Nationalities, languages, density .

The total population is over 60 million people. The U.K. is inhabited by – the English, the Scots, The Welsh (валлийцы), The Irish. Together they make up the British nation. And the English make up over 82% of the total population. The Scots – 9,5%, the Welsh 2%, the Irish 2,5%.

Among other nationalities inhabiting the U.K. are the Gaels (Гаэллы). And immigrants make up 4%. English is the official and dominant language of the nation. It had only been formed by the end of the 13^th century. The English language is marriage of Anglo-Saxon and Norman French.

 

Задание: - Известные Британские люди – актеры, писатели, короли и т.д.

Про 2х – на семинар и на лекцию.

Джоан Роулинг, Джейн Остен.

- Рассказать об историческом периоде в Англии (викторианская эпоха).

 

23.04.12 Nationalities, languages, density (2)

The U.K. is one of the most densely populated countries (густонаселенный). The average population density is 234 people per square kilometer. The most highly populated areas are the industrial regions – 1000 or over 1000 people per sq.km.

In proposion of urban population of city dwellers (городские жители) the U.K. holds the first place in the world. Over 90% of it`s population live in cities and towns.

 

Rural population differs from the traditional villages of other countries. British villages are situated not far from towns and inhabited by farm workers, teachers, shopkeepers, old-age people. Farmers do not live in such places, they live in their farms. Recently a lot of people have moved from cities and towns to villages, where houses are cheaper.

National stereotypes (стереотипы)

British are considered to be snobbish, resigned (сдержанные), haughty (надменные), intolerants. Also punctual.

A stereotype is a very firm and simple idea about what a particular type of person or thing is like which is believed (in some cases wrongly) to be true in all cases. Almost every nation has a reputation of it`s own. For example the German considered to be dull and formal. The Americans are supposed to be energetic, boastful and vulgar. Also them called ignorant and poor-dressed. The French - amorous, fond of Champaign and fashion.

The English character is considered to be the most paradoxical of all the European nations. And almost every element has an opposite aspect. Superior (надменные), snobbish, reserved (сдержанные), aloof (отстраненные), hypocritical (лицемерные).

The country’s geographical position has produced a certain amount of insularity (островное мышление), of an insular spirit among the British.They attend to regard their own society as the center of the world.

Задание: - Исторический период (эпоха Елизаветы например).

- Типичные британцы. Стереотипы о королевской семье, об охоте, о погоде и другие.

28.04.2012

Lecture 5.

What the English of themselves. They consider their important values are: tolerant, decency, moderation, consensus, fair play, a genius for compromise. A typical English man is a bowler head and reading the Times news paper. A typical English man should look like John Bull and be crazy about dogs. John Bull is a imaginable typically English man, a nickname of an English. He is a fat man with a red face wearing a top-head a waste coat and high boots. He often has a bulldog, suggesting that he is like this dog in having brave, fears and independent character. But he is simple, honest, straight forward and he is easy to trick, but he has common sense, and this common sense shows him the right way out of any situations. On the whole the English opinion about themselves is the following: on the one hand there is self irony, light dig at oneself, and on the other hand they are hidden, deep, respect for oneself. British conservatism is quietly known they cling to the old traditions and ceremonies. They love and respect the monarchy. The British are low abiding. Snobbery is not so common now, then earlier, but it still takes place. The British love hierarchy. British people are sport lovers. Popular national games are: golf, cricket, football, rugby. Upper class pass time is foxhunting, rowing, horseracing. The English like gambling, may can stakes. The English are the world’s greatest tea drinkers. The English are also known to be practical and realistic, but they are polite.

The Scots. The Scots are known to be: dour, implacable, pawky, courageous, they also have a reputation of being the stingiest people of Earth. Family relations are very important to the Scots, because every Scots men belongs to a clan a big family group. Tartan is symbol of clan.

