10 Things In British Culture IMPOSSIBLE to Explain to Americans! American Reacts

[@Trag1cVision]

British people tend to cross-code their measurements. So you could easily have a conversation about filling up your car in litres (measured in miles to the gallon), drive a few miles up the road to the pub for a pint where tables are placed two metres apart (especially during COVID) in a sweltering 35 degree heat, talk about how fat you are in stones whilst being careful to duck under the 6 foot high beam that separates the bar from the toilets. We're an odd culture but I find it endearing. Millennials are probably the best at this because of how they learnt it but there are exceptions.

[@1daveyp]

Quite right, not so long ago summer happened in Fahrenheit and winter in centigrade.

[@iWoofie]

@@1daveyp said the same myself just the other day, it makes both sound more impressive. My husband is 6 years younger than me and used the imperial system at school but I was taught only metric way back in the 80's.

[@timspiers6225]

We used to sell lbs of metric length nails.

[@jamesfletcher474]

this is why i'm good at maths tho ;)

[@munners0852]

I suppose this is what happens when you have a culture consisting of an empire that once spanned a world where the sun never set.

[@abrahamtomahawk]

The thing that really gets me is that we price petrol by the litre, and yet measure our fuel economy in miles per gallon.

[@wullaballoo2642]

If they advertise fuel at £7 a gallon people might realise how much they are getting ripped off

[@abrahamtomahawk]

@@wullaballoo2642 I'm not sure. Beyond mpg, most folk probably don't generally have an awareness of the size of a gallon, it'd just be a different price for a different unit of measure. Plus fuel is currently more like £10 a gallon at the moment.

[@wullaballoo2642]

@@abrahamtomahawk Fooking hell people wont be able to afford to travel to the next town over pretty soon and they'll have to start milking their own chickens because food is going to be unaffordable if it costs £10000's of fuel just to get it to the shops.

[@PedroConejo1939]

That's because we'd have to measure fuel consumption in litres per 100 kilometres, which would present its own problems as we measure distance in miles still.

[@gerardflynn3899]

Imperial or Metric gallon?

[@peterd788]

I don't drink a lot of tea and sometimes drink fewer than 15 cups a day.

[@allenjohnson7686]

I'm from the UK and 44. I use all measurements in a random mix. It's easy tbh everyone does it. I think it makes it easier for us when abroad as you change everything in your head automatically 😃

[@stephenwalker6823]

Yes, I use both. Often just whatever is convenient. When measuring for DIY, my house is constructed to imperial units and so I'd mainly use that, but I'm quite happy to use imperial height and metric width on the same sheet of wood, if it happens to produce rounder figures.

[@robertpayne4033]

Having worked with people who were brought up entirely in metric, when they learned about the imperial system, they preferred to use it for estimates. For some reason, it is far easier to envisage an inch or a foot, an ounce or a pound or a pint; possibly because most are measurements that have references on the average human body.

[@franohmsford7548]

nothing easy about converting Fahrenheit to Celsius - I'm 46 and I've never got my head around Fahrenheit!

[@StampinDivaUK]

I grew up in South Africa. I moved to the UK in my early 20s and have lived here for 25 years now. I grew up using only metric, but quickly converted to miles for distance and pounds/stone for weighing myself. However, I use grams/kg for weighing ingredients. I use feet/inches for measuring height and centimeters/meters for measuring fabric when I'm sewing. Basically, I'm just as confused as the rest of the UK! Oh, and after 25 years here I understood that guy's Geordie accent perfectly. I'm starting to ask myself if I've been here too long!

[@kylieb5213]

One of us! One of us! One of us!

[@cortalina8617]

I'm British born and raised and I agree with all the ones you've said except for some reason I do weight in kg. Not a clue how much I weight in stones and pounds or how many pounds in a stone. Definitely metres for fabric it's so annoying patterns have it in yards on the English side so you have to read the French.

[@Looshfarmer]

@@cortalina8617 I use Kg to talk about weight as it seems easier and also used to it for cooking. However still talk about babies’ weights in pounds and ounces for some reason.

[@cortalina8617]

@@Looshfarmer oh yeah definitely. Then again idk what it actually means or what weight is normal for a baby. My job involves me being around kids from toddler age up a lot but never that young

[@deballen7031]

Yes, I've ended up using a right mixture and I was born here!

[@helenr4300]

The challenge of the village in Wales known to locals as Llanfair PG, is that although the letters used are the same as those used in English, the Welsh phonetics are totally different. Eg f = vsound, u = i, Ll,, Rh, Ng, are individual letters in their own right. So you can't attempt it with English sounds and get anywhere close

[@Aled1976]

Yep, I grew up not too far away from there and always called it Llanfair PG, as if we say the whole bloody thing all the time. Conversations would be three times as long!!

[@helenr4300]

@@Aled1976 even normal sized place names get shortened.

[@Brian3989]

Think I read somewhere the original village was just Llanfair, however with the arrival of the railway they wanted a tourist name to attract customers.

[@helenr4300]

@@Brian3989 yes I heard that, though it may have been Llanfairpwllgwyn before extension. Lots of Llanfairs around as church of Mary.

[@evelyntaylor-williams3653]

My cousin is currently teaching me how to say this! It's hard with the corrwct pronunciation but I'm determined to be able to day it

[@bigc7135]

I don’t think I could get through the day without tea. Two in the morning, two in the afternoon and one before bed. Can’t beat a good cup of Yorkshire, brewed properly, milk in last and no sugar. Delightful 😁

[@Linda-hs1lk]

I like tea but there's weeks I don't drink it. But that's probably because we drink real coffee, not that yuk instant stuff you call coffee. I'd drink tea too then, lol

[@markhowells4450]

I'm one of the few Brits that don't like traditional British tea with milk & sugar, although do like jasmine tea on occaision. Definitely a coffee man. Filter coffee, not that granulated stuff.

[@vectury0094]

Agree with you, but without the milk... 😄

[@philltolkien5082]

right on.

[@umme-janatabbas9011]

Yorkshire>>>>>

[@seandonohue6793]

I don’t think I could last a whole day without a cup of tea. Coffee is useful when you’re tired at work but it’s just not a cup of Yorkshire tea 😄

[@partridge9698]

Coffee in the morning to wake you up; tea in the afternoon for refreshment or relaxation. At bedtime, something stronger: cocoa.

[@letsrock1729]

@@partridge9698 Yep...same here.

[@poak5742]

Oh yes yorkshire tea is right at the top with assam being a very close second and always have to have a custard cream or hobnob to dunk in it or a penguin,rocky bar to use as a straw lol.

[@jeanbrown8295]

Yorkshire tea,the best

[@alicerobb5924]

When you grow up using a mix of both you’re used to it & not confused

[@limpetcarre1139]

Just to add further to the confusion, I live on a small island called Jersey (which gave its name to New Jersey), and is part of a group of islands known as the Channel Islands, which are not part of the UK, or the British Isles, but the residents are British.

[@paulknight5018]

Channel islands are crown dependencies and so have British Nationalities, but if your passport is issued on any of the islands it has different wording.

[@bigfrankfraser1391]

as a jersey lad myself, i can agree, fuckin confusing

[@davenwin1973]

You.memtion Jersey. KZbinrs the Beesleys are from Jersey. Where JT is doing reactions primarily with the UK, the Beesleys are doing reactions primarily on The US, with an occasional Canada reaction mixed in.

[@peterc.1618]

And when the Queen goes to Jersey, she is the Duke of Normandy despite being female.

[@Paul-hl8yg]

Not forgetting where the Jersey (item of clothing) comes from! 👍🇬🇧🇯🇪

[@mavadelo]

I think "insulting your friends" is a universal thing or at least common in many countries. We Dutch do it as well.

[@deballen7031]

I didn't know that, it's more widespread than I realised. 🤣

[@libertasdemocratiam887]

It is but we Brits do it in a very unique way, well we used too, now we have to be careful because of the PC brigade. When the Americans arrived to the UK to prepare for D day they were astounded by the way the Brits were laughing and joking and ripping eachother, while in the middle of air raids.

[@sirtarquin7288]

@ML I think the Irish do it better than we Brits. My Irish friends are experts.

[@ronnie7075]

The Insult Olympics have to be the Barmy Army and their songs vs Aussie cricketers. Yet we Aussies love you guys despite it being World war 3 during test matches. Ha! Try and explain that one!

[@michaelmclachlan1650]

Australians and New Zealanders as well.

