Do Europeans hate the Brits?

[Floofydawg]

We're in Spain at the minute and have encountered some pretty hostile behaviour. Not so much from the Spanish, as we speak the language, but from other Europeans. We've been coming here many years and I've never before encountered such hostility. It got me thinking, do many Europeans dislike the Brits?

Or is it more the pub in Tenerife that is the problem and the clientele....

‘Many posters are just finding it quite bizarre the conclusions drawn about minor, inane interactions on holiday ’

English posters are, and yes I can understand why. Perhaps some French posters can pop up and give their opinion as the experiences and opinions of Irish, Northern Irish, Scots etc Clearly aren’t enough…

But the French, in particular, seem to appreciate foreigners who at least try to speak in French. DH can get by while I speak it passably and have never enountered any problems apart from the above.
But what the English may see as rude or abrupt may just be the norm in many parts of Europe where they do not go for the niceties of conversation as much as we do. While we (and the French) tend to set great store in politeness, other nationalities do not. It's not rude, it's just the norm.

Ok, if you read my post you obviously didn’t understand it. It isn’t about supporting football teams. Certainly not that everyone should support English football teams. Shock announcement - I’m not interested in football.

I wasn’t attacking you, I was making a point about general prejudicial attitudes, sorry if I hit a nerve. And thanks, I will 🩷

I doubt very much if the average Spanish/German/Czech etc person cares very much whether you are Scottish, Welsh, or English, and some Europeans are very hazy about these distinctions, just as we, as visitors, are often hazy about their history and ethnic origins.

The whole conversation reminds me a bit of discussions here during Covid. All about how Britain is 'the laughing stock of the world' and how their relatives in X country were 'watching in horror'.

In reality, citizens of these countries were probably far more concerned about their own government's failures than what was going on a rainy island in the north west of Europe. Most people don't much care about Britain or the British. Just as they're not going to be watching British reactions to Covid 'in horror', they're not much bothered which of the 4 nations of said rainy island you happen to come from. That's if they know that there are 4 nations to begin with, and many probably don't.

I think many posters are superimposing their own preconceptions onto others.

@Goldenbear no, it's a lovely quiet part of Tenerife, not a hot spot for clubbers or anything like that.

The clientele would be the more mature generation as a lot of Scottish, Irish and English live out there.

Well the Brits do for 90 days 😉

Again, cryptic but don't really understand your point, the English oppressors with all their English heritage going back centuries I assume is your point? I'm not sure what it's like in Ireland but there aren't many people where I live in a City on the south coast of England that even come from this city themselves let alone have family going back hundreds of years, it has people from all over and with a variety of heritages that were nothing to do with oppressing Ireland unless of course Denmark (In my case) oppressed Ireland.

Gosh, chip on shoulder much.

I am Scottish and can’t remember the last time the specific part of the UK I am from even came up in mainland Europe tbh. I also couldn’t tell you when I’ve said I’m visiting from London or whether I’ve elaborated to mention I’m originally from Scotland, or whether it’s made any difference whatsoever - certainly not enough for me to notice and remember.

In Canada/the US - comes up wayyyyy more often, usually an opening for them to tell you about their great-grandparents.

I’m half Arab though, so maybe I just enjoy the better treatment you often get once people clock you’re a Westerner rather than hand-wringing over the minutiae of whether the Swiss think people from Kirkcaldy are more fun than people from Hull.

I'm not sure how you got all that from what pp posted?

I took her post to mean that people in general, and in this case English people, are slow to accept anything negative - or perceived to be negative - about themselves. Many of the posters so far have spoken about the Irish or Scottish experience but their accounts are not being accepted by English posters. So maybe you need to hear from a wider audience?

I think that was pp's point.
Not sure where historical oppression comes into it at all?

Well unfortunately none of us are to know what that poster meant as they won't elaborate.

Yes but the counter argument to that is that the non English posters don't want to accept that their experiences are probably no more than politeness I'm afraid. Maybe we will get an influx of other European opinions soon🙄🤔

@Goldenbear
And the counter argument to that is that those you have not experienced it - someone at first thinking you're English and then realising you're not and immediately becoming friendlier - aren't in a position to know it to be true?

The Scots pretending they didn't participate in colonialism and slavery is always bloody hilarious. Rewriting history at its finest.

