Don’t Be A Daft Numpty! 21 Assumptions & British Stereotypes That May Be True

Which British stereotypes are dead-on, and which are proper bollocks? Have a gander and see if you’re barking up the wrong tree!

Ayup, chuck! Yawright, bruv? If you didn’t understand any of this feature up to now, then fear not. Many British stereotypes, words, traditions, and traits need decoding when viewed by someone who’s not native to the country. Even some UK citizens will struggle with some of them!

I have spent most of my life living all over the UK, a country that gave the world amazing fashion, phenomenal music, spectacular acting talent, dark humor, and polished etiquette. But as proud as I am, there are still a lot of speculations and misconceptions about the great land they call Britain.

So, what are the most common British stereotypes? And which ones are based on fact? This feature will take you on a whistle-stop tour of the UK’s cultural quirks, showing you which stereotypes are spot-on, and which misconceptions are just dead wrong.

[Read: 20 Smart Medieval English insults that should make a comeback]

What does it mean to stereotype?

Stereotypes are like caricatures. They take a few key features of a group of people and exaggerate them to create a simplified image.

In this feature, we’re talking about national stereotypes, such as the idea that “all Brits are polite and love tea.” Some stereotypes, like this one, are positive and funny.

However, stereotypes can also be harmful. For example, the British stereotype that we all “talk like the queen” doesn’t accurately represent working class or Northern people, who have very different accents. This could lead people to look down on those with Northern accents, and consider them somehow “less British.” That’s never okay.

Stereotypes are often created by people who don’t know much about the groups they are stereotyping. They may have heard a few stories or seen a few movies, and they use that information to create a simplified image of a whole group of people.

It’s important to remember that stereotypes are just that: stereotypes. They are not accurate representations of reality or how people really are.

So, when you meet a British person, don’t assume they’ll be stereotypical, we’re much more diverse and interesting than that! [Read: Essentialism – what it is, the idea, stereotypes, and the good and bad of it]

British stereotypes – spot on or dead wrong?

To an outsider, there are plenty of British stereotypes. As much as I hate to admit it, many are true and based on quirks and lifestyles the Brits just came to accept. That said, a fair few are untrue and have a weird concoction of misunderstanding and presumption.

Of course, I say all this sitting here with my umbrella, in my bowler hat, holding my bulldog, and eating a crumpet. While riding a red double-decker bus. And you know what? It’s bloody spiffing if you ask me. [Read: The dating stereotypes of women in a man’s mind]

1. We’re all best pals with the King

Believe it or not, we aren’t all friends with His Majesty. Sadly, we aren’t on first-name terms with the corgis, and we haven’t been to Buckingham Palace. King Charles generally doesn’t interact with us “common folk” that often. Don’t expect us to pop in to see him for tea and scones any time soon.

In fact, there are plenty of British people who don’t believe in the monarchy and don’t support having a king at all. It’s a surprisingly controversial issue in the UK.

So be careful just bringing up King Charles – or any of his relatives, for that matter – in a conversation with a new British friend. You might end up hearing some of our famous creative insults! [Read: The simple ways to avoid being rude, no matter what the situation]

2. We’re incredibly sarcastic

Brits can be cynical and dry-humored and, some might say, have an almost intellectual darkness to our humor. But this doesn’t mean we’re all doom and gloom. We’re just slightly more down-to-earth.

Although, we do have wit as sharp as a razor, so make sure not to get into a war of words with us—you won’t win! [Read: Funny conversation starters – 40 lines to fit right in]

3. Our teeth are terrible

Anyone who’s seen Austin Powers will be aware of this stereotype, but it simply isn’t true. Some have dental work that still needs to be attended to, but that’s no different to other countries that don’t have that stereotype attached to them. Our teeth are just fine the way they are.

In fact, our stereotypical teeth are the result of one of the proudest features of British society: the National Health Service, or NHS.

Since 1945, every British person has been entitled to free healthcare, including dental care. However, the NHS doesn’t cover cosmetic stuff like whitening and veneers. So that’s why our teeth aren’t as blindingly white as Americans’ are – although they’re very healthy!

4. We love a good cuppa

This one happens to be completely and utterly spot on. Almost all Brits love their tea and are very specific about how they like it made.

If you ever visit a British household and they don’t have stacks and stacks of tea bags in their cupboard then leave immediately. They’re either imposters or demons.

