Page 34 | Do Europeans hate the Brits?

Floofydawg · 2024-09-24T14:31:05+00:00

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?

Original poster

Floofydawg · 25/09/2024 22:41

@CherryValley5 erm how is blatantly slagging English people off remotely 'banter'?

OP posts:

Treesinmygarden · 25/09/2024 22:56

CherryValley5 · 25/09/2024 22:33

Yep - The NI that my 20 yo DD has grown up in and the NI that I grew up in are two very different places, I’m glad to say. She had a very mixed upbringing and I’m proud of the fact that she genuinely didn’t know the difference between catholics and protestants (or even what side of the fence our family originates from! 🤣) until her early teens, the fact that religious differences don’t enter most young people’s minds shows that we have come a long way.

It is depressing however to drive though certain areas and see that the segregated mentality is still alive and well in a minority of people, and that these beliefs are sadly being fed into their children. We live in south Belfast (contrary to the username!) and it does shock me that despite living in a lovely, mixed area just a few minutes away there are estates where catholics (or realistically anyone who isn’t ’one of them’) still cannot live without fear of abuse, threats or worse..

Show quote history

Deleted - accidentally posted the same thing twice!

Treesinmygarden · 25/09/2024 22:56

CherryValley5 · 25/09/2024 22:33

Yep - The NI that my 20 yo DD has grown up in and the NI that I grew up in are two very different places, I’m glad to say. She had a very mixed upbringing and I’m proud of the fact that she genuinely didn’t know the difference between catholics and protestants (or even what side of the fence our family originates from! 🤣) until her early teens, the fact that religious differences don’t enter most young people’s minds shows that we have come a long way.

It is depressing however to drive though certain areas and see that the segregated mentality is still alive and well in a minority of people, and that these beliefs are sadly being fed into their children. We live in south Belfast (contrary to the username!) and it does shock me that despite living in a lovely, mixed area just a few minutes away there are estates where catholics (or realistically anyone who isn’t ’one of them’) still cannot live without fear of abuse, threats or worse..

Show quote history

My three are 27, 25 and 20, and they're the same. Their school had a mixed population (never seems to be highlighted that many of the grammar schools have a mixed intake and not just the integrated schools!) and they never knew any different. I grew up in a mixed community in the country too, so I never had that bias in the first place.

South Belfast is lovely - I went to Queen's about 100 years ago lol and lived in that area for years. I do know that there are enclaves where the people could only be described as feral, and that is being kind!

Treesinmygarden · 25/09/2024 23:04

coldcallerbaiter · 25/09/2024 21:38

I know! I have family in France and Spain and they are familiar with Ireland/Irish but have no NI differentiation. Wales is one place they are fuzzy/don’t know what/where.

They understand English as nowadays as it is an international language on holiday, but English with a really strong accent is hard for them to understand.

Nobody really does - realised that very many years ago and that there was no point in trying to differentiate or to explain!

A strong accent is difficult for anyone no matter it's from! I was seated beside an Indian/American man on a flight to New York recently. Our accents on both parts were tricky, but we got on well all the same! He was a gentleman.

CherryValley5 · 25/09/2024 23:22

Floofydawg · 25/09/2024 22:41

@CherryValley5 erm how is blatantly slagging English people off remotely 'banter'?

I don’t think that he was slagging you off, personally. I think that he was just joking. I wouldn’t have been offended.

A similar situation - My DD’s surgeon ‘slagged off’ the school that she went to today as he is alumni of a rival school. It was all just light banter to break the ice, nobody was remotely offended.

CherryValley5 · 25/09/2024 23:26

Treesinmygarden · 25/09/2024 22:56

My three are 27, 25 and 20, and they're the same. Their school had a mixed population (never seems to be highlighted that many of the grammar schools have a mixed intake and not just the integrated schools!) and they never knew any different. I grew up in a mixed community in the country too, so I never had that bias in the first place.

South Belfast is lovely - I went to Queen's about 100 years ago lol and lived in that area for years. I do know that there are enclaves where the people could only be described as feral, and that is being kind!

Edited

Show quote history

Feral is the right word! DD went to Methody, although of course we’re still nearby I miss the morning drop off view of Queens so much - the Lanyon building bathed in early sunlight is just gorgeous.