Why are you so obviously prejudiced against the English? I'm genuinely curious. Is it a history thing? Because if so surely you realise that none of us have anything to do with that? My heritage is Jamaican. I don't blame anyone living for the slave trade. What's the difference?
Or is it a Brexit thing? Because if it's that then are you prejudiced against the Welsh too? They voted leave.
Or the football hooligans? Have you seen Celtic fans? Or maybe some of the Eastern European fans who make fucking monkey noises at the black members of the England squad.
Or are you just a racist?

Freeeedooom!

I think people are pointing out to you and others that it's wey hard to measure this in any way and I have experienced it but the other way around so pretty regularly have been assumed to be from a Scandinavian country even speaking English, I then say I'm British and there is zero change in their warmth towards me. They were pleasant and smiley and remained so.

Exactly 💯 England has such a huge population so England 2022 is 57 million (probably more now) and ROI just under 6 mill, do you not think the diversity of the population makes a difference to the so called, 'English' make up!! (That's to the posters hating the English)

I don't think you can say it's very hard to measure a person's manner towards you and go on to say you did just that but found zero change in warmth! 😉

I am English and visited Ireland this summer and we stayed near the Mourne mountains in the North and travelled all over Northern Ireland to the attractions including Belfast as we wanted to see the peace wall. I recommend everyone visits - we even had 'English' plates on our car. Folk were lovely and charming.

Crossed the border to Dublin and again lovely folk. No one battered an eye at our accents or car, but we saw some locals getting mouthy with tented immigrants near to the river. TBF the immigrants gave aggro back. We left quickly to go to Dublin Castle so no idea what happened but it tainted the day.

Next day we took a trip to Dundalk and there was youths fighting in the street and yelling. They looked up for a fight with anyone and were more or less blocking the path. Felt very unsafe and it was the first time I realised my Englishness might go against me if I opened my mouth. It was a shame but we didnt hang around and I wanted to as my great-great grandfather was stationed there in the army and my great-gran was born there and I'd looked forward to seeing all of Dundalk.

But will defo return to the North, it was friendly and clean and no hassle at all.

Apart from Dundalk, I have never felt the need to curb my Englishness and I've travelled all over Europe and to North America.

Montenegro was one of favourite places.

‘English plates’ on the car.. aka a normal registration plate in NI 😵‍💫

I have a Scottish husband and can confirm that people here often warm to him instantly just because he is Scottish. I'm from continental Europe, and that's where we live, so I think I can also assure you that it has nothing to do with hostility against the English. They also like him more than me! It's just celticism. People romanticise the celtic cultures, the music, the whisky, the pubs, the kilts, the mythology, the plucky Braveheart-inspired reputation. When I tell people here that my husband is Scottish, they are very interested and there is often a note of envy because they're basically imagining Jamie from Outlander.😂

Generally we like the English just fine (and there are plenty of Anglophiles who love British humour, London, Harry Potter, English football etc), and certainly no less than other European nationalities! It's just that some people really, really love the Scottish and Irish. Nothing to get upset about or take personally.

If there is hostility, I cannot imagine it has anything to do with Britain's colonial past. Almost all western European countries were involved in that. We don't care because we're too busy fixing our own mess. Also, euroscepticism is everywhere now, not only do most people not care about Brexit, many actually admire it. If hostility exists, it might have something to do with the current cultural dominance of the English language. For example, English has become such an important language in science, tourism and business that lots of careers here are not open to you if you don't speak English well. English also dominates pop culture. People who have no gift for or interest in languages (and yes, they exist here too) may resent that. They feel like they should not have to speak English because they do not live in an English speaking country, but they simultaneously notice doors are closing to them because of their refusal/inability to learn. And because of this, they can be a bit hostile towards English speakers. As an English teacher here, and someone with many English speaking friends, I do occasionally encounter this attitude.

Apart from Dundalk, I have never felt the need to curb my Englishness and I've travelled all over Europe and to North America.

Why did you think you might? There are loads of English people living in Ireland, my husband included, he has never ever had to hide that he's English. Glad you enjoyed your holiday no idea what you came across in Dundalk, the Dublin situation sounds like the anti immigrant neanderthals picking on homeless asylum seekers, a problem not unique to Ireland.

The UK is far from the only country in the world with this particular chip on its shoulder. There are many peoples that believe their nation to be uniquely hated.

People living in tourist areas form a negative opinion of the countries the majority of their obnoxious tourists come from, be it the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, China or wherever.

😂 yes fair enough.

Perhaps they aren't warm to Scandinavians anyway so no change and it's just that the celtic charm they adore and think so much of.

‘English plates’ on the car.. aka a normal registration plate in NI

NI plates are different to UK