What do other nationalities think of the British

[Baggingarea]

For non UK MNers, what are your general impressions of the British?

I was watching a documentary recently and a Spanish man said our houses are all dirty. I'd never heard that before but can see why someone might think that with muddy weather etc etc.

What do you think about us? Promise I won't be offended (no racism/sexism/general bigotry though please). Can't vouch for others though.

After Brexit and Covid ... euhm .... the respect for the UK government is non-existent. You probably don't want to know the rest

Lovely countryside.

Unable to look outwards and move on.

Some good TV, some good universities.

Yes to dirty I'm afraid, it's not the mud it's the general level of hygiene.

Sorry to be negative.

I have always wondered why the British put a wash up bowl in the sink. Why not just use the plug?

Love a good moan.

Everything that isn't going well is the fault of the government.

Why everyone has to take their shoes off to enter a house.

Why a curry is cheeky.

Why a curry is cheeky

Brits add cheeky in front of dishes they know they shouldn't eat much of.

Cheeky nandos
Cheeky Dominos

After Brexit and Covid ... euhm .... the respect for the UK government is non-existent. You probably don't want to know the rest

I'm British, and I'm probably already thinking it myself. Deeply ashamed of what this country has become.

Go abroad and admit you are British and you will find out. I do my utmost to avoid being identified as British when abroad- speaking the local language, not having clothing with any design that would do so.

Good TV. They mostly are fascinated by the Royal Family. Otherwise, pretty much a laughing stock at the moment. Boris is seen as ridiculous, and Brexit totally mad.

@nosswith why so much self-loathing?
People are people wherever they live in the world.
These sort of generalisations are borderline racist.

Sorry to say its true we think English houses are dirty. The standard of cleaning its just not the same. Not helped by carpets everywhere.
Another thing that comes up a lot is that British people have "blinders" On their eyes, meaning not being able to other then what they re looking at, inflexible thinking.

My DH is from a country that has a lot of British holiday makers. When we were flying to the uk we were behind a family with two Youngish teenage girls, at check in.
The check in lady asked if the larger of the girls was pregnant (she had a bit of a tummy) and the girl, quite understandably offended, screamed “no but she is!” And points to her sister. The whole family started screaming at each other at the tops of their voices F’ing and blinding.
My DH smiled and explained that his family were horrified when he said he was marrying a Brit as that is how they thought we all were!

[quote FreshFreesias]@nosswith why so much self-loathing?
People are people wherever they live in the world.
These sort of generalisations are borderline racist.[/quote]
Borderline racist. How so?

I remember having a holiday romance with a Swedish man. He said he didn't think I was English as most English woman weren't very good looking!

I heard that many other countries believe that all British people sit down for tea and cake at 4pm everyday i.e 'high tea'

I do! Any excuse for tea and cake!

I’d also heard about houses being dirty due to carpet. Plus apparently Brit women are frumpy and everyone has bad teeth...

Great sense of humour.

Quite class-obsessed.

I had a flatmate once who did this without fail everyday at 4pm. I was bamboozled!

@TeachesOfPeaches

I heard that many other countries believe that all British people sit down for tea and cake at 4pm everyday i.e 'high tea'

Family guy always portray brits like this 😆

Love UK peeps.

Grew up there.

I get it.

I lived in America and everyone assumed I was intelligent (due to my British accent).
They also assumed we all had terrible teeth!
Generally they thought the NHS was good (I was in a Liberal area)

It would be interesting to know what the nationalities of each PP is.

(I am British but could be English soon depending how things holds together.)

Oops quote fail - was eating my (not high) tea. @TeachesOfPeaches that comment was for you.

American married to a English person here. Class-obsessed, wonderful self of humor and willingness to mock themselves and be silly, emotionally reserved to the point of emotional immaturity, a general unhealthy disdain for fresh vegetables and food variety in general, and not my partner but in general poor and unadventurous eaters and travelers. But also wonderful appreciation for history and culture.

I'm lucky enough to have travelled far and wide so have encountered a lot of these conversations. Agree with all the above comments. I think on an individual basis we're tolerated but collectively we're still seen as arrogant and that we think we're superior somehow. Mind you that was a while ago.
Agree we are seen as the laughing stock of europe these days.

Yes to dirty I'm afraid, it's not the mud it's the general level of hygiene.

I’m surprised. Everyone I know keeps a really clean house, as do I.

I have always wondered why the British put a wash up bowl in the sink. Why not just use the plug?

Because I have a composite granite sink, and don’t want to break my wine glasses.

Not helped by carpets everywhere.

Because it is cold and damp where we live, and carpets, which are cleaned regularly, make a house warmer.

Interesting that the op asked about people abroads opinions on British people and most posters have discussed opinions on English people.... I wonder what people abroad think of the Scots?