The Welsh. As far as Wales is concerned it is the part of the UK where national spirit, national pride are the strongest. The Welsh cling to their traditions, customs, their language and there own way of life. They have a highly developed artistic sense, they love music, poetry and drama. The Welsh are known in the UK for there singing. They like do it together.

The Irish. They have a reputation of being optimistic, reckless, “leg – pulling”, ironical about themselves. The Irish are very nationalistic and even now they tend to separate from GB. IRA rebel against the British.

State system.

The UK is a constitutional monarchy, which means that a monarch (a king or a queen) is the head of State. The British State system is complex and unique. Practically speaking there is no written constitution in The UK. The tree Branches of power: legislative branch is represented by Parliament, the executive branch is represented be prime minister, the Cabinet and the Government. The Judicial Branch is represented by the Supreme Court of Judicature including the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal. The Monarch is the head of each Branch, but the power of the Monarch is not absolute, it’s great limited by Parliament. So often the system is called King in parliament or Queen in parliament. The Monarchy is the most institution in The UK. It goes back at least to the 9 century. The now reigning monarch is Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Elizabeth the II is the 40 monarch since 1066. She is the oldest and the longest reigning monarch in the 20 century. Monarchy is founded on the hereditary principle, which is strictly observed, but the rules of succession have been changed. Previously, the succession passed automatically to the eldest mail child or on the absence of males to the eldest female of spring of the ruling monarch. Quite recently the rules have been changed. Now the succession passes to the eldest child of a royal family be it a man or a woman. The British low provides that the Monarch must be a protestant.

The Queen’s title in the UK is: “Elizabeth the II by Grace of Guard of the UK of Great Britain Northern Ireland and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the common Wealth defender of faith”.

The functions of the Monarch:

1. The head of State

2. A part of the legislature

3. The head of the executive branch

4. The head of the judicial branch

5. The commander – in – chief of the armed forces of the crown

The temporal governor of the established church of England. The Queen acts on the advice of her Government (ministers) which she can’t ignore and the monarch takes small part in decision making. That is why it is often said, that the monarch reigns, but does not rule and never the less the monarch’s functions are very important.

The powers of the Monarch.

The monarch acts in international affairs where she has the power to conclude treaties, to declare War or make Peace, to recognize foreign Government and States. The Queen is the head of the Common Wealth, which is an interstate association of the former members of the British Empire. The Common Wealth was founded in 1949. It comprises 53 countries governed two one or another extent by the UK. 17 of them recognize the British Queen as there head of State. They are: Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The citizens of the common wealth countries have also citizen sheep. The second power: as the head of the legislature the Queen summons, prorogues and dissolves the Parliament. Gives royal accent to a legislation passed by Parliament. The third: as the head of the executive she appoints or dismisses all the ministers, judgers, governors and members of diplomatic corps. The fourth: as the head of the judicatory the Queen can on the advice pardon convicted criminals. The fifth: as the commander- in- chief she appoints cilia officers. The sixth: as a temporal head of the Anglican church, she appoints. The royal family is the main aristocratic house in the country, it is the biggest land owner of the UK.

H/T. (for Прибылова) Report about Queen Elizabeth II, the symbols of the royal family. (for Арламенкова) history of British monarchy, catholicons and protestants.

 

14.05.12.

The British Parliament

Parliament reflects the legislative brunch (законодательная власть). Like the Monarchy Parliament is an ancient institution in the U.K. It`s dates from the beginning of the 13^th century. There was «short» and «long» parliament in British history. The «short» parliament lasted 2 weeks, the long – 19 years. But since 1911 every parliament is limited to 5 year term of work.

The functions (функции) of Parliament:

- To make lows.

- To enforce lows. (следить за исполнением законов)

- To collect taxies. (собирать налоги)

- To debate in important politic issues.

The British parliament is bicameral (двухпалатный). It`s composed of 2 houses or 2 chambers – The House of Lords (the upper chamber) and the House of Commons (the low chamber).

The building of The British parliament is known as the Palace of Westminster.

