If it weren't for amusing slackers I wouldn't like you guys at all.

 

[Gallagher]

Welsh? Really? You must be the first person I've heard of that likes that accent.

I always wanted an Irish accent.

Stupid Northern accent.

 

[hammy]

Don't get me wrong, they're all great. But there's something about the Welsh, the way they pronounce things. Like Photo is Phooo toe. It's hilarious. And cute.

 

[chamber-music]

I think the Posh or southern home counties accents may make people sound intelligent. Those are the accents the rest of the world thinks everyone in Britain/UK talks like.
Probabley because thats the easiest accent in Britian to understand.
I'm sure just as many people speak Chav/Ali G these days though.

I don't find our accent attractive until I see British women on American shows and then the accent sounds kind of hot although I don't know why because its the sameone I heard my whole life.

 

[chamber-music]

And the U.K. dominated and colonized much of the world.

Yeah, I try to keep my murderous rage over than under my hat. If it weren't for amusing slackers I wouldn't like you guys at all.

You can't blame the modern descendents of the UK for that though. Most people people are pretty ashamed about the whole empire thing.

Also they where not the only country colonizing. Germany, France, Holland and others have done it through out history. Anyway for alot of the terrible stuff that came from it quite a bit of good came from it too. It spread Democracy, the english language and legal systems.

 

[hammy]

I'm not blaming anyone for anything; simply stating a fact. The OP asked what makes G.B. so great. The influence they once yielded, and to an extent, continue to wield, is part of what makes them renowned.

 

[Knightsaber Priss]

The accent. That's the first thing you hear when someone british says something here in the states, "I love your accent." The person could be as dumb as a bag of hammers, but that accent gives off the "I'm more intellectual than you" vibe. Hell, there's one chick here at work that's from the UK who's basically the social equivalent of Paris Hilton...extremely vapid, only cares about the latest E! entertainment type **** like who's gonna be the next top model and what not, yet some dude was still like, "wow, your voice makes you sound really smart." Yeah. On the flip side, my old boss at Marcus Evans utilized it for authority, like the time he called all the guys into a conference because somebody smeared **** all over a bathroom stall. Good times, good times.

I just love the British Accent because of the way it sounds, not so much that it's intellectual. I find the annunciations of common words of English quite sexy. That and I used to have a friend from Wales who was the daughter of the pastor of an Evangelical Church I used to go to. The accent has kind of latched onto me in a way and I can speak with one if I choose. I think the only really bad British accent is the one that Chavs speak. It just embodies the low life punks that they are. I find it hard to believe there are actually people who just love acting like Vicky Pollard.

 

[Sugarculted]

Anyway, the point of this thread is to simply ask the following question:

- What is it about the British that foreign people find attractive?

I just reckon it's the accent and drunken staggering that is just too damn irresistible

 

[black_dust]

I hate the way British accents are on American films no one really speaks like that unless they are a right ponce.

What makes it attractive to others the Government is a push over and if you want to live on benefits no ones going to stop you, its an easy ride off other people backs

 

[Mr. Thing]

It kind of annoys me when people from other countries say they love the "British" accent. What is a British accent exactly? I mean, I find it hard to believe anyone could love my thick Glaswegian accent, since no one outside the UK seems to understand it.

 

[bell110]

Great Britain has such a long and colorful history, for one thing. And the U.K. dominated and colonized much of the world. A lot of power was wielded from that small island. Now they seem to be making up for past sins and the pendulum has swung too far the other way. Too many people on the dole, chavs run amuck, drop outs, racial tensions, social engineering, etc.

But Terry's right. It's the accent. It makes you sound posh. Well, not all, there are so many. (The cockney is equivalent to the New Yawk accent, imo) My personal favorite is the Welsh.

And what's wrong with a New York accent?

 

[Troy_Parker]

I'm British... Fish & Chips And All That

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

i was born in Ireland so I'm Irish, but I'm a British citizen and carry a British passport, so technically I'm British