[@AlmostLastJedi]

I live in Central England and we definitely refer to this 🇬🇧 as the Union Jack, never in my 39 years have I ever heard it called the Union Flag. Also we are definitely a nation of tea drinkers, the most popular being Yorkshire Tea. My mother drinks nothing else, however I love black coffee or espresso myself.

[@stephentordoff]

They're basically interchangeable as far as I'm concerned. A quote I've seen a few times from Hansard (Parliament records) in 1908 is "I think it may fairly be stated, in reply to the noble Earl, that the Union Jack should be regarded as the National flag, and it undoubtedly may be flown on land by all His Majesty's subjects", which is enough for me to set aside the whole 'it's only a Union Jack when it's on a boat' thing. FWIW, an online search of Hansard supports the idea that both terms are used in modern English, but perhaps that 'Jack' is more common. From 18/08/1900 to 18/08/2023 (2004-2006 data not available), "union jack" is mentioned 1290 times in speeches, whereas "union flag" is used 580 times (and most of those are after 1980 by the look of it). For written answers though, it's the other way around ("union flag": 388 uses, "union jack": 75 uses - data up to 2010), _maybe_ suggesting that "union flag" is seen as a slightly more formal/correct term.

[@christophpenny1457]

It's only the union jack on a navy ship, its properly called the union flag

[@masterxXx77]

​@@christophpenny1457Yea officially but everyone still says it. Its even on products with that name etc. It's pretty much always called union jack still.

[@lilibet23]

I was drinking Yorkshire tea from a sippy cup when I was a toddler. The tea stereotype is 100% true.

[@EmmyLouWells74]

Mum used to make us a milky tea with 1 sugar and put it in our bottles 😅

[@davonuk1]

If you want to react to something that happens in the UK, and the Commonwealth territories, that Americans have never heard about, why not have a look at the Commonwealth Games, which will be starting in a few days? The Commonwealth Games is like a mini Olympics, but unlike the Olympics, only nations that are members of the Commonwealth compete. As with the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games are staged every 4 years. The four nations of the UK (England, Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland) compete individually, not as a combined group. Historically England, and Australia are the two countries that top the medal table.

[@davidsweeney4021]

My brother and his wife are going to the Opening Ceremony. We're all very proud of Brum

[@newbris]

As an Aussie I might add that it is our little cousins the Kiwis who often seem to do the best on a per capita basis.

[@pontiuspilot9301]

I'm Brit born, Canadian raised! Drank nothing but tea till I was about 34! Working overtime one night, I got home about mid-night. An ambulance was parked out side the apartment. My ride joked, that's for you. As the door of the elevator opened, there was my wife, 2 medics and my 2 year old daughter on the stretcher! She'd tipped over on a chair and banged her head, staying up for daddy. Spent the night in Emergency. Got home in the first light of dawn (She was ok!) Just in time for work. First break, I asked the cafeteria lady for a coffee. She looked at me and I nodded my head! I'm 74 now and haven't had tea in decades. Peace and Love from Canada

[@MischievousBastard]

The tap thing: the hot water tank in the attic was subject to contamination back in the day. The tank could corrode and pigeons could shit in it (no, really). So, keeping that separate from the fresh drinking water was essential. Modern boilers don't have these issues so mixer taps are starting to creep in.

[@Linda-hs1lk]

Back in the day, there you say something. It's 2022 and you STILL see it everywhere even in newer houses. I really don't get it.

[@MischievousBastard]

@@Linda-hs1lk The tanks are mostly replaced but the taps are still a cultural holdover

[@deballen7031]

We have mixer taps and to be honest I would still rather have separate taps. It strikes me as a bit of a waste of water having to run it for so long to ensure that it's actually cold.

[@Outnumberedbykidsandcats]

We found a dead pigeon in my dads tank a few years back.

[@3Dfuntastic]

The most bizar British thing I found out was that the hot water tank is only heated in the morning and in the evening in 90% of the places, meaning that if somebody has taken a bath or shower in the morning the water in the house will be cold for the rest of the day until there is another heating cycle.

[@davidsweeney4021]

My parents started giving me milky tea in my bottle when I was about 6 months old. And I thank them even though they're not with us any more. God bless Mom & Dad

[@wolf5370]

"Union Jack" was the old Royal Navy nickname for the flag (ensign). Officially it is only called such on board a Royal navy ship or base. However, pretty much everyone today calls it the Union Jack rather then Union Flag. It has only one correct way up too - it is often put up upside down even here in the UK by mistake - we tend to only do so for special occasions like the Queen's Jubilee etc. Each country, except Norther Island officially, also has its own flag: England: St George Cross; Scotland: Saltire; Wales: Y Ddraig Goch

[@davedurave2]

Best flag in the world 👍

[@gavin1506]

a Jack is flown from a Jack Staff. You fly the union flag upside down to show you are in distress. Perhaps those people are asking for help and you have ignored them?

[@maxlothar9719]

Yes! It is so often called the "Union Jack" incorrectly. Long story short, in Bahrain in the 70's, Queen and Co. come visit, we're holding a Union Flag bedspread and Prince Philip sticks his head out the window and shouts "It's upside down!"

[@brianparker663]

Both BBC programmes "QI" and "More or Less" looked into the Union Jack/Union Flag controversy. They found that the terms have been used interchangeably in legal documents and naval treaties for 200 years. So you can all relax - either will do.

[@brianparker663]

@Barney Laurence More or Less did a similar analysis looking into the "less or fewer" debate. Same result - English literature has used both over many years and the (supposed) distinction arose quite recently. 😄 We can all calm down.

[@5735HT]

As someone born in the UK (London) I’ve been brought up on tea. Love it. Have numerous cups a day. Best drink ever

[@louisedavis6821]

UK girl here & I grew up with parents who only drank tea, always has a pot of tea but now I'm older it's coffee for me! Oh and yes to beans on toas!!

[@grapeman63]

I think most Brits are perfectly happy switching backwards and forwards between the imperial and metric systems, which probably explains why the imperial system hasn't died. For instance, I measure temperature in Celsius, height in feet and inches, weight in stones and pounds and distance in miles but I'm almost as comfortable in centimetres, kilogrammes and kilometres. Fahrenheit takes a little more imagining, though. But if you know how to switch, it's quite simple. BTW I'm a tea drinker and I hate Marmite!

[@marcballard9428]

Love Marmite

[@dasy2k1]

@@main3182 I agree we should go as metric as Ireland. (everything apart from pints of alcahol and furlongs in horse racing)

[@grapeman63]

@@dasy2k1 Heck! That would be a pain - measuring distance in furlongs per fortnight! 😄

[@_starfiend]

@@grapeman63 It's the Firkin Furlong Fortnight system :) It even had a page on Wikipedia but I cba to go and see if it's still there.

[@grapeman63]

@@_starfiend I was introduced to the concept in the 70s through the comedy of Jasper Carrot!

[@ed_j_webb]

13:01 The other thing that is seemingly IMPOSSIBLE to explain to anyone (even those living here) is that our flag has a right and wrong way up. This flag is the WRONG way up (the thick white band next to the flagstaff must be above the red stripe). If you're ever confused just check any of the many other nations' flags with the union flag in the corner (Australia or New Zealand for example).

[@crouqetoo2]

Also spotted

[@davidireland6952]

🤣🤣you are correct, some UK peeps don't realise that lol 👍😁 easy mistake to make though

[@jamesdignanmusic2765]

Easy way to remember is that Scotland entered the UK before Ireland, so the white saltire from the Scottish flag ranks above the red one representing Ireland and therefore goes above it on the hoist side.

[@phildavenport1898]

A neighbour of mine has put a Union flag in their garden and it's upside down. He constantly boast how proud and patriotic he is and I always have a little chuckle to myself. So proud you don't no it's the wrong way up.

[@trampertravels]

'Union Jack' has come into everyday language and is interchangeable with 'Union Flag'. In the navy flags are flown from the 'Jack Stay'.

[@jillroyson4589]

Always tea, made with loose tea, not tea bags, in a teapot. Talking of drinks, Scotland is the only country where coca cola isn't the number 1 soft drink. Here it's Irn Bru (made in Scotland from girders) 😁

[@lucyfur]

Much better for the environment to use loose leafs as most tea bags have plastic in them. If you compost your tea bags remember to tear them open first.

[@Kissameassa538]

I remember that advert. I always had to recite it as it was on 🇬🇧

[@nicolaraybould3801]

Love Iron Bru. Much better than Coke or Pepsi.

