Aspects of British Culture

Aspects of British Culture Aspects of British Culture What is culture? Is it the language we speak, overall ethnicity in a region, or the simple customs of a daily routine? Culture is something we are all a part of whether we like it or not. Your family may have certain customs and routines. This is culture. In this research paper I will be analyzing British culture in four categories: history, ethnicity, customs, and also the future direction of British Culture. How did Britain become so rich in culture? Well Britain certainly did not just appear one day. The name of the country and the term â€Å"English† derive from the Old English word for one of the three Germanic Peoples that invaded the British Isles in the 5 th century (Countries and Their Cultures). The Angles â€Å"Britain† and â€Å"British† derive from a Roman Term for the inhabitants (Countries and Their Cultures). In fact, written records of British History do not exist until the arrival of the Romans (J.P. Dommerville). Be fore the arrival of the Romans, there is only archaeological evidence of Britain’s inhabitants (J.P. Sommerville). The earliest inhabitants of Britain for whom there is compelling evidence are bands of hunters living in Southern and Western England during the Hoxnian (J.P. Sommerville). Many peoples make up the rich history of British Culture. There were many immigrants that came to found The United Kingdom. Their genes still walk the grounds today. Just like America this country was founded, and made by immigrants from many different backgrounds. Like many cultures, there are different peoples whom make up the general ethnicity. British Culture is no exception to this understanding. Britain or the U.K. known to others is located in Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean, and the North Sea, northwest of France (UK – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette). The capital of the United Kingdom is London (UK – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette). The population is roughly 60, 766, 238 people; with an ethnic make-up of White, Black, Indian, Pakistani, Mixed, and Other (UK – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette). The White Population is composed of: 83.6% English, 8.6% Scottish, 4.9% Welsh, and 2.9% Northern Irish (UK – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette). The other ethnic populations are composed of: 2% Black, 1.8% Indian, 1.3% Pakistani, 1.2% Mixed, and 1.6% Other (UK – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette). As you can see, all of these different ethnicities will definitely impact culture. So what customs will follow this diverse cultural background? Many people may assume that British Culture is defined with scones and tea, or the rich writings of Shakespeare; however it is not like this at all. There are many customs that British people practice, that Americans or any other type of nationality may find odd. Many customs are a ssociated with the annual climate, and British Culture is once again no exception. The annual climate of the United Kingdom has temperatures that are moderated by southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current, and more than one-half of the days are overcast (UK – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette). The U.K. is also home to a constitutional monarchy (UK – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette). Although there is no defined official language due to the diverse cultural background, the primary language is English (UK – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette). About 70% of the population speaks English (UK – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette). Other languages that are frequently spoken include: Welsh, Irish, Ulster Scots, Cornish, Gaelic, and British Sign Language (UK – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette). The United Kingdom is comprised of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland (UK – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette). Now all of these countries share a common thing, and that is to address a person from a country properly. For instance, English and British do not mean the same thing (UK – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette). The term â€Å"British†, denotes someone who is from England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland (UK – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette). The term â€Å"English†, refers to people from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland (UK – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette). People from different countries want to be known for what they are; another example is people from Scotland are identified as â€Å"Scots†. People from Wales are identified as â€Å"Welsh†. People from Northern Ireland are identified as â€Å"Irish† (UK – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette).