[image]
[title]So, y'all been watching Ted Lasso and you think you've every bit of British culture licked? Guess again. While we may look the same, speak...er, almost the same and have a whole heap of things in common, there are many small differences, each infinite in its subtle complexity.
Aside from driving on the other side of the road and having to work out what a gear stick is for...probably the single biggest conflict of culture is tipping. But in fairness, this is a situation where you, an American (big tipping culture) are going to the UK (not quite as big on tipping) so everything should work out just fine. It's when it happens the other way around that folk can sometimes get upset.
Any royal occasion brings visitors flocking to the UK capital and King Charles's official coronation will be no exception. Whatever you do though, do not walk about saying things like, "Cor-blimey Guv'nr" or pretending you've just come straight out of Dickens's novel. London is one of the most internationally diverse cities in the world. You'll just end up looking like a twat.
1. People are, for the most part, extremely polite.
2. Most doors open inwards and most folk will hold the door open for you.
3. When someone says, "How are you?" they expect a response, it's not just a greeting.
4. You won't get charged if you have to go to a hospital or see a doctor.
5. As standard, police do not carry guns, but, sadly, nowadays you might see one or two with a firearm.
6. No civilians carry guns, at all, anywhere, ever.
7. Ask a police officer for directions or advice, they're trained to be friendly and helpful, something you'll never see in NYC.
8. You'll see a lot more female police officers than in any city in the U.S.
9. Police officers often patrol on foot in pairs and they will always smile at you
10. The first floor is counted as the ground floor
11. The roads are a bit narrower and you'll need to actually pay attention to the markings.
12. All railway crossings have barriers and people do not get killed by oncoming trains.
13. The rail network is pretty good...when it works.
14. A car trunk is called "the boot" and the hood is called "bonnet."
15. The Subway is called "the Tube" and an underpass is called a "subway," but in both countries, it can also be a sandwich shop.
16. The amount you see on a price tag is the actual cost, there's no tax added on at the checkout.
17. Bank notes are not all the same color, making identification much easier.
18. Cilantro is "coriander," green onions are "spring onions," a capsicum is a "red pepper" and zucchini is a "courgette."
19. A broiler inside an over is called a "grill."
20. The English use a fork to prod and pick up, not to scoop. In all fairness, that's what a spoon is for.
21. Cookies are "biscuits," potato chips are "crisps" and while fries are still fries, the big, thick ones are "chips."
22. A faucet is called "a tap."
23. Chances are there will be separate faucets for hot and cold water.
24. No one drinks light beer, at all.
25. The same brands of beer are generally going to be stronger in the UK.
26. A British pint is about 20 percent bigger than an American pint.
27. It's unlikely you'll ever get carded going into a pub if you actually look over 18 — oh, yeah...the legal drinking age is 18.
28. A bartender won't give you free drinks in an attempt to get a bigger tip.
29. A pub is not a bar, it's more like community living rooms, but bars exist too.
30. Tipping is not automatically expected in most pubs or bars.
31. Most pubs—and many bars too—will close at 11pm.
32. In English, "tackle" and "crown jewels" are slang for the same thing that "junk" is slang for.
33. Bodegas are called "corner shops."
34. Soccer is "football" and football is "American Football" or sometimes "NFL."
35. Soccer is the single biggest national sport, none of this baseball-and-basketball-and-football thing.
36. In the UK, a "hooker" is a position in a game of rugby.
37. Christmas is a huge deal, and no one knows anything about Thanksgiving.
38. The UK press is an institution. There are many national daily newspapers that are read up and down the country.
39. The day and the month are written the other way around than they are in the U.S. November 1 is 1/11, not 11/1.
40. English people can't tell the difference between American and Canadian accents.
41. Londoners are far more concerned with appearance and will wear something even if it's uncomfortable.
42. Pants are called "trousers," underwear is called "pants" and sweaters are "jumpers."
43. "Pants" is also occasionally used to describe an item that is of poor quality.
44. Cellphone numbers do not have area codes, they have a totally different number configuration than landlines.
45. To an English person, Americans pronounce "awesome" as arse-some, to an American, the English pronounce it as oar-some.
46. The English will swear, curse and cuss much more than Americans. The Irish and the Scots even more so.
47. From school onwards, the British are encouraged to travel and explore, especially with Europe being so close.
48. College and university are two different things and you'll get your degree from a university.
49. Black cab drivers in London are among the most interesting people you'll ever meet.
50. The most effective hangover cure ever devised by science is a toasted English bacon sandwich with HP sauce.