[@wendykelly8551]

@@Kissameassa538 yeah me too 😄 🤣

[@malcolmsleight9334]

@@nicolaraybould3801 👍

[@voh3445]

I’m 37, and I’ve drank 5 - 7 cups of tea every day since I was about thirteen. I know no one who does not drink tea. My generation Z relatives, whilst mad about Starbucks, still drink tea at home. My Italian father who grew up on espresso drinks two cups of tea a day. It really is a sort of universal thing.

[@lilme7052]

I dont drink tea or coffee ( sorry to ruin things for u) I thought I was the only one but then when I asked around about 5 of my mates didn't either. I was amazed.

[@littadnb.]

Hi. My name is Ben. I’m 37 and I’m addicted to drinking tea.

[@moochkin]

I have to admit, being a geordie (Newcastle upon-Tyne UK) I do like to play with people with the accent and sheer speed we can talk

[@UKCountry_Ball]

one thing about us, if we don't like you, we'll say it.. If we like you, you'll know.

[@AldWitch]

there is a historical reason why fee-paying schools are called 'public'. There used to be schools that were open only to (for example) the sons of goldsmiths in the City of London, or people who went to a particular church or cathedral. Then schools opened that were still fee-paying but that anyone could apply for. These were called 'public' because they were in theory open to anyone.

[@DocLunarwind]

I always wondered about that! Thanks from a Dane who was too lazy to look stuff up on the internet.

[@langdalepaul]

Thank you . So few people seem to know this. The “public” refers to admissions, not to how they are funded.

[@debramoss2267]

Thank you!

[@LG-cz6ls]

And their charity status is due to historical scholarships for poor people.

[@iriscollins7583]

What gets to me is the fact that Pulice Schools are still classed as Charities, and still get let off for Taxes etc.

[@icturner23]

Public schools are a subset of private/independent schools. They're the oldest ones, and they are called that because it meant being educated with other people rather than at home.

[@pennyaccleton6227]

Also they would provide scholarships for exceptional low income boys on occasion. I don't know if they still do that.

[@TheVicar]

I always keep my marmite in the fridge so it never gets thrown out before completion. Only the most skilful of marmite/fridge combo users can apply the paste and close the lid without getting some marmite on the lid's thread and generating a huge problem. Marmite was the precursor to epoxy resin and if even one drop of it gets in between the bottle and lid and then cooled, it may then require a fully destructive reopening.

[@davehoward22]

I grease my motorcycle chain with it

[@barnabycarrick7373]

@@davehoward22 I bet that slowed your bike down

[@Clayton-S.]

The whole Union Flag/Jack thing is now kinda moot as it was decided some time ago that it can be called either.... When flown by a Royal Navy warship, the Jack (not Union Jack but just 'Jack') is flown from the Jackstaff(the flagpole at the pointy end of the ship) when the ship is alongside in port or at anchor. Great reaction video, love your enthusiasm.☺👍

[@brianferris8668]

Flown upside down in times of distress.

[@tennentssuppa]

The whole Union Flag/Jack thing is now kinda moot as it was decided some time ago that it can be called either.......some time ago? Fuck that, it is the Union flag unless on a sea going vessel, Stop trying to dilute the Heritage of the United Kingdom, you mug.

[@carpediem4091]

The tea thing was actually imported by a Portuguese queen (Catarina de Bragança) because it was a standard in Portugal... It then became a widespread thing for the brits ...

[@jgreen2015]

The Welsh village Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch Actually has an interesting history and if you speak Welsh not necessarily so hard to remember/ pronounce It used to have a much shorter name but with the introduction of rail they lengthened it to ridiculous amounts specifically to attract tourists and their cash lol It actually translates to a description of the town and its location: St Mary's Church in the Hollow of the White Hazel near a Rapid Whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio near the Red Cave

[@paulguise698]

Hiya Mr or Mrs Green, I know if you want to write a letter to Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychyyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, you just have to put Llanpg on the envelope

[@Rhianalanthula]

My mum used used to work in North Wales. As there are a couple of other places called Llanfair, and they don't always want say or write the whole thing, it's often shortened to Llanfairpwll ir Llanfair P G.

[@cherylq709]

That's mind bending to pronunce in Welsh, but its English translation is like an utter mouthful.

[@chwilhogyn]

The village's original name was Pwllgwyngyll, meaning "the pool of the white hazels", and was one of two townships making up the parish, the other being Treforion, meaning "anchoring house". The 16th-century parish name was recorded as "Llanfair y Pwllgwyngyll." I should mention my grandfather was born and raised in Llanfairpwll :D

[@scrappystocks]

Agreed. What should be understood is that this place name is not a single word but actually a whole descriptive sentence that is more easily pronounced, bearing in mind the Welsh pronunciation of words and letters, if it is broken down into its individual words

[@seivad74]

JT your knowledge of us lot is astounding, I was particularly impressed with your understanding of the difference between the Union Flag and the Union Jack!!

[@anzaca1]

@Barney Laurence It's only officially known as the Union Jack when on a ship. Yes, people generally call it the Union Jack, but that doesn't mean they're correct.

[@keithquaintance1593]

@Barney Laurence, The name ‘Union’ first appeared in 1625. When a small flag was mounted on the front of a warship, the jack staff, it was called ‘The Jack’. Sometime around 1674, the British Flag became known as the ‘Union Jack’ when mounted on a warship and the ship was not in harbour. At the same time, the British Flag was referred to as the ‘Union Flag’ on land.

[@royw-g3120]

My Serbian girlfriend (long ,long before I met her) was astonished and concerned when she was constantly offered tea when starting out in the U.K. in Serbia Tea is only offered when you are ill, so she thought everyone though she was sick.

[@blotski]

I would not agree that mixer taps haven't caught on yet. I live in a house built in 1957 and when we had a new bathroom and kitchen fitted most of the designs we were shown had mixer taps so we only have them now. Same in most houses that have either been built or refitted recently. They are not a rarity.

[@leeatkin9643]

I'm a tea drinker. Depending on the type of tea, I will have it with either milk or black but never with sugar. I can't stand coffee and even the smell of the coffee beans puts me off. Regarding baked beans, love them on toast and jacket potatoes and even cold straight out of the tin. I cannot stand marmite but my Dad loves the stuff

[@eelocos]

Coffee in the morning, or when tired. Tea for breaks at work, or when you first get home from work, to relax.

[@EmmyLouWells74]

In our house we have 2 types of 'beans on toast'. There is the normal beans on toast, plain no frills. Then there is 'special' beans on toast when it goes beyond a snack and becomes a meal. The order (which must be followed) all placed on top of each other: 1, Buttered toast slice x 1 - white bread to be used 2. 3 slices of ham 3. Buttered toast x1 - white bread 3a. Spread marmite on this slice 3b. Sprinkle on grated red Leicester cheese 4. Add the beans Nom nom

[@eileencritchley4630]

Oh I do a special with lightly toasted wholemeal seeded bread with marg can't stand butter, with marmite, soft goats cheese or Extra Mature cheddar cheese then add the beans. but I like side bowl with baby spinach leave, iceberg lettuce and fresh raw slice onion to go with it. mmmmmmmmm yummie now my mouth is watering.

[@aaronsmith4940]

Take the marmite out and I'm in

[@robetprice4759]

Mmm gunna try this but no marmite

[@oddpoppetesq.3467]

Why on gods green earth would you butcher cheesy beans on toast with marmite?!?! Bad form 'ol chap, bad form!! 😉🤣

[@baileyboo9751]

Nah, special baked beans l do with butter and lightly browned onions, with a pinch of paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, salt to taste served with warm crusty buttered bread.

[@keithsowerby8179]

Leaving aside metric, British imperial measurementsare often bigger than US ones. A British pint = 568.261 ml, whereas a US pint = only a paltry 473.176 ml. Our pounds are the same, though a Brit hundred-weight = 112lb as against the US 100lb. also the UK routinely uses stones (14lb), with 8st = 1cwt. and 20cwt = 1 ton. We also never use cups as cooking measurements, but do generally, but not as much as in the US, use spoons (tsp & tbsp). Our acres are the same. The UK also held onto furlongs, chains, pecks, bushels and hands longer, these are now in disuse, unless we are talking horses - here hands and furlongs are still a thing. £1 = $1.2, a dollar being originally based on the Spanish Dollar, or piece of eight. The Irish Republic’s measurements are the same as in the UK, although they tend to use the metric system more, all road signs and speeds being in km and kmph. They also have the Euro (€) as currency. Not everything in the US is bigger.