In fact, recent surveys show that the average British tea-drinker drinks two to three cups of tea a day. However, there are also a large number of people who drink over four cups a day! That’s a lot of tea. [Read: Dry sense of humor – 20 signs you’ve mastered it ]

5. We’re obsessed with talking about the weather

Brits have been known to talk *or mostly complain* a lot about the weather. The main reason we do this is because we get about two weeks of sun a year.

The rest of the time it’s just rain or clouds. Sorry if we complain about it too much, but we just can’t help ourselves.

Also, talking about the weather is a great way to make small talk. It’s something everybody can comment on and it’s pretty uncontroversial. Why not try out this British stereotype next time you’re waiting at the bus stop?

6. British cuisine is gross or weird

A scotch egg, Yorkshire pudding, or a chip butty with mushy peas may sound disgusting to you, but to us, it’s absolutely to die for.

Maybe it’s an acquired taste, or maybe it’s just how we’re raised. Either way, until you’ve had the chance to enjoy most British food, you’re missing out. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

That being said, British desserts are probably the weirdest part of our cuisine – even a lot of us don’t like them. Only 23% of British adults in a recent survey said they like spotted dick a lot. And I mean, who can blame them? It’s a steamed pudding with sultanas by the way, so get your mind out of the gutter!

7. Apparently, we all live in castles or cottages

If anyone says we all live in palaces, then show them my apartment *or my “flat”*. It barely qualifies as a house, let alone a castle, so this stereotype is totally made up.

Sure, if you take a stroll through somewhere like Kensington or Mayfair *the richest parts of London* you’ll see folks living in fancy houses. The majority of the population lives like regular people, though.

One thing that is different about our houses is that they’re often attached to each other. Terraced houses are all over British towns and cities.

Also, many of our houses are much older than American houses, for example. It’s quite common to live in a house that was built in the 1800s, or even as far back as the 1600s in the countryside!

8. We’re mean and rude

Like anywhere in the world, certain parts of the country have people who are friendlier than others. But the majority of Britain is filled with absolutely welcoming, lovely folk.

Unless you go to London during rush hour – you won’t do well if you like making eye contact with strangers on the tube, or don’t like being pushed out of the way when trying to get on a bus.

9. We drink a lot of alcohol

The Brits are known for their drinking abilities. This British stereotype is incredibly accurate. There is a pub on every corner of every street, and each time there’s a party, BBQ, or event, you can guarantee there will be pints of booze there.

In fact, in some cities, there are as many pubs as churches! It used to be said that the city of Norwich in eastern England has “a church for every week of the year, and a pub for every day.” And that’s just one city! [Read: Party hours – what your favorite drink says about you]

10. It’s like it is in the movies

A lot of people who aren’t from Britain seem to think that we’re straight out of Mary Poppins. But oddly enough, the streets aren’t filled with delightful nannies and chimney sweeps – at least not since the year 1900!

Equally, we don’t often have to worry about James Bond holding up traffic as he speeds after villains on the M25 motorway.

Movies are just entertainment, so take them with a pinch of salt. Of course, if they were made by British people, they’re going to be influenced by our way of thinking and living. So you might still learn some cool stuff about our culture by watching them. [Read: The life-changing reasons why you should travel at least once a year]

11. All our buses are red double-deckers

There are plenty of double-deckers to go around, but we also have smaller buses that are far more common. We do have a pretty decent public transport service when it comes to buses, especially in London.

Also, you’ll only find red buses in London and its outskirts. Everywhere else, you’ll find buses in practically every color and design. Cities full of red buses are just a British stereotype.

12. We’re super polite

This is pretty true. If you ever bump into a Brit or accidentally push past them, there’s a huge chance that they’ll apologize to YOU! We’re massively into queuing, saying, “Thank you” and, “Sorry,” and holding doors open for other people. We can’t seem to stop doing it, it’s just the British way.

The biggest sign of British politeness is probably queueing, which we do wherever or whenever we can. More on that later! [Read: 20 positive ways to create a chain of goodwill]

13. Everything is like it is on Downton Abbey

Of all the British stereotypes, this one is probably one of the most silly. I don’t know a single person that has a butler or acres and acres of land.

Sure, a lot of the British countryside and royal manors look like that. But we’ve definitely evolved as a nation since those times and sound a lot less posh.

14. We all love The Beatles

I for one absolutely love The Beatles. But sadly, it’s not the same for the entire country. Some people just march to the beat of their own drum and prefer The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, or Queen.

