Si le cours de civi de mardi intéresse quelqu'un..
14/11/06
Regions of England
Relatively small country
Distance from the north coast of Scotland to the south coast of England is 600 miles; the distance is about 320 miles across the wildness par of England and Wales. Nowhere in Britain is more than 75 miles from the coast.
Many people comment on the great variety of the British landscape, it is variegated. In the space of a few hours it is possible to travel from a major cosmopolitan city to historic sides old cathedrals.....
Almost every single part of Britain is ... the same: common languages, newspapers, radio, television, shops with brunches through out the UK = every body to some degree shares a similar culture.
However beneath the increasingly standardized appearance of a British city centres and suburbs, there are real diversities and cultural gaps or differences between different parts of the UK.
The most distinctive areas of Britain are Wales and Scotland. Both have their own languages:
• Welsh is taught in schools and widely spoken in North and West Wales
• Gaelic is still spoken in the Highlands and Island of Scotland.
Many people believe that the Welsh and the Scots have a stronger sense of identity and culture than the English.
The creation of the Assembly for Wales and the Scottish Parliament in 1999 has leaded some people to suggest that England needs its own Parliament. There is now considerable discussion about what is a distinctive English identity. Accents are a clear indication of the regions: Scouses in Liverpool, Geordie in the N E, and Cockney in London. Others differences in speech exist everywhere in all parts of the country.
Scottish and Welsh speech is distinctive and varies within those two countries. A person’s accent will indicate where she/he is from within a distance of 20 miles.
Regional differences also exist in the style of buildings and the materials used in their constructions. Thatch cottages (less common than they used to be) can mainly be found in the S W, S and E of England. Older buildings are usually made from local materials = giving these house a unique look. The industrial legacy of regions also gives rise to distinct style of architecture. The mill towns of Northern England are good example of that. The insularity of some communities (especially on the coast, on remote corners) has meant that their appearance has changed very little in the past 50 years. In contrast others areas whose traditional industries have been replaced in cause of time are almost unrecognisable from what there were one generation ago.
LISTE OF COSTUMES AND TRADITIONS IN BRITAIN
Visits guide commonly paint a view of rural Britain that it is not always recognisable to those who live there.
The countryside is regarded by many people as the real England. But in fact, the majority of people live in city or in suburbs. People living in the UK are a mixture of the old and the new. City’s dwellers (residents) love to visit the countryside, but the abolition of the fox hunting, regarded by many cities resident, has been contested by most country’s dwellers who see it as a denial of their traditions and values.
Festivals and others traditions continue to exist everywhere in the land but their existence depend almost entirely on the sustained effort of those who lives in the local community.
SPORTS
Sports play a major part in people life.
Football, rugby and cricket have a large following and success and the sporting field is great source of local and national pride.
Major sporting event such as the Grand National Horse Race, the FA Cup Final, and the Wimbledon Tennis Championships = capture the attention of many people in Britain including those who don’t normally follow sports.
NATIONAL DAYS
Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland = St Patrick’s Day = an official holiday.
There are normally reserved for the New Year and for the Christian festival of Xmas and Easter.
4 most important:
• 1st of march : National Day of Wales
• 17th of march: St Patrick’s Day (Ireland)
• 30th of November : St Andrew’s Day (National Day of Scotland)
• 23rd of April : St Georges Day (National Day of England)
4 publics holidays a year: Bank Holidays (because legislation required banks and others banking establishment to close).
RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL
• Most are based on the Christian traditions. Some others are officially recognised, mainly of those are explain in school as part of the lesson.
• Xmas Day (25 December): celebrates the Birth of Jesus Christ. It is normally regarded as a time to be spent at home with one’s family. The preparation starts 3 or 4 weeks before. A Xmas tree is decorated and put in the living room and presents are placed around it. Xmas cards are sent to family and friends from the beginning of December. Non Christian usually send cards = “seasons greetings”. It is both a religious and a secular holiday celebrated by believers alike. Many families are attended to a church service either at midnight on Xmas Eve or on Xmas Morning. On Xmas Day families traditionally sit down to eat roast turkey and Xmas pudding. The Father Xmas is said to be based on folklore that Dutch, Swedish and German brought to America……….
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