[@laurenaspreyart]

The yard does fall short of the metre, I’ll admit. But what does that mean? There’s more of them -Al Murray

[@daveworrall6834]

We still use the chain as a measurement! It’s the distance between the stumps on a cricket pitch (22 yards)!

[@dasy2k1]

@@daveworrall6834 and a significant amount of the railway network is still measured in miles and chains

[@ianmontgomery7534]

the best example is the British quart versus the American dry and wet quart. The three are all different.

[@watfordjc]

The main reason for the difference in measures is Parliament decided we needed to standardise throughout the Realm and instead of going with metric they created a weights & measures Royal Commission to come up with a solution. In the time it took to measure all the measures (such as the Standard Pint at the Treasury holding 20 avoirdupois ounces of water), create a couple of reports making recommendations to Parliament (i.e. how to create the Imperial system), and giving the Empire a year (plus another) to switch to imperial, a certain country for some unGoogled reason decided to measure all liquids in soon-to-be-used-by-no-one-on-the-planet English wine gallons. Most UK measuring teaspoons and tablespoons bought in the last few decades have been metric (5 mL and 15 mL respectively), and the same goes for measuring cups (IIRC, a cup is 250 mL). It can make recipes a PITA because an author's nationality and location mightn't be enough to work out what the actual measures are, which is why I usually list volume measures in mL. The 2nd Reading of the Weights And Measures (Metric System) Bill was moved on 1st July 1863 with a condensed history of the mess of units: "About twelve eminent foreign witnesses were examined, at the head of whom might be named M. Michel Chevalier. They were unanimously favourable to the metric system. The Committee also, whatever might have been their first impressions, unanimously recommended the gradual adoption of that system. What did they find to have been the history of our own system? Before the time of Magna Charta, in the reign of Richard I. (and even in the Saxon times) it was declared that "there should be one weight and measure throughout the land." "From those days down to the last modern act, uniformity was the aim, or the dream, of our legislation. Yet what did we find as the result? We had at present no less than ten different systems of weights. For our ordinary measure we had the inch, foot, and yard. For cloth measure we used yards, nails, and ells. We had about seven sorts of acres. We had an Irish mile, a Scotch mile, and an English mile. There were twenty different bushels, ten different stones, three sorts of hundredweights, several kinds of tons, and many sorts of gallons." Magna Carta Clause 35 is quite useful in any debate with someone that points at Magna Carta (e.g. Human Rights Act) because anyone that uses pints or mL clearly believe Magna Carta isn't sufficient and should be superseded. In Canada, if you order a pint in French you get 2 Imperial pints... based on the current UK pint glasses debate, the SNP are clearly missing a vote winner: order a pint in Scottish Gaelic and you'll get a proper 1,696 mL Scotch pint.

[@JustJunkz]

tea here, teabag sugar add hot water, squeeze the bag afew times, remove bag, add milk.. PERFECT!!

[@SpikeMatthews]

The thing with Marmite is that most people new to it vastly over-estimate how much you need for a single serving. A newspaper over gere ran an article on unhealthy foods, and listed Marmite for the high salt content *per 100 grams* Now, I love Marmite, but having 100g in one go would strip my mouth lining.

[@sonixcocadventures8791]

As a builder we still can say 2 metres of 4 x 2 , the 4x2 being inches, so it’s a mix of both systems. You are correct on the union flag, it’s only a Jack when it’s flown on a sea vessel. I like both tea and coffee. The baked beans in the UK are in a different sauce to the US, I would never eat US baked beans on toast or for breakfast, actually I wouldn’t eat US baked beans at all :)

[@deballen7031]

Why, what's the difference between the two? I've never had American baked beans.

[@andyp5899]

@@deballen7031 The rubbish sauce

[@deballen7031]

Is it watery, stodgy or just unpleasant flavouring?

[@andyp5899]

@@deballen7031 I understand Unpleasant by comparison

[@deballen7031]

@@andyp5899 Thanks, that's interesting. About twenty odd years ago an old friend brought back some chocolate from America for me to try, I only had one square because it was really foul tasting. On the way back home I had to pull over to the side of the road in order to throw up. I think it was Hershey's or something like that. It must have had something wrong with it to taste that bad.😅

[@rachaelrogers3909]

Beans on toast for breakfast is also a Kiwi thing. As a kid this was a autumn or spring breakfast usually with a poached egg. I still have it for a quick dinner.

[@littadnb.]

same! Love a poached egg with beans on toast. If it’s for tea though there’s got to be bacon and/or sausages too.

[@Emmet_Moore]

I never drink fewer than 4 cups of tea a day, and when I'm stressed sometimes 15 or so. I usually drink loose Irish tea because it's strong and malty.

[@msanastasiaalexander]

I'm a tea drinker. Usually one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Coffee is much more normal in the UK than you might believe, but I just can't bear the taste.

[@rachelpenny5165]

Got to admit that I can't stand the taste of tea or coffee. I like hot chocolate though, but I don't drink it often.

[@adamstewart9383]

Same 👍

[@eruantien9932]

I don't mind the taste of coffee, but the smell make me nauseous.

[@MrKnowledge0014]

@@rachelpenny5165 Maybe you haven't found the right tea or method to make it.

[@MrKnowledge0014]

Tea is far superior, I don't mind a latte but I do enjoy a mocha.

[@raibeartthehairypict4696]

You're correct about the Union Flag/Jack. It's only a Union Jack when fixed to a Staff at the bow of a ship. Hence Jack staff ~Union Jack.

[@chrisrock34]

We do tend to mix and match Metric and Imperial quite a lot. We travel in miles, but would measure most liquid measures in litres. Not unusual for someone buying building products [wood , pipes etc.] to still refer to the sizes in inches! i would be a Celcius person for temperatures, but there are a few people left who who stick to Fahrenheit. This is despite the fact that i was mainly educated in the metric system at primary school in the early 1970's !

[@W0rdsandMus1c]

Fahrenheit may have been taught from the 70s but there are still millions of people like me born in the 40s 50s 60s who were never taught Celsius, the only reason I use metres is because I know it is only 3" longer than a yard😂 my son was born in the early 90s and he uses both systems.

[@garyvaughan6954]

Try ordering 500ml of beer!!

[@jgreen2015]

I tend towards Imperial for everyday/ traditional things (milk, distances, height, weight) Metric for science/modern things (calculations, chemicals like weedkiller, soft drinks) Except temperature which is Celsius to me

[@timranachan3224]

"How long?" Three metres and half an inch or so..."

[@_M_O_E_]

Yeah, gotta love buying fuel by the litre, but measuring fuel economy in miles per gallon. Not confusing in the slightest

[@thelastmotel]

Again, even the narrator made "the common mistake". He referred to an English accent as a British accent. Britain is England, Wales, and Scotland. There are English, Welsh, and Scots, accents. There is no British accent. People say British when they mean English, and that's wrong. Also, England has more accents than any other country on the planet, regardless of language.

[@stephenlee5929]

Surely an Aberdonian accent is Scottish, but also British, so Geordie is English but also British. All those accent were British, I think they were all also English.

[@jacksmith4460]

but the English accent is not really even an accent its more like about 50 each with subtle variations, and the same with Wales and Scotland, they have broad spectrum of accents across the countries sure each one has common sounds, there is a huge difference between a Scouser, a Geordie , a Bristolian, a Cockney , a Brummie and someone from Yorkshire, very few sounds are common

[@partridge9698]

They are all part of Great Britain. Therefore they are all, English, Welsh and Scottish, all British accents.

[@thelastmotel]

@@stephenlee5929 Whenever anyone says "British accent", they always mean "English accent". Never any other accent. Seriously, just keep an eye on the media, and the way people talk online and in real life, and they always mean English accent when they are saying British accent. A lot of foreigners know no better, but a lot of English people will call themselves British, as they are afraid that saying they are English and from England will have people thinking they are racists. A lot of people associate calling yourself English with groups like the NF. Flying the English flag can be taken by a lot of people as a sign of racism. Australia has a similar issue with their flag. There is no British accent. There are Scots, Welsh, and English, accents. Speaking in English doesn't immediatly give you a "British accent" or an "English accent". A Spaniard speaking English still has a Spanish accent, for example. Also, when have you ever heard a Welsh person or Scots person call themselves British? Only the English call themselves British. Even foreigners only use "British" to describe the English when using it to refer to people.

[@I_Don_t_want_a_handle]

@@thelastmotelPlenty of Celts call themselves British.