JudgeJ · 25/09/2024 23:56

MrBernardCheeseman · 25/09/2024 19:38

Utter cobblers. Just spent 6 weeks interrrailing, 6 different countries, zero hostility. I only came here to say I fucking hate the word ‘Brits’. We are ‘Britons’ and are ‘British’. I think this might be the hill I die on.

So much in agreement! Are we allowed to abbreviate other nationalities to 4 letters, Germs, Frens and the one that would get me banned! If we have to accept this laziness then all other nationalities should be willing to accept it too!

HollyKnight · 26/09/2024 00:02

JudgeJ · 25/09/2024 23:56

So much in agreement! Are we allowed to abbreviate other nationalities to 4 letters, Germs, Frens and the one that would get me banned! If we have to accept this laziness then all other nationalities should be willing to accept it too!

Show quote history

Like the Swedes and the Danes?

Note to self - not the Dutch and the Swiss. <facepalm> It's late.

CherryValley5 · 26/09/2024 00:06

JudgeJ · 25/09/2024 23:56

So much in agreement! Are we allowed to abbreviate other nationalities to 4 letters, Germs, Frens and the one that would get me banned! If we have to accept this laziness then all other nationalities should be willing to accept it too!

Show quote history

Genuinely convinced that some people spend their lives actively trying to find things to get offended by.. This is a great example of that 🏆

HollyKnight · 26/09/2024 00:08

The Fins! There's another.

Whatjemimadid · 26/09/2024 00:14

We travel through Europe a lot and haven't experienced this I find Europeans very friendly but we tend to visit cities and quieter coastal towns and speak the language so it could be different in resort type places

Treesinmygarden · 26/09/2024 00:23

CherryValley5 · 25/09/2024 23:26

Feral is the right word! DD went to Methody, although of course we’re still nearby I miss the morning drop off view of Queens so much - the Lanyon building bathed in early sunlight is just gorgeous.

Show quote history

A friend of mine used to be VP there. It's a great school. We're a bit outside Belfast but don't want to out myself lol!

I've never been there early morning lol, and not when I was a student there!! But in the winter nights with the lights all on, it's just stunning!

WednesburyUnreasonable · 26/09/2024 06:35

Kiuyni · 25/09/2024 21:05

Is this thread just lots of Irish, Scottish and Welsh people saying that Europeans hate the English?

I live in France and the French near me couldn't distinguish between the accents and really don't care or understand the difference.

I mentioned a few pages ago but I’m Scottish and this has been my experience. It never comes up in Europe! Apparently I’m the only one though!

FWIW, when it’s come up in the Middle East (edit: which it does because of my accent in Arabic…), people do react a bit warmly to mention of Scotland but that’s because it’s a novelty. It’s not because they think Scots weren’t complicit in colonialism (lol) or are naturally warmer etc - they just know a lot of fun Scottish stereotypes and don’t meet many British-Arabs from there. So I agree with whichever poster was saying that’s a dimension. I can completely believe English people from places with famous football teams like Manchester get a similar reaction.

Auburngal · 26/09/2024 06:42

IcedPurple · 25/09/2024 22:29

Think they hate those Brits who stay in all inclusive hotels and never venture outside the hotel area, spending sod all in shops, tourist attractions etc.

Isn't that kind of what all inclusive resorts are about? It's not my sort of thing, but a lot of people like having everything they need in one place.

And the British are actually known for being high spenders. It's the Germans and Dutch who have the reputation for being tight.

Some resorts want the all inclusive hotels to be banned as then it will make tourists spend money in cafes etc.

Mabelthebore · 26/09/2024 07:34

JudgeJ · 25/09/2024 23:56

So much in agreement! Are we allowed to abbreviate other nationalities to 4 letters, Germs, Frens and the one that would get me banned! If we have to accept this laziness then all other nationalities should be willing to accept it too!

Show quote history

Surely it's the British that use this term the most? It was used by the initial poster!
I have not heard it used by non British people much. Usually they would say English, Scottish etc rather than Brits. I always feel it's the British who say Britain, Great Britain GB rather than the individual country name. Moreso I feel British/Britain is used more by English people. I have never met a Scottish person who introduced themselves as British ( although I am sure some do!!!)