For the rest of the UK, though, music has moved on since The Beatles era. Most of us are into modern British artists, which might be some of the same ones you like to listen to! Harry Styles and Adele have made it pretty big across the pond, for example. [Read: The 26 naughtiest things to say in a foreign language]

15. Brits use a lot of slang

This is dead-on. UK English has a huge amount of slang, which is all very distinctive and hard for outsiders to understand.

Every part of the UK has a different dialect, accent, and slang too, so it can be a bit tough to decipher what people are on about. A person from Bolton and a person from Manchester will sound totally different – despite only being 30 minutes drive apart!

However, there are some universal basics of British slang. For example, we all say “mate” instead of friend, “shag” instead of have sex, “chuffed” instead of pleased, “gutted” instead of upset, and “skint” instead of broke. It all seems a bit confusing, but it’s part of what makes the country so unique.

16. We have a stiff upper lip

If there’s one thing you can say about Brits, it’s that we know how to get on with things, without letting problems get to us.

The phrase “keep calm and carry on” is an inherently British phrase for good reason.

When things are a bit rubbish, we know how to soldier on with a resilient attitude and a determined outlook. We don’t let anything get us down. We’re pretty tough!

17. Brits love queueing

Back to the queueing again! We really do love it, so this is a real British stereotype. If you come to Britain, you’ll never see people pushing or shoving in a free-for-all to get something.

It’s almost instinctive – we’ll form ourselves into an orderly line and wait our turn. I’ve seen queues for buses, queues for the bank, queues for doctors…

If there was actually some Shaun of the Dead-style apocalypse in the UK, you bet we’d queue up for survival supplies. In fact, there was one inaccuracy in that movie – the zombies should definitely have been queuing up for brains.

18. All Brits wear hats

This British stereotype is definitely not true. If you go out on the street in the UK, you won’t see anyone in a hat, apart from maybe a baseball cap or a fashionable ladies’ beret.

Wearing hats in everyday life stopped being a thing in Britain by the 1960s, so don’t expect to see any bowlers or boaters in the modern day.

Our cops do wear hats, though, in exactly the shape you see in the movies. There’s also technically still a law that if a pregnant woman wants, she can ask a policeman to take off his hat so she can pee in it. I don’t know how many people try that one out, though! [Read: 27 subtle ways to be more graceful and elegant with your body and behavior]

19. We secretly judge you behind your back

British stereotypes say that the people of the UK love to talk about others, and judge everything about you as soon as your back is turned.

While it’s not a very flattering stereotype, I can confidently say that Brits are more judgmental than people from other nations. It’s all part of our cynical -and occasionally quite cutting – sense of humor.

If it feels like a British person is judging you or making fun of you, think about whether they’re joking around before you jump to conclusions. Sometimes our humor goes pretty close to the bone. However, if we’re making you uncomfortable, please say! We hate being impolite.

20. Everyone has posh accents

Not everybody in Britain has posh accents. In fact, there are over a hundred regional accents in the UK, all of which are just as quirky and interesting as the last.

Have you ever heard a Birmingham accent or a Newcastle accent? They’re totally different, and not at all posh. What about a cockney versus an estuary? Even accents that sound similar are subtly unique.

Plus, stereotypical “posh accents” are English, so that leaves out the Northern Irish, Welsh, and Scots. [Read: Holiday hookups – easy ways to find a travel fling]

The idea of a “posh accent” is quite a harmful British stereotype. The UK has a quite rigid class system, and accents are one of the reasons that the upper and middle classes have historically put down the working class.

So, be careful talking about “posh accents”, as many people have faced disadvantages for not having one. This is especially true for non-English accents.

21. There’s always bad weather

Now, we’ve talked about the British weather before, and we weren’t complimentary. But it’s not all grim grey rain and drizzle.

Some parts of the UK get relatively hot in the summer – we often have 30-degree heat in the south on summer days, or over 80 Fahrenheit!

Sure, the geographical location of the UK means we get a lot of cold temperatures, too. Scotland is level with Scandinavia in terms of distance from the equator, so it snows and freezes often. But a snowy wonderland isn’t exactly bad weather!

[Read: The top travel destinations for alternative breaks]

Now you know what British stereotypes you should expect from the UK. So, next time you meet a Brit, make sure to offer them a cup of tea and a biscuit, or even better—a pint of ale! You’ll have made a new friend in no time!

The post Don’t Be A Daft Numpty! 21 Assumptions & British Stereotypes That May Be True is the original content of LovePanky - Your Guide to Better Love and Relationships.