[@lynn69jackson]

I drink more tea than coffee but only drink 2 cups of tea daily. My guilty pleasure any time of year is a Starbucks iced latte with cinnamon syrup and whipped cream.

[@tmac160]

One jar of Marmite lasts me one month. I love it. On the term Union Jack - In 1902 the UK's Lords of the Admiralty requested that Parliament consider that the Union Jack be recognised as the flag of the nation. It did so and an Act of Parliament (1908) decreed it. The use of the term “Jack” on a warship was a hangover from the Napoleonic Wars (1803-15) and it's a myth that continues to date. The terms Union Jack or Union Flag are interchangeable since their acceptance by the Flag Institute, the UK's flag registry, in 1908. People still quote the "only on a ship" myth today.

[@stewedfishproductions7959]

I came here to make the same point about the Union Jack being an accepted term wherever it is flown... such an outdated myth still bandied about ! By the way, I too love tea and Marmite - Yum! Yum!

[@robertroberts3rd265]

Damn, you beat me to it lol On the marmite front, it is absolutely my favourite food "extra". I was born in Burton, about half a mile from the factory. My dad worked there and got discount on products. He got discounts on the beer lol and bought me the marmite. Loved it ever since

[@adelia988]

Steven fry on QI said it was only on a ship

[@stewedfishproductions7959]

@@adelia988 - This was corrected on a later episode and on the QI website "Correction: According to a parliamentary statement, common usage of "Union Jack" when referring to the British flag is correct. Therefore, it is the Union Jack anywhere or wherever flown". FYI: 'It is sometimes asserted that the term Union Jack properly refers only to naval usage, but this assertion was dismissed by the Flag Institute in 2013 following historical investigations'. Further: 'The Flag Institute has also stated': It is often stated that the Union Flag should only be described as the Union Jack when flown in the bows of a warship, but this is a relatively recent idea. From early in its life the Admiralty itself frequently referred to the flag as the Union Jack, whatever its use, and in 1902 an Admiralty circular announced that Their Lordships had decided that either name could be used officially. In 1908, a government minister stated, in response to a parliamentary question, that "the Union Jack should be regarded as the National flag".

[@christophpenny1457]

I never knew th8s fact about it being a myth thanks

[@Westcountrynordic]

It used to be called a union jack when on a boat and union flag when its on land but the people who study and talk about all things flags and the govt have decided it doesn't matter anymore and it can be called either

[@lyncohn9505]

Sorry but that is a relativly new myth that it is the Union Jack when on a ship

[@justbatters566]

@@lyncohn9505 On a ship it is just called a Jack, being flown on the Jack staff.

[@oldharpydisguised709]

Just remember to fly it the right way up please!

[@t2d748]

Cockney and Yorkshire accent, love em

[@Lorin1228]

I can verify there's still British homes with "the cold tap" - I live in one! The cold water from the mains comes into the house and feeds the cold water tap in the kitchen, and the tank in the loft. That tank feeds both all other cold taps in the house plus the hot water heater. So the cold taps in the bathroom actually have water that's sat in the loft tank for an unknown time, and the loft tank lid isn't tight fitting so it could have dust, bugs, pretty much anything in it. It's ok to brush your teeth with but I wouldn't drink it!

[@kt19752525]

Not many houses have water tanks these days, even those like mine with separate taps

[@Lorin1228]

@@kt19752525 depends on what you mean by "not many"! We live on a housing estate built in the 1980's, they all have a loft tank unless the homeowner has converted it. Of course modern homes won't have one but a good proportion of older homes will have.

[@daniellemacgregor6848]

I grew up in the UK and was always told don't drink from the hot tap. I live in Canada now and people were asking me what the no drinking from the hot tap was about. I didn't know whether it was a rule my dad had or if it was a rule that a lot of English people knew.

[@shibadawn]

UK bean also here. I have a cold tap, but it's safe to drink from all taps. Hot water is also safe but there's no reason to do so. The only reason I'd feel like moving to a singular tap when I get my own house and can do that, is for one of those boiling water taps, purely for the convenience of not having to boil the kettle. It depends how efficient they are though. I don't know anyone with an attic tank so it's quite interesting that it's still a thing!

[@alanedwards3302]

@@Lorin1228 my house is similar in that we have a tank it's just not in the loft it's on the first floor, in the airing cupboard.

[@eruantien9932]

Brief explanation of "public school" in the UK: the name goes back to the late medieval/early renaissance period - at the time schooling was done by hiring private teachers. Then people who weren't quite rich enough to hire a tutor themselves (but still wealthy) banded together to employ teachers to teach a group of their kids. These institutions became known as "public schools" because they "taught the public" instead of "teaching in private". Today, the term "public school" is reserved for the oldest and most prestigious private schools. Oh, and the Union Jack/Flag thing. So it's called the Union Jack when it's flown from the "jack staff" of a Royal Navy ship, when flown anywhere else you can use either term. Seriously. The only people with any defined naming is the Royal Navy; even in Parliament it's been called by both names. Today, "Union Jack" is the more common term within the UK.

[@stephen2583]

Public schools are public because they are open to everyone, assuming you can afford it. Private schools are private because the government has to give permission for you to go.

[@johnp8131]

Thanks, I always presumed that but this is the first time I've seen it.

[@davidforman6191]

@@stephen2583 private schools have entrance exams that tend not to happen as much in public schools.

[@alicemilne1444]

Also, the term "public school" comes from England and goes back a thousand years. It was originally used to distinguish schools that any wealthy person could attend rather than church-run schools. It's definitely not used across the whole of the UK. It isn't a term that is used in Scotland, for example, where the non-state schools literally are called "private schools" or "independent schools". Scotland's education system has always historically been different from England's.

[@stephen2583]

@@davidforman6191 yes but ANYOE can take them. Where as you can only go to a private school if the local authority allows it. If you live outside a catchment area you cant get in, where as someone from outer mongolia could attend Eton if they had the money and passed any exntrance exams.

[@sharonboot478]

I love the way you were so proud of your pronunciation of the Welsh town, Well done

[@noname-qw9td]

Welshie here- I found it so adorable that you've only just clicked onto the 'cold tap' stuff! I've had it before where I've said 'run it under the cold tap' and people say '...the cold tap? All taps have cold' and I have to explain that here we have two taps hahah. Many here nowadays do have the double; however I prefer the two (edit: also, milk and two sugars, thank you! And yes. We need the Welsh flag "slap bang in the middle of it" as we have the best

[@ECOWE]

Nae danger taffy the lion rampant would slaughter your dragon

[@noname-qw9td]

@@ECOWE Good luck with that

[@keithlangmead4098]

I think in general the measure mash up tends to depend on whether you're after accurate or rough measurements. So for instance for many measurements that would include "it's about..." we'll use feet and inches since meters are too big, millimeters / centimeters are too small, but feet and inches are a handly middle ground. On the flip side you won't hear people referring to fractions of an inch or yards very often, since at that point millimeters and meters make more sense. Similarly your own weight and height don't need to be hyper accurate so people will use stone+pounds (never pounds on their own) and feet/inches.

[@memkiii]

Absolutely, and the Stones/lb for weight has a convenience, that you often forget to say I am 12 Stone 13 Lb, you magically just become 12 stone. Measured in pounds or KG makes it harder to get away with it. and for measurements, I absolutely do that.

[@Chahlie]

Yes, when measurements really matter it's millimeters- cutting window glass, fussy woodworking, it's just easier.

[@aid037]

As a Brit I’ve only ever known state schools as “public schools” and private schools as “grammar schools”

[@Ramtamtama]

who tf taught you that?

[@aid037]

@@Ramtamtama that’s just the way things are and have been for me where I live

[@sylviagreybe672]

I freakin LOVE Marmite! Always have. But I grew up on it, which apparently makes all the difference. Also, when trying it for the first time, it should be spread thinly on toast, not eaten out of the jar with a spoon!

[@elisanicholls9102]

I'm almost 30 and only started liking marmite a couple of years ago - funnily enough whilst pregnant with my now marmite-loving 2 year old - go figure?! It's great on Crumpets

[@Linda-hs1lk]

🤮

[@sidslick1]

Heresy! Marmite should be burnt, run over by a tank then blasted into orbit! Bluuuuuuurgh! 🤮🤮🤮

[@markhowells4450]

Sylvia - Absolutely! Too many times I've seen people not familiar with Marmite try it using a spoon or finger and then say it's horrible. It's meant to be spread thinly on toast or crumpets for full delicious effect. After all, you wouldn't take a big bite from a block of butter from the fridge and then state you don't like butter!