Maddy70 · 26/09/2024 07:37

I live in a European country. Honestly there is quite a lot of judginess about the English they laugh at our entitlement, lack of language skills and Brexit.

However they definitely sont hate us. (It's more pity!)

Snakebite61 · 26/09/2024 07:54

It's just being very true. The Irish and Scottish weren't stupid enough to believe tory and right wing lies. We deserve all we get. Or at least the brexiters should. And don't give me all that democratic vote rubbish. The vote to join was much more democratic in every way.
But brexiters decided to overturn that. Should never have happened.

Original poster

Floofydawg · 26/09/2024 07:58

@CherryValley5 he was being a dick. I was there.

As for the Brexit/believing Tory lies point, you're assuming that all English people voted leave and support the Tories? Because neither apply to me.

OP posts:

Bouledeneige · 26/09/2024 07:59

Well in some tourist areas which British people amongst others, go to, there is a lot of resentment towards over touristification. Mainly coastal resorts and the balaerics have experienced a significant backlash from locals - having experienced rising housing costs and airbnb takeovers, rising food prices etc - much like rural places in England subjected to second home impacts. So there is some resentment in parts of Spain and the Greek islands.

IVFmumoftwo · 26/09/2024 07:59

Mabelthebore · 26/09/2024 07:34

Surely it's the British that use this term the most? It was used by the initial poster!
I have not heard it used by non British people much. Usually they would say English, Scottish etc rather than Brits. I always feel it's the British who say Britain, Great Britain GB rather than the individual country name. Moreso I feel British/Britain is used more by English people. I have never met a Scottish person who introduced themselves as British ( although I am sure some do!!!)

Show quote history

That is changing. More English people say English rather than British. Especially amongst the younger generations.

Kiuyni · 26/09/2024 08:09

Bouledeneige · 26/09/2024 07:59

Well in some tourist areas which British people amongst others, go to, there is a lot of resentment towards over touristification. Mainly coastal resorts and the balaerics have experienced a significant backlash from locals - having experienced rising housing costs and airbnb takeovers, rising food prices etc - much like rural places in England subjected to second home impacts. So there is some resentment in parts of Spain and the Greek islands.

Yes, this includes Germany who are the biggest tourists in Spain by far.

Other countries are available when talking about over touristification!

IcedPurple · 26/09/2024 08:13

Kiuyni · 26/09/2024 08:09

Yes, this includes Germany who are the biggest tourists in Spain by far.

Other countries are available when talking about over touristification!

Show quote history

Britain is the number one source of tourists to Spain, followed by France and Spain.

But I agree that complaints from locals about too much tourism are not related to one particular nationality so much as to numbers. However, I'm not sure it's so much of a factor in resorts where the whole economy is based on tourism.

Calliecarpa · 26/09/2024 08:23

😆

I also lived in Germany for many years, though am back in the UK now. As you'll know, foreign-language programmes and films are usually dubbed into German on German TV, though I remember a few years back when Outlander was on, it was shown in English with German subtitles. A friend of mine was a huge fan, and told me she was watching it once when her husband came into the room. He'd learnt English for at least 9 or 10 years and spoke it pretty regularly in his job. He asked her, in all seriousness, 'What language is that??!' 😆

Dulra · 26/09/2024 08:26

JudgeJ · 25/09/2024 23:56

So much in agreement! Are we allowed to abbreviate other nationalities to 4 letters, Germs, Frens and the one that would get me banned! If we have to accept this laziness then all other nationalities should be willing to accept it too!

Show quote history

Ozzys, Kiwis, Paddys, and so on. I always thought the Brits originated in Britain, its what many call themselves!

Kiuyni · 26/09/2024 08:35

IcedPurple · 26/09/2024 08:13

Britain is the number one source of tourists to Spain, followed by France and Spain.

But I agree that complaints from locals about too much tourism are not related to one particular nationality so much as to numbers. However, I'm not sure it's so much of a factor in resorts where the whole economy is based on tourism.

Show quote history

Sorry I was thinking particularly about the Balearics

Germany tried to buy Mallorca iirc