The House of Commons

The House of Commons is an elected chamber with a nationwide representation. There are currently 649 elected members known as MP (член парламента). Thou the House of Commons is a low chamber of parliament, it plays the major role in low making. It`s a center of real politic power and activity. Most of it`s members are professional politicians, lowers and economists.

The majority of the House of Commons is made up of the party that has won the general election (партия, выигравшая выборы). The party with the next largest number of seats in the House of Commons forms the official opposition. The leader of opposition is an official post. The presenting officer in the House of Common is the Speaker (спикер) and he is it`s chairman. The Speaker is an important figure in parliament. When there is a debate, the order of Speaker..

It`s the Speaker who selects MP to speak. And MP have to catch the Speaker`s eyes when they want to speak. The tradition of «catching the Speakers eye» gives him great power.

The MP are paid salaries. The House of Commons has seats only for 370 members. The presents of all members is not necessary, except on matters of great interests and importance. The House meets 5 days a week at 2. P.m.

The House of Lords.

The House of Lords is the upper chamber in the British parliament, but the less powerful part of it. It`s the oldest part of parliament. Nowadays real political power rests (в руках) with the lower chamber of parliament, although the members of the House of Lords may occupier important cabinet posts. Now the House of Lords is a partly hereditary upper chamber.

It comprises – 26 Lords Spiritual (высшее духовенство), 2 of them are archbishops of Canterbury and York. The archbishop (архиепископ) of Canterbury is the Spiritual head of the Church of England. The other 24 are Senior Bishops of the Church of England.

The other Lords are called Lord Temporal. The second part 92 hereditably peers. They have the right to seat the parliament during their life-time and to transit the right to their elder sans. The title is inhabited by their children.

Third part is over 500 life peers. They are man and woman who were given a title as a reward for important public serves. One forth of life peers are women. The term life-peers means that their children do not inhered the title. Half of the life-peers are former MP, the rest the outstanding writers, deployments, bunkers, trade union leaders.

The 4^d part about 30 Low Lords, who seat there as the Highest cord of a peer. By custom the Royal Dukes do not attend the seating’s of the House. Many members turn up very rarely. They are called back-wood`s-man.

The Monarch belongs to the House of Lords. So there is a thorn is the Lord`s chamber. From there the Queen makes her opening speech at the beginning of each parliament session.

From the middle ages until 2006 the persisting officer in the House of Lords was the Lord Chancellor. He seats on a wool sack which is tradition introduced at the early 14^th century by Edward the Third as the symbol of prosperity since wool was the main item of the British export. The wool sack is a large square sack packed with the wool from the 4 parts of the U.K. and covered with the red cloth.

21.05.12.

In 2006 the first of Lord Speaker was created. The Lord Speaker has little power compared to the Speaker of the House of Commons. He can`t determine which members may speak, he can`t discipline (принимать меры) members for violating the rules (нарушать правила). These majors may be taken only by the House itself. The power of the House of Lords has been reduced (сокращать) over the time. Since 1911 the Lords have had no control over financial matters and since 1949 they were can`t refuse to take the bill (принять закон), thou they may suggest an amendments (поправки). Previously the Lords had the power of absolute veto over any legislation passed by the House of Commons. Nowadays the lords can only delay a bill for a year (отложить принятие закона). During a year the political situation may change and the uneasy bill may be amended greatly or even forgotten. This is still a great privilege of the Lords.

Traditionally the Lords hadn`t been receiving salaries for their parliamentary work. And not long ago the situation change and a special money compensation; was allotted to them to get them interested in attending sessions. They are paid up to 40 pounds for each. The House of Lords has always been very conservative (консервативны).

Ironical nick-names of the House of Lords – the best of London, the gilded chamber, the house of abstraction (препятствие), a hank over (похмелье) from the past years.

 

From time to time a discussion is remind in the UK of or wither or not it`s advisable to have undemocratic constitution as the House of Lords. And in 1999 there was a reform of the House of Lords were they tried to abolish (отменить) the right of hereditably peers to seat in the House of Lords.