[@brontewcat]

Hmmm - maybe that is why Vegemite is better. One can and does eat it straight from a jar.

[@georgeprout42]

Marmite is so rich in umani that it can overload the taste buds. A little goes a very long way. Those that say they hate it probably love other products that have "modified yeast" as an ingredient. Same thing to all intents and purposes; it's msg in paste form where Worcestershire (or light soy or fish) sauce is in liquid form. Everyone loves it really, they just put too much on hot buttered toast.

[@ShaimingLong]

While I don't like it myself (I also don't like meat, it makes me queasy for some reason too), that's definitely been my observation. Someone trying it for the first time gets a surprisingly thick spread and worst is that it's usually not the person trying it that spread it. Same happened to me as a child, my Grandad spread it so thick you couldn't tell how toasted the bread was, it was just black. Took 20 years for me to pluck up the courage and try it again at my own pace.

[@onecupof_tea]

We have private schools, which are also called public schools, and State schools, which are free. If the child passes the entrance exam to a private school, they can apply for a scholarship or bursary, and often get 100% of fees paid, if they're bright and from a low income family. We also have independent and grammer schools, which are state shools but have entrance exams. They are more academic. Children who pass the entrance exam can apply for bursaries, grants or scholarships.

[@clairewilson2620]

I like both. I have one cup of coffee a day with breakfast but I drink tea throughout the day. As a general rule, we DON'T drink English breakfast tea as this video says! We drink mix blended teas that are popular. Everyone has their favorite. PG Tips, Tetley and Yorkshire tea are the big three. Each supermarket has their home brand. Tea is usually taken with Kettle boiled water, milk and if you wish, sugar or sweeteners. You can take it black with lemon but are considered posh if you do. Specialist teas are less popular.

[@radtrainlord8126]

I'm a fan of Peppermint tea with milk myself, has a nice mellow flavour But I do use a more standard tea if I plan on having digestives or the like with it

[@fionagregory9147]

Tetley's is best.

[@lesapinbleu63]

I’m totally confused. If mint tea tastes of mint and fruit tea tastes of fruit, how come English Breakfast tea doesn’t taste of eggs and bacon?

[@Ooshgaar]

I work in engineering in England dealing with detailed schematics and drawings. I have to deal with precise measurements on a daily basis, and often work with a complete mixture of both Metric and Imperial, often on the same product. I'll make it clear here that the drawing is 75% of the time in Imperial fully, and 25% in metric. They dont mix on the drawing itself, I mix it as I find somethings easier to deal with in metric, and others in imperial. I can usually convert in my head 1 from the other, mostly. And yes this has sometimes lead to mistakes.

[@sirtarquin7288]

I also do conversions in my head, all of them not just distance. I'm old. lol

[@GregJH]

As a brit, the one that stands out for me as not being quite right is the taps. Definitely as a child, separate taps were common (80s). Mixer taps were rare, although not unheard of - my grandparents had a mixer in their kitchen in the 80s. However, I'd say the transition started happening in the 90s. Nowadays, I don't know of anyone that has separate taps in their homes and they're rare in the shops. It's usually toilets in older pubs, older schools, etc, that still have them. Mixer taps are the norm these days, not separate!

[@GotMoreCakes]

Hm, most of the houses I've lived in had separate taps. Only my kitchen sink has a mixer. Now that i think about it I've never seen a mixer on a small sink in a toilet, nor a bath, even though they both exist. I should get out more :)

[@newbris]

As an Australian the two that stood out was the claim that only Ireland drunk tea like the Brits and no one else eats baked beans like they do. Australians and Kiwis do both of those things.

[@olwens1368]

We still have separate taps, quite happy with them. Also, I like marmite, not fond of baked beans, 65 years old and very much grew up with the old imperial measurements and still think in feet, yards, pounds and stones.

[@j3nn4.20]

me and basically everyone i know has two separate taps

[@MsPeabody1231]

Everyone I know who is under 60 has mixer taps.

[@duncansmith5854]

I love your videos, I love your energy, but I think what I love most is how you show that so many Americans now are paying attention to the way the rest of the world lives, and not just our little set of islands. For really far too long in the mind of the average American The World just meat America. Now there are Americans like you who are choosing to no longer be so closed off. In all seriousness, this is genuinely huge! I'm excited to see how America as a country interacts with everyone else when most of you share this curiosity and open minded view.

[@theparanoidandroid3583]

10:04 I depend on tea to get through the day. (Or, more often, to get through the hour...) I learned this at a young age from my parents who no doubt learned it from their parents. Tea is life!

[@aidanhoward213]

The thing with "public schools" is based on the history that originally there were no communal schools at all. The wealthy would have their children educated at home, often even with a single live-in tutor having their own lodgings or rooms on the estate itself. It was a case of one tutor for that one children (or a couple of children) of that one wealthy family. So when communal schools were set up - still just for the wealthy - they were deemed to be "public" in the sense of one teacher for several children of different wealthy families, and not privately 'at home'. The confusion came about only with the advent of the state-run schools for everybody. But by then, the term "public school" was so well entrenched in the English class system, and in their vernacular, that it has become impossible to adjust it.

[@dale897]

OK it's just a small thing, I hear americans say wrong 99.99% of the time the word twat, you did it in this. Its said twat like 'cat' so its tw-at, not twat like 'got' so its not tw-ot. Iv even heard americans say it instantly wrong after just hearing a brit say it, I know you guys don't understand us sometimes but it's a very distinct word. No hate mate.

[@debramoss2267]

I think the funniest American mispronunciation was one James Ackaster said. He was given a choice of places to go and live and chose Loughborough, because he wanted to hear American visitors say 'Loogaburooga' 🤣🤣🤣 ( for our beloved US friends it's pronounced luff-bur-ruh ) Worcestershire Sauce is a good old classic, with a plethera of possibilities, too. But the funniest I heard was an English girl trying to pronounce my beloved's name Nicanovich. "Hello, may I speak with eerrmm...Misterrr...Nicky Nacky Noo Vich, please?"

[@AV-fo5de]

@@debramoss2267 There's Edinboarrow, or Edinburg, and Glasgow, rhyming with now!

[@debramoss2267]

@@AV-fo5de 😂 Worcestershire Sauce is another source of hysterical pronunciations.

[@AV-fo5de]

@@debramoss2267 I can imagine! And I love it in tomato juice, or a splash in a stew! Woostersheer Sauce, I was always taught.

[@debramoss2267]

@@AV-fo5de woost'chuh sauce. Two syllables. 😉 A few others... Edd in buruh- Edinburgh three syllables. Leff tenunt - Lieutenant Tuh mar tow- Tomato Hurbs - Herbs, with a h 'urbs' is French herbes All uh min ee um - Aluminium not al loo min um Prit tea - pretty not priddee Bee oo tee full - beautiful- not boo dee full. Sow unn - Samhain, not Hallowe'en Bee ull tee nah - Bealtainne, not Beltain Mirr orr - mirror, not meeer And finally Rachel Markle - not the Duchess of Sussex, Megan 😂 So much fun doing this! 😁 Do you have any for we Brits?

[@joeknight6151]

When it comes to schools, I always look at it as state funded ones are comprehensive schools, then there are private schools which wealthier families pay a lot for, then there’s public schools at the top, which are much more expensive even than private schools

[@edwardstabletoparmies955]

Tea is my first drink of the day. It has to be made in a pot and no tea bags, but loose leaf tea. My ex wife once made me a cup of tea by putting a bag in a cup and then giving it to me. I tasted it then said to her, "You made this with a bag in the cup." She was amazed I knew. It doesn't taste the same as being made in a pot.

[@iainhughes8110]

JT I'm seriously impressed!! You're absolutely right about the Union Flag- and many British people don't know that! Good work, JT!👍🇬🇧

[@letsrock1729]

I didn't! I've always only called it the Union Jack.

[@michaelcole-hamer607]

Absolutely, I was so proud lol. had that Absolutely drilled into me in scouts when I was younger

[@Rosiecrossley1]

I’ve always known that it was created after the act of settlement treaty was signed in 1707 it was during the Second World War they started calling it Union Jack 🇬🇧

[@marczero16]

Would you ever consider doing irish reactions the same way you do with British? There's a lot I'd love to watch

[@dannyhudson5115]

I was in the British army, and sometimes we had "range brew" which was a big urn of tea and coffee mixed, but when it's pissing with rain, and you're cold, any hot wet sugar will do

[@Tanson11]

I love both Tea and coffee, and marmite. Also hot sweet tea is a good cure for shock, in fact it's used as a cure for moat things.

