1. Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking Countries
Yangqian
College of Foreign Languages
Shenyang University

2. II. People
Population 1 2
Ethnicity 3
Language 4
Characteristics

3. Population Overall population: over 60 million Distribution:
England: about 50 million
Scotland:over 5 million
Wales: around 3 million
Northern Ireland: about 1.7million

4. Ethnicity
The majority of this population are descendents of the Anglo-Saxons
Most people in Wales and Scotland are descendents of the Celtic people
The Irish people were also Celtic in origin
immigrants

5. Percentage of total UK Population
Ethnic Groups of total
White British %
White Irish %
White (other) %
Mixed race %
Indian %---3.4%
Pakistani %
Bengali %
Other Asian (non-Chinese) %
Black Caribbean %
Black African %
Black (others) %
Chinese %
Other %

6. The English Language 1. Old English 2. Middle English
3. Modern English
4. Standard English

7. 1. Old English (5th ~ 11th) Language of Anglo-Saxons Influenced by
Old Norse
Latin and Greek words
Danish words

8. Beowulf The most famous work from the Old
English period is the epic poem ”Beowulf”
(approximately AD 900)
Hwæt! We Gar-Dena in geardagum,
þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon,
hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum

9. 2. Middle English (11th ~ 15th )
Status
French replaced English as the official language, and English became the Language of lower class
pig — pork
sheep — mutton
cattle — beef
Development
English increased in importance after the Black Death

10. The Canterbury Tales written by Geofery Chaucer, 14 the century
Whan that Aprill, with his shoures soote
The droghte of March hath perced to the roote
And bathed every veyne in swich licour,
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Geoffrey Chaucer

11. 3. Modern English (15th~ )
The printing press—brought standardization of English
Samuel Johnson’s dictionary—established a standard form of spelling
Renaissance—assimilated foreign words throughout the Renaissance
The Industrial Revolution—necessitated the introduction of new words for new things and ideas
The rise of the British Empire or the Commonwealth of Nations—led to the assimilation of words from many other languages

12. Othello by William Shakespeare 1603
La: Tho in the trade of warre, I haue flaine men, Yet doe I hold it very ftuft of Confcience. To doe no contriu’d murrher; I lacke iniquity Sometimes to doe feruice: nine or ten times, I had thought to haue ierk’d him here, Vnder the ribbes.
Oth.: Tis better as it is.
Which can be translated as:
La: Though in the trade of war I have slain man, Yet do I hold it very stuff o’ the conscience. To do no contrived murder: I lack iniquity Sometimes to do me service: nine or tem times I had thought to have yerk’d him here under the ribs.
Othello: ‘Tis better as it is.
Shakespeare

13. 4. Standard English
based on the speech of the upper class of southeastern England
adopted as a broadcasting standard in the British media
also called as Queen’s English or BBC English
based on the London dialect
becoming a universal Lingua Franca—the world language

14. British Characteristics
Gentleman Manners
Pub Culture
Six Senses
British Celebrities

15. The Typical British
Ladies and gentlemen

16. Lady First
The ox and the cow are in the field.

17. A Lady First Quiz Enter a room or restaurant Get off a car or taxi
Go out of a concert hall
Walk along the street
Seat
In danger

18. Pub Culture

20. British Characteristics
Trust
To manage the country and life
Example
Gentlemen’s agreement
Japan
Great empire
Class system
They just know they’re the best
1/5 volunteer and charity
There is a time and a place for everything
Stand in line
Uniforms
Tolerance and an instinct for compromise
Example
no written Constitution
Good for body, mind and spirit
Superi-ority
Irony A
Sense of
Duty
Order
Fair Play
Manners makyth man

21. Guess

22. Guess

23. Key Words For British practical superior honest polite stubborn
tolerant
conservative
humorous