Each person, family, and locality has its own mannerisms and habits to do with their lives and the area they’re in. This is the case for areas like Britain and the United States. The two countries have similar linking traits like being English speaking and having higher popularities, but vastly different specific habits, foods, money practices, and more.
There are plenty of American mannerisms that are completely unheard of or rude for British people, and the same goes the other way around. On this topic, here’s some interesting information on some of the British habits that Americans will never understand.
Alcohol Consumption
While alcohol is a common pastime for both Americans and British folk, it’s very differently viewed. It’s fairly normal for a happy British person to spend their entire weekend at pubs or drinking consistently, whereas if someone in America considered actions like that it’s more taboo or looked down on by some. Americans are considered alcoholics for drinking that much usually, and for most British folk it’s just a normal nice weekend.
Tea
We all know the British love their tea and many have a heavy focus on it, sort of similar to how important coffee can be for many Americans. But it’s also considered a fix-all and mood improvement move to have a cup of tea when something goes wrong, or whenever. Tea and British home lives go hand in hand for a lot of reasons, and it’s not usually the case for Americans.
Forgetting Food
Food is a central point of American habits, socialization, and general lifestyles. However, it’s not seen as nearly as important or at least often forgotten about for British individuals and their social lives. Since alcohol is a common pastime, there are always things like meal stops in between pub visits that can be considered a food-centered social event, but overall British socialization doesn’t tend to focus much at all on food. And it can sometimes just be forgotten altogether.
Beat Around the Bush
One seemingly benefitting part of American habits and culture is that many Americans are pretty direct with communicating thoughts, plans, and general conversations. Eye contact is a big thing for American discourse, wherein British conversations a lot of beating around the bush tend to be occurring like utilizing suggestive “I think..” and so on. British communication can get to the point obviously, but it definitely is more awkward-seeming to Americans and lacks directness.
This is just a short list of probably many things that could land on similar terms since there are quite a few things that Americans do that British people find odd which means the other way around could be quite a long list too. But it is interesting for others to think about and learn mannerisms that may not be considered normal for other countries, or that are considered normal in Britain but not often understood elsewhere specifically in America.
The why behind this thought is pretty simple but can be complex, it’s simply a matter of differing cultures and societies across the two countries. But this list is certainly interesting nonetheless!