How To Be British

Mamy przyjemnośc przedstawić Państwu niezwykle uroczą książkę p.t. „How to Be British” wydaną przez wydawnictwo Lee Gone Publications. Autorami są Martyn Ford oraz Peter Legon.
Książka ta pojawia się w sprzedaży nie bez powodu.
W październiku będziemy gościć w Polsce przedstawienie „Mrs.Hoover” z Martynem Fordem w roli tytułowej Mrs. Hoover właśnie.

Zarówno książka, jak i przedstawienie to sympatyczne formy przedstawienia kultury brytyjskiej, z angielskim poczuciem humoru. Uśmiech na twarzy, ewentualnie śmiech do łez, gwarantowane.

Książka sprzedawana będzie w cenie 25 zł.

Koszt wysyłki listem ekonomicznym 2,85 zł.
Koszt wysyłki listem poleconym 5,05 zł.
Przy zakupie większej ilości książek, podamy cenę wysyłki indywidualnie.

Książka zostanie wysłana natychmiast po otrzymaniu odpowiedniej kwoty przelewem na konto:
50 1020 5558 1111 1700 1300 0040 PKO BP Inteligo

Dane firmy: NaukaBezGranic FairPlay, ul. Augusta Hlonda 2/96, 02-972 Warszawa,
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UPRZEJMIE PROSIMY O WPISANIE W OPISIE PRZELEWU: MRS HOOVER oraz swojego nazwiska i adresu.

Mind the Gap

The London Underground is full of romance: the names of the stations alone evoke the glories of English history and legend: Knightsbridge, Baker Street, Marble Arch, Angel, Temple, Swiss Cottage, Arnos Grove, Turnham Green… Take a deep breath and plunge far below the streets of the capital city by escalator or gleaming lift into the 253 miles of windy tunnels that make up the ‘Tube’. Once aboard a train, the overseas visitor is reminded that silence is compulsory and that loud conversation or laughter may cause the train to come to a sudden stop. As you sit waiting in the dark, your mind will be teeming with questions: “Should I have changed at Gloucester Road? How will I read all the advertisements? How do you pronounce ‘Marylebone’? What if I fall asleep and wake up at Cockfosters?”

Expressions to learn

Is this where I alight for the Brompton Oratory?

I need a southbound Northern Line service, Waterloo branch.

Avoid saying

Single to Manchester, please.

Porter!

Dress Sense

A city street in mainland Britain. It’s 11.15pm on a cold Friday night in the dead of winter. Two young women in crop tops showing their bare waists and shoulders, and mini skirts with no tights underneath are strolling along arm in arm. “’Ello, darling!” they shout, “where you from then?” And they run off down the road screaming with laughter. “Good heavens!” wonders the visitor, “aren’t they cold?” This is an example of our famous British toughness. On the other hand, in summer the same visitor may observe Brits sitting on the beach wearing jackets and pullovers with long woollen socks under their sandals. The important thing to remember is that the British dress to please themselves and to show their independence of fashion, weather, social convention and colour theory. For many foreigners visiting Britain it’s a welcome change to be able to dress without having to worry if their clothes are the wrong size, or don’t match, or are torn, or inside out, or show off their fat legs.

Expressions to learn

There’s no need to dress up.

Oh, it’s just an old thing I dug out.

Avoid saying

Orange and purple don’t go.

Skirt? What skirt?

The Telephone Box

Before mobile phones made everything so easy, the public telephone box was an important focus for community life. People of all types and classes would form an orderly queue outside its red iron door, clutching their pennies and waiting patiently for their turn to be linked up to the great wide world. For a shy people like the British it was an opportunity to meet and exchange news and gossip with neighbours and to get some fresh air. And what’s more, once you were inside that box everything you said was private. Everybody uses mobiles nowadays, but talking loudly in public places with unseen faces, about personal feelings or secret dealings…well it’s not something our true Brit feels comfortable about! Now there’s a new generation of phone boxes which can link you up to the Internet, receive e-mails, take payment by phone card or credit card. Impressive, perhaps, but where is the romance?

Expressions to learn

Just popping out to the phone box — I’ll be back tomorrow night.

Avoid saying

It’s me. I’m on the train.

Shopping

The British invented the idea of the fixed price. This was to avoid the embarrassment caused by haggling. We don’t like bargaining for things and we do not like pushy sales assistants, which is why shopping in hot countries can be such an ordeal for Brits. Far from trying to beat down the price of an article, the visitor to Britain should even offer to pay a little more than the asking price:

VISITOR £10? Are you sure? Don’t do yourself down. You’ve got to make

a living too! Look, I’ll give you £20. It must be worth at least that.

BRIT That’s very good of you, but I couldn’t possibly accept more than £15 for a second-hand radio that doesn’t even work.

VISITOR Never mind. In my eyes it has historical and cultural value. Why don’t I give you £18? etc. 

Expressions to learn

It was worth every penny!

Keep the change!

Avoid saying

These are much cheaper in my country.

From The How To Be British Collection by Martyn Ford & Peter Legon © LGP