LIST: Things about The UK you wish you had known

I'm just baffled to learn that toilets have diaphragms!! 

I started to post some notes about British plumbing a while back.  Maybe I should add an explanation of this.... 

By all means Paul - go ahead. Sorry for losing it in the cleanup!

By all means Paul - go ahead. Sorry for losing it in the cleanup!

You didn't lose it -- It's over in the housing section of Expat Life.

Here you go:

http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=14213.0

 

You didn't lose it -- It's over in the housing section of Expat Life.

Here you go:

http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=14213.0

Ahh... so not my fault I couldn't master that toilet, thanks for the info Paul 

The English as think they are better than the Scots and the Welsh. The English and the Scots hate each other, as do the English and the Welsh and the English and the Irish. And they aren't joking either. They take their hatred for one another very seriously.  (I think it's pretty ridiculous, to be honest.) I wouldn't be surprised if any of you have heard your British husbands or boyfriends insulting Scotland if they're English or vice versa.

The English as think they are better than the Scots and the Welsh. The English and the Scots hate each other, as do the English and the Welsh and the English and the Irish. And they aren't joking either. They take their hatred for one another very seriously. 

Honeybee, I think you're hanging out with the wrong people!!

The English as think they are better than the Scots and the Welsh. The English and the Scots hate each other, as do the English and the Welsh and the English and the Irish. And they aren't joking either. They take their hatred for one another very seriously.  (I think it's pretty ridiculous, to be honest.) I wouldn't be surprised if any of you have heard your British husbands or boyfriends insulting Scotland if they're English or vice versa.

Total unfair statement Honeybee

Honeybee, I think you're hanging out with the wrong people!!

Total unfair statement Honeybee

I don't think so, ladies. She's got a point. I've heard many many jokes against the Scots and the Welsh or Irish or even someone from London or Derbyshire. People just taking the piss out of other people.

Americans do it too. Think of all the redneck jokes or southern jokes people tell. It's the same sort of thing here.

As I said on the other thread about this, I think it's just rivalry. And piss taking. Not actual hatred.

DH is 100% Irish blood born in England. His friends call him a Plastic Paddy all the time. They don't hate him, they don't hate Irish people. They're taking the piss.

Modified to add: I'll probably get in trouble for saying this, but I think one problem with Americans not appreciating some English (or Irish or Welsh or Scottish) humour is that the idea of political correctness has gone too far. I'm so liberal that I've lost friends over it (seriously) but I do get very tired of the American obsession with being PC.... And no, I'm not condoning racism.

I don't think so, ladies. She's got a point. I've heard many many jokes against the Scots and the Welsh or Irish or even someone from London or Derbyshire. People just taking the piss out of other people.

Americans do it too. Think of all the redneck jokes or southern jokes people tell. It's the same sort of thing here.

Taking the piss and hatred are too different things.  Hatred is just too strong a word to be using in this case.

Sorry, maybe I'm just mis-reading Honey's post. She had a smilie after the hatred part to which I took as a joke. 

Can we please keep the discussion of English/Welsh/Scottish/Irish rivalry to one topic, please.  Any more comments should be made here. 

http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=16908.0

Okay, here are my bits, with all of my experience (2 weeks- wow!)

-I think it's funny that the UK has American commercials- with dubbed English accents! On some of them, the dubbing is Godzilla-style, i.e. mouth moving without words coming out. I suppose it saves money.

-Just a guess, but maybe the dishes are not rinsed because of the non-mixer taps? I have to admit, it is harder to rinse a dish in a small sink with separate taps. I still do it, but it is a bit of a trick.

-Hmmm...I haven't had (or seen) a sandwich with butter yet. But I've only had a ciabatta and seen readymades.

-I must live in London-land which, like many big cities, is apart from the normal world. My grocery shops are 24 hours (except Sunday evenings), My bathroom is basically the same as I expected, etc. Only it's a bath, no shower. But it's cool. It's a nice bathroom

-Vest=waistcoat, and vest=sleeveless shirt . I actually knew that, but slipped into my Americanism with a poor harried shop guy.

"How much is that vest?"

(grabs blouse)
"This?"

"No, the vest. Er- I mean, waistcoat!"



I'm really glad I had this list. There were about 99% less suprises than there would of been otherwise. Thank you to all who posted. I'm glad I wasn't at the supermarket, staring at the checker, wondering, "what is taking so long with my bags?"

Okay, here are my bits, with all of my experience (2 weeks- wow!)

-I think it's funny that the UK has American commercials- with dubbed English accents! On some of them, the dubbing is Godzilla-style, i.e. mouth moving without words coming out. I suppose it saves money.

I've never seen a commercial like that. The only ones I've seen with dubbing are commercials from Europe. I was amused to find a McDonald's commercial from home remade here though.

What are the commercials for?

I noticed a ton of the reality shows from America that are played here are re-narrated with English accents. I wonder if some people don't realize this and think American's like having things narrated with English accents. lol