The Untalkative British? I've been watching a great series on Netflix, "Very British Problems." They present problems that are unique to the British and have comments by famous and...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I've been watching a great series on Netflix, "Very British Problems." They present problems that are unique to the British and have comments by famous and not-so-famous Brits. One of their greatest fears is having to talk to people - make small talk or becoming engaged in conversation. Talking to the barber, hairdresser, someone next to you on a train, etc., was to be avoided at all cost. I can definitely relate to this, but it's not what I observed when I was there. My wife and I both noticed that the English are very chatty. Any comments from Brits?

It's a very funny series, but only six episodes.

ChrisEdwardsUSA Loc: Philadelphia

Jerry,

Thanks for the tip on the programme, I will check it out.

I can certainly relate to that "problem", but put it down more to my introverted personality rather than my British passport! That said, the propensity to strike up conversation with "strangers" in the UK is low, but more so in certain geographic areas than others.

There is no doubt that this is less of an issue in the US, although having been resident in 2 states I do find that on average the residents of PA are more open than their NJ neighbors....

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

ChrisEdwardsUSA wrote:

Jerry, br br Thanks for the tip on the programme,... (show quote)

Thanks. Interesting. The program will probably keep you laughing, as it did me.

Sylvias Loc: North Yorkshire England

I will talk to anyone, anytime all day long Jerry!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Sylvias wrote:

I will talk to anyone, anytime all day long Jerry!

Good to know! I just drove a 90 year old friend to a senior luncheon, and she was surprised to hear that. She thought it might be something relatively new. She grew up in Leicestershire (Market Harborough), and has lived here since 1946. A few weeks ago, she met another woman from England at a luncheon. The woman approached her and said, "You sound like you come from the Midlands." I thought that was funny. They talked for half an hour straight.

Sylvias Loc: North Yorkshire England

jerryc41 wrote:

Good to know! I just drove a 90 year old friend to a senior luncheon, and she was surprised to hear that. She thought it might be something relatively new. She grew up in Leicestershire (Market Harborough), and has lived here since 1946. A few weeks ago, she met another woman from England at a luncheon. The woman approached her and said, "You sound like you come from the Midlands." I thought that was funny. They talked for half an hour straight.

My dad was born in London and lived there until he was 20 then moved north. Sometime later he met my mum. He lived to be 98 and never lost his cockney accent one little bit.

Hammer Loc: London UK

Hi,

We Brits are very tribal and do not like speaking to strangers , its just not done . Tourists here will normally be in city centres where there will be chatty cosmopolitan people and we do talk to you foreigners but not our own .

lateron Loc: Yorkshire, England

jerryc41 wrote:

I've been watching a great series on Netflix, &quo... (show quote)

I walk (with the aid of a walking stick), and find people will talk to me.

Hammer Loc: London UK

I am using a walking stick at the moment due to an injury. People become very talkative when I trip them up,.

braindamage Loc: Appley Bridge, Lancs, U.K.

I talk to strangers all the time and find most very open to it. I think the Capital is a different ball game and you are very much on your own.

philmurfin Loc: Bakewell, Derbyshire UK

I live out in the country and everyone here is chatty. I think there is a north-south divide in the UK, generally, anywhere above the Midlands we'll stand and natter. I was in the supermarket this morning for over an hour, chatting about a storm we had last evening, I only went in for bananas!

lateron Loc: Yorkshire, England

philmurfin wrote:

I live out in the country and everyone here is chatty. I think there is a north-south divide in the UK, generally, anywhere above the Midlands we'll stand and natter. I was in the supermarket this morning for over an hour, chatting about a storm we had last evening, I only went in for bananas!

As a "former" Southerner, I agree with you. I now live in East Yorkshire, where the people are much more friendly!!!!!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Hammer wrote:

Hi,

We Brits are very tribal and do not like speaking to strangers , its just not done . Tourists here will normally be in city centres where there will be chatty cosmopolitan people and we do talk to you foreigners but not our own .

That's about what the show said.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

lateron wrote:

As a "former" Southerner, I agree with you. I now live in East Yorkshire, where the people are much more friendly!!!!!

The woman I was driving was ordering something from a catalog, and the person on the other end of the phone had an English accent. She asked where he was from, and he replied Yorkshire. She told him she was from Leicestershire. I said he must have had a Geordie accent, but she had never heard that term. I don't know if he was working in Yorkshire for the U. S. catalog company or was living here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a55iAwMXylo

Mary Kate Loc: NYC

jerryc41 wrote:

I've been watching a great series on Netflix, &quo... (show quote)

My husband, before retiring was an analyst for a hedge fund. He spent three months in London and I would fly over every third weekend. He nor I found the Brits that we came in contact with shy or in any inhibited. Either at social events or out and about. We have Netflix. I will have to take a look at the series.