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topics of conversation with british locals

topics of conversation with british locals

Old Feb 17th, 2002, 07:21 PM
  #1  
mark
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topics of conversation with british locals

I'm going to London for a week in March with my wife. We're planning on searching out locals to meet and talk with, and were just wondering what some hot conversation topics are among young (20's and 30's) Londoners. Is it politics? Globalization? Pop culture? What's the pervasive attitude towards the American government? American citizens? Are there any hotbutton local issues we wouldn't necessarily hear about in the States?

Thanks
 
Old Feb 17th, 2002, 08:16 PM
  #2  
Tony
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Football (Soccer) and the Weather is usually about it.
 
Old Feb 17th, 2002, 10:07 PM
  #3  
Harzer
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And in summer Wimbledon and cricket, especially cricket, which is an inexhaustible subject for discussion.
Harzer
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 02:44 AM
  #4  
xxx
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Just ask "did you vote for Will or Gareth?". Far more of this age range voted for the Pop Idol than vote in any election!
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 03:06 AM
  #5  
Patrick Wallace
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Mark, it might be worth looking at the TV and newspaper websites, some of which have message-boards, which may help you sample current topics of debate:
www.bbc.co.uk
www.channel4.co.uk
www.channel5.co.uk
www.itv.com
www.mtv.co.uk

For 20/30 year olds, there will indeed be lots about [so-called] reality-TV show controversies (but by March Pop Idol might (?will) have been superseded by something else); and I think the FA cup (= our SuperBowl only more so) will be coming towards its final stages with several London clubs still in contention.
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 03:17 AM
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kate
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xxx hit the nail on the head regarding pop idol.

Football is always a hot topic.

Forget cricket - too old.

You will find the attitude towards american politics fairly negative (in terms of environmental policy, globalization, Bush being an idiot, that kind of thing) but that is politics, not the attitude towards americans in particular.

Hot button local issues... definately transport! Train and tube strikes, PPP (public private partnership for the Tube), under-investment in the rail network.

Also, government spin doctoring, and underfunding in the National Health Service. You will find that any discussion of government politics, foreign policy and public services will be negative. We Brits love to criticise our own country. We are far less 'patriotic' than america in this sense.

In fact we also love to criticise anyone famous. We are far less admiring of fame than america. Jealous maybe? who knows.

So people will find it very odd if you arrive saying Tony Blair is lovely and George Bush is doing a great job.

I guess the general attitude about american citizens is that they are a little isolated from world politics and a bit overly patriotic. We find the flag worshipping rather strange.
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 04:12 AM
  #7  
bar
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When entering somebody else's local be you British, American or whatever, speak when you're spoken to.
Don't bounce in and announce, "I'm Josiah B. Jellyhammer III, Vice President of Associated Ballbearings, whaddya think about global warming?"
A simple, "nice weather we're having" is quite enough. If people want to start a conversation with you, they'll start one.
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 06:21 AM
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x
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I think it's funny that the British think Bush is an idiot. They should take a long, hard look at Prince Charles. The US can get rid of Bush in 4 years, the British are stuck with Prince Charles.
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 06:33 AM
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Lorianne
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In the three times I have been to England, it is the Brits who have been interested in talking to me, when learning I was American. Initially, I was somewhat reticent about beginning conversations, not wanting to seem pushy or break a social convention of which I was not aware, but I shouldn't have worried. On my first trip, Bill Clinton was a big topic of conversation because it was in the middle of the Monica Lewinsky mess. They were interested in what we Americans thought of him. But overall, I find that Brits are especially chatty if they have been to America, wanting to know where I am from, talking about their experiences in America, etc. And they are always so helpful if asked for advice about tourist-related issues (where to eat, what to see, how to get there). I have even become quite friendly with a fellow working in a certain pub in the Cotswolds and look him up each time I am there to catch up on his life. You really don't need to sweat the topics. They will come naturally.
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 06:35 AM
  #10  
x
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and I think it odd that the brits worship a German/Danish/Greek family that lives on the dole
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 07:25 AM
  #11  
Sheila
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A couple of misapprehensions here;- we don't worship them; we thole them.

And, much as I dislike royalty, at least Chuck can speak in joined up sentences
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 07:38 AM
  #12  
xxx
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Who did you thell them to? Limited market, I'll wager.
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 08:08 AM
  #13  
B
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Not only can Chuck speak in joined up sentences, he can use and understand words of more than one syllable, without having to practice in front of a mirror first. He also doesn't run the country, or, as Bu$h thinks, the world.
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 08:17 AM
  #14  
Irishman
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Ask about their policy towards Northern Ireland and their justification for continuing to occupy a foreign land.
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 08:39 AM
  #15  
x
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or ask about the sense of responsibility for the hell that is the Indian subcontinent
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 08:47 AM
  #16  
x
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It's probably just easier to blame America for the world's problems than it is to accept responsiblity for their part in creating some of these situations.



 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 08:49 AM
  #17  
Thyra
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Just as point of fact: George W.Bush, regardless of what you think of him is not a real "mover and shaker" of British politics. He runs a charity, I think, I doubt he could order a missle strike or act with any real power. That would be Tony Blair and the House of Commons, who are elected officials similar to our president.
I find that in general, Europeans, and people in the UK tend to be slightly more liberal, and for better or worse, we now a have conservative government, that is persuing policies that tend to generate a great deal of controversy and negativity abroad. Like it or not that is simply the fact.
That being the case, I've been travelling back and forth to the UK for 20 years, and never had a bad word spoken to me regarding the American government, mostly I've had people talk to me about celebrities and sports.
The most bad mouthing I've ever experienced regarding the United States government came from a cab driver in New York City.
As stated before, just keep a low profile, be polite. You should find the British very friendly, if you are respectful of them and their culture.
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 08:50 AM
  #18  
Thyra
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Ooops, hit send before proofreading... the above first statment should have read: Regardless of what you think of him Prince Charles is not a Mover or Shaker of British politics. Sorry
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 08:59 AM
  #19  
David
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For the UK I like:

www.ananova.com

It has nice news bits that aren't too indepth. I like to track it for a few weeks before I go to the UK. That way I have a sense of what's going on.

You'd be amazed how much more friendly people can be if you take the trouble to know a little bit of their country's current events.
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 09:12 AM
  #20  
janis
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You can really talk about almost anything. Europeans in general and Brits in particular read a lot more newspapers (even if a lot of them are of the tabloid variety) than the average American. They know more about "us" than we do about them. You can join a lively discussion about almost anything. Of course there are exceptions - on both sides.

 

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