[@forksandspoons7272]

Canada is officially metric, but many people still use imperial. I'd tell you the temperature in Celsius, but my height in feet and inches. America is not as not metric as you might think. You go to the store for a 2 liter of pop. The US military talks in clicks/kilometers. All scientist use metric etc.

[@nissan300zxtt9]

6:30 , i think they were betting on the weather man when he had to say that and they LOST 😂😂😂

[@BJKage]

I am Czech and lots of young people have this sort of "tea culture" bu my generation feels, that tea is brew for winter and sick people. I drink water for thirst, but I am a coffee person.

[@michellemaine2719]

Czech by birth, then American, now living in Britain. I am absolutely the same. I crave tea when I am sick, never with milk, honey and lemon all the way.

[@BJKage]

@@michellemaine2719 Yes, that´s how we do it, try to add orange into the mix. I did it with my daughter and she loved it, what a single father wouldn´t do for her princess, right?

[@andrewhallam237]

You know that long name is a bit of a cheat, the town had a much shorter name but they just renamed it the longest town name in the world at the time to attract tourists.

[@yeomanpip]

Ah! Queen Camel, that's a 5 minute drive from me. Cantmael was a Celtic word meaning hill, which is where "Camel" comes from, the Queen is because it belonged to Queen Eleanor, Henry 3rds wife. It's also near to Camelot! Well, possibly!

[@MrEsphoenix]

Union Jack is perfectly acceptable when it's land based too. It's not certain where the Jack part came from, but the main theory is that King Charles II declared that the union flag should only be flown from RN ships in Jack form (which meant as a small flag), which caught on as slang amongst the sailors. People still like to point out it's the Union flag, but pretty much everyone just calls it the Union Jack, even officially and I don't think it was ever actually restricted to only naval use, that's just where the nickname started.

[@LeedsZeppelin]

A jack flag is not necessarily a small flag, but is named for the position it is flown on a ship. A jack is flown on the jackstaff, which is located at the bow of a ship. An ensign is flown at the stern. As the British uses a different ensign to the national flag, a white ensign for military navy, red ensign for merchant navy, blue ensign for state ships, the national flag would be flown on the jackstaff - if at all. As other jack flags would be commonly flown for signalling purposes or for decoration, it was common for ships to store several of them. These were all called jacks. With the name of the flag being 'The flag of the Union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland' it was rather cumbersome to refer to it as 'The Jack of The Flag of the Union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland' everytime the order was called to the fly it so it was simply called the 'Union Jack'. In the same way it has been commonly shortened to 'Union Flag' on land. As you mention, sailors would often refer to the 'Union Flag' as the 'Union Jack' when on shore, either out of habit or nostalgia. This term caught on with the general public and became widely popular. Even if it was incorrect terminology.

[@MrEsphoenix]

@@LeedsZeppelin Thanks for the clarification

[@tonyollier7098]

Yeah, we went metric many years ago,🤣 but we still have bottles of milk labelled 2.272Litres, followed by (4 pints) and we buy plywood sheets measuring 2440mm x 1220mm, which are actually 8 feet x 4 feet !!!! 🤣 Luckily I'm quite old, so I have both Metric and Imperial units my head and can use either, sometimes at the same time doing instant conversions.

[@refreshcms]

Yes, I'm quite old too, and at Secondary School (High School for you Americans) I was taught both metric and imperial. My family's carpet business used to sell carpets off the roll by width in feet and length in metres!

[@blotski]

I went to primary school in the imperial days but I learned metric when my children were at primary school when I was helping them with their homework. I'm in my sixties now and have completely forgotten what ounces are about and can only really cope with long distances in metres rather than feet. I know how far 200 metres is but 200 feet is something I have trouble visualising. The NHS made me learn my weight and height in metric so I'm OK there too. I hate it when people imply older people are too old to learn things and was horrified by that dreadful Rees-Mogg man talking about going back to imperial. I refuse.

[@hybrid9mm]

I’m old and work in both. Day job is a chippy and we still call out 2x2, 2x4 etc yet we all measure in millimetres, I’m also a mechanic (more a hobby these days) which still involves using imperial on engine tolerances.

[@davidflack6430]

UK essential went metric in 1884 but it took a long time for it to become common.

[@arcadian78]

I could never choose coffee over tea….even in my younger days when we’d be out in clubs drinking alcohol until 5am…when I got home the first thing I’d do is make myself a cup of tea,drink it and then fall asleep on the sofa…there is something very comforting and homely about drinking tea😂

[@debramoss2267]

I'm a Brit, my partner went to the torturous hell of Boarding School and the same school as William and Harry, he doesn't know why they're called 'Public Schools' I don't know why it's called Public School, my Mum, a teacher, didn't, my sister a Headteacher doesn't and my younger sister who was in the top post in her role under employment of New Zealand's Education Ministry doesn't know either. I do know it's not Harry Potter, its an inescapable hell for bullied kids. Our crumbling government all went to Eton. They are known 'here up North' as a messy dessert of meringue strawberries and cream - 'The Eton Mess' 🤣

[@clairenoon4070]

They're called public schools because when many of them opened, centuries ago, that's (technically) what they were; open to any public whose parents could afford to send them there. This, by definition, wasn't 'the public', but a minority of rich or fairly rich people. It's worth mentioning that for a long time sending sons to public school was middle-class, not upper class or aristocratic. The expansion of public schools was to meet the need for educated men to be competent administrators across the empire and at home because of the industrial revolution. These were not upper-class roles. Upper class and aristocratic families still educated boys mostly at home, with private tutors, supplemented with an extended 'Grand Tour' of Europe to improve languages and study history, art, music, architecture etc. So the term 'public' is to differentiate between that and a truly 'private' education at home. This was also prior to compulsory education, so there weren't really any other kinds of school, and certainly no 'state' schools.

[@debramoss2267]

@@clairenoon4070 this is brilliant, Claire, thank you. So much Patriarchal oppression, I rale against it. A couple of hundred years ago a Doctor in Germany who was discovered to be a woman was arrested as a witch, until her high class was recognised and she was downgraded to being mad. My Grandfathers both taught themselves to write, were both in orphanages, my Great Grandfather and Great Grandfather (fm's) were too, that's how they met, as soon as Jane was old enough to marry they ran away, married and they had eleven children. They were so cute, too, Jane was 4'10 Bam was 6'5-6 ish, his height varied as tall people's do😊 We are blessed to be in these times.

[@clairenoon4070]

@@debramoss2267 It really was patriarchal, but so was most of the rest of the world at the time, I just think Britain was more, somehow, blatant about all the ways we stratified society. And sadly, many women even today live in stiflingly patriarchal (often religion-based) societies. I'd even caution against assuming the 'New World' is doing better. In the US, for example, only 36% of doctors in 2019 were women, in the UK it was 48%. And the UK is just about to have its third female PM, while the US still hasn't had a female President.

[@clairenoon4070]

@@debramoss2267 I forgot to say that my father (now in his 90s) also grew up in an orphanage! He became an engineer in the aviation and later automotive industries. My parents purposefully lived within the catchment areas of really good state schools, and 2 of their children went to university, 1 is a company director and the 4th is a qualified nurse. Your and my families' stories just go to show that there is a fairly healthy level of social mobility in this country!

[@bernadettelawson2916]

Beans are often a feature of breakfast here. Usually called “a full English”, it’s great but not very healthy as most of the things in it are fried and will also be called a “fry up”, especially in Scotland. It’s sometimes called “a heart attack on a plate” for good reason. It’s like a national dish here 🤣 but it’s soooo good

[@asdatrollys8944]

I had a family friend visit us a few years back, he’s American who lives in America so I don’t actually know how he became a family friend (he’s been a family friend since before I can remember.) He was visiting us and for breakfast we had a fry up and oh you’ve never seen a mans face look so confused after trying to figure out what a black pudding even is 😂

[@TheVicar]

@@asdatrollys8944 Black pudding is the food of the Gods. But if you have baked beans with your fry up then make sure they're on the opposite side of the plate to your eggs. This is because the act of having the tomato sauce mix with eggs is a Sin.

