Research on British pubs.
Aug. 23rd, 2007 05:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vital_solCool research on British pubs by SIRC
How to introduce yourself
Don’t ever introduce yourself. The "Hi, I’m Chuck from Alabama" approach does not go down well in British pubs. Natives will cringe and squirm with embarrassment at such brashness. If your introduction is accompanied by a beaming smile and outstretched hand, they will probably find an excuse to get away from you as quickly as possible.
Free-association
Pub-talk moves in a mysterious way - mostly in apparently random sideways leaps. A remark about the weather triggers a prediction as to which horse will win the big race at Cheltenham, which triggers an argument about the merits of the National Lottery, which leads to a discussion of the latest political scandal, which provokes some banter about the sexual prowess of one of the regulars involved in the discussion, which is interrupted by another regular demanding assistance with a crossword clue, one element of which leads to a comment about a recent fatal traffic accident in the neighbourhood, which somehow turns into a discussion about the barman’s new haircut and so on. There is a vague logic in some of the connections, but most changes of subject are triggered by participants ‘free-associating’ with a random word or phrase.
Male bonding
Male 1: (accusingly): "What?"
Male 2: (puzzled): "I didn’t say anything."
Male 1: "Yes you did!"
Male 2: (still bemused): "No I didn’t!"
Male 1: (belligerent): "You did, you said it was my round - and it’s not my effing round!"
Male 2: (entering into the spirit of things): "I didn’t bloody say anything, but it is your round!"
Male 1: "Bollocks - it’s Porky’s round!"
Male 2: "Then why are you hassling me about it, eh?"
Male 1: (now thoroughly enjoying himself): "I’m not - you started it."
Male 2: (ditto): "Didn’t!"
Male 1: "Did!"
. and so on
Female bonding
Male bonding is a traditional feature of pub life. Pubgoers don’t usually call it ‘male bonding’, of course, they tend to use less scientific expressions such as ‘pints with the lads’. They are even less likely to speak of ‘female bonding’, which has only recently become an integral part of pub culture. The female equivalent of ‘pints with the lads’ is known as ‘girls’ night out’ or ‘girl’s night’ for short.
Matching
Eavesdrop on almost any girl’s-night group, and you will probably overhear at least one of the traditional phrases used in the ‘matching’ ritual. To determine whether a girl’s group is engaged in this ritual, listen for any of the key phrases listed below.
Key phrases:
Me too .
Oh yes, I know how you feel .
Mine’s just the same .
Oh God, do you get that as well .
Really? I do that too .
My Mum (sister, friend, boyfriend, aunt, husband, boss, cat etc.) is just like that .
That reminds me of .
Oh, that’s just like .
The same thing happened to me (my Mum, friend, sister, neighbour, hamster etc.) .
I tried that once, and .
I can’t do that either .
Oh, I know what you mean, I’m just the same .
So do I .
Oh God, yes, I hate those as well .
...
How to introduce yourself
Don’t ever introduce yourself. The "Hi, I’m Chuck from Alabama" approach does not go down well in British pubs. Natives will cringe and squirm with embarrassment at such brashness. If your introduction is accompanied by a beaming smile and outstretched hand, they will probably find an excuse to get away from you as quickly as possible.
Free-association
Pub-talk moves in a mysterious way - mostly in apparently random sideways leaps. A remark about the weather triggers a prediction as to which horse will win the big race at Cheltenham, which triggers an argument about the merits of the National Lottery, which leads to a discussion of the latest political scandal, which provokes some banter about the sexual prowess of one of the regulars involved in the discussion, which is interrupted by another regular demanding assistance with a crossword clue, one element of which leads to a comment about a recent fatal traffic accident in the neighbourhood, which somehow turns into a discussion about the barman’s new haircut and so on. There is a vague logic in some of the connections, but most changes of subject are triggered by participants ‘free-associating’ with a random word or phrase.
Male bonding
Male 1: (accusingly): "What?"
Male 2: (puzzled): "I didn’t say anything."
Male 1: "Yes you did!"
Male 2: (still bemused): "No I didn’t!"
Male 1: (belligerent): "You did, you said it was my round - and it’s not my effing round!"
Male 2: (entering into the spirit of things): "I didn’t bloody say anything, but it is your round!"
Male 1: "Bollocks - it’s Porky’s round!"
Male 2: "Then why are you hassling me about it, eh?"
Male 1: (now thoroughly enjoying himself): "I’m not - you started it."
Male 2: (ditto): "Didn’t!"
Male 1: "Did!"
. and so on
Female bonding
Male bonding is a traditional feature of pub life. Pubgoers don’t usually call it ‘male bonding’, of course, they tend to use less scientific expressions such as ‘pints with the lads’. They are even less likely to speak of ‘female bonding’, which has only recently become an integral part of pub culture. The female equivalent of ‘pints with the lads’ is known as ‘girls’ night out’ or ‘girl’s night’ for short.
Matching
Eavesdrop on almost any girl’s-night group, and you will probably overhear at least one of the traditional phrases used in the ‘matching’ ritual. To determine whether a girl’s group is engaged in this ritual, listen for any of the key phrases listed below.
Key phrases:
Me too .
Oh yes, I know how you feel .
Mine’s just the same .
Oh God, do you get that as well .
Really? I do that too .
My Mum (sister, friend, boyfriend, aunt, husband, boss, cat etc.) is just like that .
That reminds me of .
Oh, that’s just like .
The same thing happened to me (my Mum, friend, sister, neighbour, hamster etc.) .
I tried that once, and .
I can’t do that either .
Oh, I know what you mean, I’m just the same .
So do I .
Oh God, yes, I hate those as well .
...
