English identity?

[Geoff Parkstone]

That says English are polite etc - it doesn't reference a monopoly on the attribute

[Geoff Parkstone]

"As for being English I think of fair play, honour, patriotism for the homeland and sense of pride at being the worlds best for a while…we queue quietly put up with hassle etc’…"

So who said this??

[ramAnag]

"As for being English I think of fair play, honour, patriotism for the homeland and sense of pride at being the worlds best for a while…we queue quietly put up with hassle etc’…"

So who said this??

See posts 22 and 54.

[Geoff Parkstone]

It was Tricky wasn't it. So you are citing TTR to support your argument. Never thought I hear that

[ramAnag]

It was Tricky wasn't it. So you are citing TTR to support your argument. Never thought I hear that

That’s just perverse, GP. You really need to get off that ward! It was Tricky’s interpretation of YouGov, which I accept is probably too much for either of us, but it is an example of how the English can claim traits which are common in other countries and therefore not ‘English’ at all. I suspect he’s not the only one…even on here.

[Trickytreesreds]

I think the following comment, made twice and eventually in bold, was pretty damned close…

‘As for being English I think of fair play, honour, patriotism for the homeland and sense of pride at being the worlds best for a while…we queue quietly put up with hassle etc’…

My point is that these are no more synonymous with being English than any other nation I’ve visited.

Again in your own head. The question was, what makes you English? The list above for me MY WORDS, NOT YOUGOV, sums the race up well. IN NO WAY did I say it was a monopoly. Its your warped sense of put down kicking in again.
I go back to your I am European comment. Of course you are European, But does that trump being English? No it doesn't.
You are a full gold star remainer, who use that line frequently. EU mantra is to water down nationalism to promote the USE.
You don't meet someone from Brazil, with the introduction of "hello I'm Ramanag, I''m European"

[Andy_Faber]

Lol…take your point but I think we’ve all come across some quite ‘un Christian’ members of the clergy over the years.

Again you think wrong

[MadAmster]

Quote Originally Posted by ramAnag View Post
Lol…take your point but I think we’ve all come across some quite ‘un Christian’ members of the clergy over the years.
Again you think wrong Again you think wrong

Around 1964, my parents received a letter from our local CofE Vicar. By this time, my brother had been confirmed and was a believer, I was forced into Sunday School every week but never wanted to go, Mam taught Sunday School, not the group I was in and Dad hardly ever attended as he was either working or asleep following a night shift.

The vicar was new to the Parish and did his utmost to upset folk and he was pretty successful. One of the very first things he did was to demand that all children attending Sunday School had to attend Mass first or they would be turned away from Sunday School. Simultaneously, the letter arrived. Somehow, he knew my Dad worked shifts, full time, at the Telephone Exchange. He also knew Dad had a pet time job at Bass Brewery. He also knew Dad was a part time gardener. Somehow, he knew Dad's TE wage, his Bass's wage and was not far wrong on his earnings from Gardening. He also knew that Mam cleaned twice a week at 2 houses and knew roughly what she got from those 4 mornings. Mam and Dad did all this to give my brother and I chances they never had. Both having had to leave school at 14 to go to work to help the family out despite both having "qualified" to receive further schooling. Vicar was demanding a minimum of 20% of the weekly income be donated to the Church. Mam and Dad rared up over this intrusion of privacy. Dad never went to the Church again except for any "hatched, matched or dispatched" invitations. Mam idem ditto plus she gave up teaching Sunday School. Brother went off to Art College and very soon became as anti organised religion as I am. With Mam and Dad no longer attending Mass, I would have to attend on my own AND then do an hour of Sunday School after. I told them I didn't want to go on my own plus I didn't think I believed in religion and explained why. That was it, I didn't have to go to Mass which meant I couldn't go to Sunday School any longer. I was ecstatic. The absolute nerve of the new Vicar. I would say "unbelievable" but, unfortunately, it is a true story.

Fast forward a year and I won a prize at Junior School for reading passages from.... yep... the Bible. I wasn't suddenly going all religious, I just had a good speaking voice and got all the intonations etc spot on.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Now we've got to the core of it.

"the English can claim traits which are common in other countries and therefore not ‘English’ at all"

That was as painful as pulling teeth

They are still English traits even if shared with other nations. Are you suggesting that we don't play football just because the Hungarians do as well? It's not even a question of who started it or who copied who. It I am black I'm still black even though the bloke in the bed next to me is Nigerian...

[MadAmster]

I still haven't seen any claims that the "quintessential traits of Englishness" are traits that shouldn't be shared by other nations.

Quite astounded that nobody has mentioned "a nation of cat/dog/animal" lovers.