[@edwardbrownlee6746]

of course the UK has an even better breakfast than the full English. It's called the Ulster Fry. It consists of beef sausages, bacon, eggs, black pudding, and 3 types of fried bread. A round of Fried white bread, a full sliced fried soda bread and fried Patato bread. An Ulster Fry does not involve beans, mushrooms or tomatos.

[@TheVicar]

@@edwardbrownlee6746 You can't beat a good beef sausage, nor black pudding on toast with a bit of mustard.

[@jimclark1374]

Baked beans are a relatively new addition to breakfast. They were introduced in the 1970s.

[@andrewhargreaves504]

Bin juice! Marmite is bin juice! It is your worst nightmares placed into a jar sold to lunatics.

[@katehurstfamilyhistory]

One notable thing about the imperial/metric thing I have noticed is that very few people described the weight of a newborn baby in kilos here; I think it tends to be put on the medical records, but if I have ever asked a friend how much their baby weighed, the answer will always be "7 pounds, 14 ounces" (or whatever). If someone told me in kilos, I would be able to estimate whether it was a big baby or a small one, but generally, most people I know talk about birth weights in pounds and ounces. (Hence, I tend to flinch if I hear about a 9-pounder!) On the other hand, I'll drive past my local petrol station and say, "It's HOW much a litre?" (Fuel has gone up a lot this year.)

[@blueal1878]

It's mixed because we are too tight to pay for changing every road sign in the country into kilometers. Decimalisation happened at very beginning of 1970s, so a lot of older people just couldn't adapt, or just refused to! I was born in 1972 and so i had to learn to measure everything in both metric & imperial!

[@1230guyana]

I was an eleven pound baby, my sisters ranged from seven - nine and a half pounds

[@PrincessFidelma]

@@1230guyana Your poor mother.

[@dianeallen6101]

I've had 5 kids, my small one's were 8lb & 8lb4oz and the other three ranged from 9th 2oz to 9lb 15.5oz. I was only 5'4" and 9st 4lb(130lb) at the time. My pregnant belly entered the room 5 minutes before me!

[@PrincessFidelma]

Apparently my granddad was 13pounds, my mum was the biggest of her generation, I was the smallest of the whole family at 4 and a half pound!

[@JM-jc4up]

Most people call the flag the Union Jack. It doesn't matter where it is flown, it is perfectly acceptable to call it that. People who tell you it is only called the Union Jack when it is flown on a boat are wrong and should do some research!

[@todgertownwhite]

Ensign on a ship?

[@HowardFrance]

Red ensign on a UK military ship, white ensign an a private ship registered in the UK.

[@todgertownwhite]

Howard, I know that, but I kept it simple as to not confuse anymore😜

[@JM-jc4up]

What's that got to do with the fact that the flag flown from many buildings and flagpoles across the country, waved by people during the jubilee celebrations and printed on anything from tea towels to underwear can be called the Union Jack?

[@todgertownwhite]

The union Jack's name came from a smaller version of the common flag, flown at the top of the mast, and got the name "Jack", this was in the 1600's

[@pfox9094]

The flag flown on boats is the Ensign. Red for ordinary folk, blue for Navy, white for Royals and Royal yacht squadron (with a few variations)... different from the Unin flag

[@mrLoftladder]

we get through a pound of Marmite/month. It was the first solid food my mother gave me, on soft white buttered bread, and I have been an addict since😋

[@Jadzeer]

I hate marmite & coffee, but I love tea.

[@Courtsxoxo752]

There is this street near me calld rom vally way and when the bus thing says the bus stop it sounds like wrong vally way lol😂

[@Lily_The_Pink972]

As a 69 year old I love my tea but also like coffee sometimes. As for metric vs imperial, I use both depending on what I'm doing. I drink a pint of beer but put litres of petrol in the car. I grew up knowing that a tablespoonful of flour, sugar, salt etc was equal to one ounce. Therefore I didn't need to weigh dry ingredients when baking, I could just count the out the required number of spoons. Now I find it harder to follow new recipes because I have to weigh everything. I also know that a yard is approximately the distance between the tip of my nose and tip of my middle finger when I extend my arm to the side. Add 3 inches and I've got a meter. I can't think in kilometres so distance is in miles and I weigh myself in stones and pounds. And most importantly, a cricket pitch is 22 yards or one chain long. They've already changed batsman to batter, please don't metrication cricket!

[@alanmusicman3385]

I'm also 69 and I simply can't drink tea - it always gives me a headache, always has done for some reason - always coffee for me. In measuring sizes for making things 95% of the time I use metric now - it's just so much easier. Marmite I can take or leave! Beans - again take or leave 'em if it's a choice between beans and Hash Browns, gimme them Hashes! Like most Brits I operate in mixed mode for petrol buy in litres, calculate cost in MPG. Stopped using temps in Farenheight in the 1990s degrees c always now.

[@barryroberts2196]

The Union flag becomes The Union Jack when flow on Navel Vessels. Love you reaction to some of our ways. Did you know that in our sports stadiums where you sit in the stands & stand on the terrace ? Takes some figuring out even to us.

[@andrewcoates6641]

A minor point of order, the Union flag and the Union Jack are very similar because it only becomes the Jack-flag when it has a broad white boarder surrounding the Union flag and it is flown on the Jack- staff on board a Royal Naval vessel. The Jack-staff is the small flagpole which is mounted on the very prow of the vessel or for those who don’t know the correct terminology the pointed bit at the front. All other colours (flags) are flown , one from the main mast as high as possible and another over the stern (or the blunt bit at the back). Any other flags flown on a RN vessel are usually signal flags or pennants which are flown from a position above and slightly behind the bridge which is visible to members of the crew on deck and any other vessels to convey the intentions of the vessel flying the message.

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

In British English naval means to do with ships, navel means to do with one's belly button. Is this different in the US?

[@c_n_b]

@@t.a.k.palfrey3882 I'm in my 30s and until now I always thought the navel was a rude body part. 🤯

[@I_Don_t_want_a_handle]

@@andrewcoates6641 Only up to about 1911. Since that time, 'flag' and 'Jack' became synonymous where the Union flag is concerned, mainly because ships stopped having jack-staffs, IIRC. The Admiralty even made a ruling concerning this.

[@andrewcoates6641]

@@I_Don_t_want_a_handle the RN and the Admiralty may have made such a statement but have you taken a look at most of the fleet launched prior to 1950, had a jackstaff with the possible exception of the aircraft carriers as it would be intrusive for launching their aircraft and the submarines as it would have been a compromising item for diving operation’s.

[@Dunbardoddy]

Please note there is not a “British” educational system. A public school in England and Wales (but not Scotland) is a fee-charging endowed school originally for older boys that was "public" in the sense of being open to pupils irrespective of locality, denomination or paternal trade or profession. In Scotland, a public school is synonymous with a state school in England and Wales, and fee-charging schools are referred to as private schools.

[@alfredkar]

I do find it hilarious that the (allegedly) most advanced nations on Earth still use the ancient measurement system of their Imperial overlords, whereas their Imperial masters have pretty much moved on to the more moderm system! As a Brit in my 40's I am definitely more comfortable with metric than imperial.

[@Pauld616]

The whole metric imperial thing is the same in the US. What size engine does your car have 5 litre? You have 100 cents in a dollar, that's basically metric! I appreciate that celsius and kg are a bit confusing for you, but you have made a start 😂

[@barryallin8161]

I since I was about 14 I've been a confirmed coffee drinker (I'm 78 now). The only time I drink tea is when I'm on vacation in Turkey, where the local "çay" (pronounced "chai") is served in small glasses with no milk.

[@nffctrickett]

Totally true about marmite! It literally lasts forever, I am a fan of it but it definitely does sit in your cupboard for about 3 years! Once in a while you will get the urge for some yeast spread on toast and then totally forget about it for another 3 months!!!

[@lisagreenhalgh1685]

You need to try marmite roast potatoes!❤️

[@bit-ishbulldog2089]

I like the spread ( good for you too) full of vitamins. Ain't had none for week's. I sometimes stick a small spoon in the jar and just lick the spoon 🥄 "yes a bit odd" but who wants to be like everyone else.

[@MDM1992]

I can't stand marmite, bovril is far nicer and never lasts that long in the cupboard lol similar but better tasting, beef bovril on buttered toast with a big cup of tea was a regular late evening snack for my family when I was growing up.

[@nffctrickett]

@@lisagreenhalgh1685 That actually sounds like a good idea Lisa, will look up a recipe!

[@nffctrickett]

@@MDM1992 I am a vegan unfortunately matt. (Confirming the stereotype that we like to tell people also 😆)