A Cultural Guide to England

Everything you need to know when you visit England

by Babylon Idiomas Barcelona teacher Patrick Butterworth

This summer I returned home to a cold, wet English summer. While I was trapped in my parents house due to heavy rainfall I thought about the strange rules and cultures of my home country.

If you’re thinking of visiting, studying or even working in England one day there may be a few surprises for you.

English culture can be a maze of rules and social traditions. Some of these are very sensible, others have no discernible reason at all, but you may still be considered impolite if you don’t keep to them. Here are just a few rules to remember if you do decide to visit England, in order to offend as few people as possible.

Safety

 

Look right when you’re crossing the road – the English drive on the left. This one is more of a safety issue, although you shouldn’t underestimate the inconvenience caused to the driver by hitting someone looking the wrong way.

Manners

 

Queue. Waiting your turn in a long line has been in the English psyche from an early age. It’s practically a national past-time, and they don’t like it when this is ignored.  

Be polite. Impeccable manners are part of the English stereotype. Even if they aren’t always as polite as they could be themselves, they expect it in other people. ‘Please’, ‘thank you’, ‘excuse me’ and ‘sorry’ go a long way. In fact, if you remember these six words you have already learnt the most important parts of the English language.

Apologise. It’s customary to say ‘I’m so sorry’, or ‘excuse me’ for very minor mistakes, like bumping into someone on a crowded street or busy train. It’s normal to apologise when it’s not your fault – the other person probably will, too. If you’re in any doubt, apologise for everything.

Don’t draw attention. Be understated in the way you act, in the volume of your voice, and how you interact with people.

 Meeting people

 

Shake hands. Cheek-kissing is becoming more common in the more fashionable areas of the major cities. However, it is far safer offering your hand to shake as a greeting.

Hands off. Aside from shaking hands, keep your hands to yourself. Such physical contact with someone you do not know well may be misunderstood as a come-on.

Invitations

 

Bring a gift for your host when visiting someone for a meal. A bottle of wine is a good option, though if you’re not sure whether they drink alcohol then a box of chocolates should be just as appreciated.

Arrive on time but not early. Punctuality is more important to the English than in Mediterranean cultures. If an invitation says ‘7.30 to 8pm’  It’s best to aim for somewhere between the two. Definitely do not arrive after 8pm.  

Don’t ‘nose’ the cheese – cut a slice from the side of a wedge rather than taking the end off. It derives from the days when cheese-making processes meant that the centre of a circular cheese was the tastiest part, but for some reason remains a benchmark of good dining etiquette in polite company.