Decoupling English Learning From British Culture
If language learning is like falling in love with another culture, what happens if you don’t like Britishness?
This is not a culture-bashing blog. It exists to offer you serious alternatives because the answer is that disliking Britishness will stop you from working on your English unless you can separate them in your mind.
Read on for tips on how you can separate your English learning from any negative feelings about British culture.
Separating English Learning From British Culture
This blog will give you some other lenses to enjoy English through.
It is written because too much of ELT (English Language Teaching) is England/Britain-centric.
It is certainly not the job of ELT to insidiously convince you why the UK is great (something many ELT supporting materials used to do).
From politics to the environment, to female emancipation, it is not the job of ELT to tell you what to think about anything – only to express yourself.
Having said that, a teacher/coach you feel aligned in values with will best be able to get you results.
It matters that you enjoy your time together!
Liking/respecting them can keep you going when it’s hard to prioritise English.
English is a Global Language
As well as a British one.
You won’t learn it better being in Oxford than New York.
You certainly won’t learn it through articles about the King – unless you truly are interested in the British monarchy.
Soft Power Agenda
This may sound strange coming from a language school that invites you to Scotland for culture-led conversation holidays.
Blue Noun is an independent language school, which means we easily swerve all that soft-power British-is-best nonsense that underpins the worst of ELT.
When you join us for a holiday, you get to share our knowledge of culture and community without bias.
(See our blogs below).
On our holidays you will discover what’s great about Scottish (and British culture) – while sharing your own (damn right we care!).
That’s so much better for your language skills than taking the ‘Tartan Tour of the Highlands‘, or its British equivalent (have you heard of tartan-washing*?)
Choose real-world conversations for deeply memorable language skills.
The Good News:
According to research by linguist David Crystal, more than 80% of English conversations worldwide are between non-native speakers.
This means that you don't need to know every idiom
Unless you want to.
Some people still find them a nice way into language.
You'll need the commonly used Phrasal Verbs, but not the obscure ones
You will need an understanding of the cultures you will be dealing with
That’s not just how to make polite requests sound as baroque as possible, as we do in British English. (Do not try it in a New York deli!).
“I hope I’m not imposing in any way, but if it wouldn’t be too much trouble, and only if it’s entirely convenient for you, might I ever so kindly ask you for a bagel?”
Translation: “(Please) can I have a bagel”
This involves being sensitive to nuances of the work or civil culture and adapting to it.
Tips to Learn English Without British Culture
Choose real world English conversations over textbooks
Choose Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Canada, South Africa etc,
for your holidays to learn English.
You’ll be surrounded by L1 speakers in a culture you want to discover.
Pick a city in the USA you'd love to visit and start learning as much as you can about the place.
Imagine yourself there. What would you order in a diner?
Would you go rollerskating?
Would you break into a park at night and dance in the fountain? (Just me then?)
Listen to the local radio station online
Join Facebook groups local to that area.
Find Digital Radio Stations
That broadcast shows in English from around the world.
Follow your heroes
Watch sports stars, singers or actors speaking publically using English as a second language.
See your own culture differently
Find books or TV shows in English about your country.
(Not the cliched ones, the interesting ones).
Armchair Travel in English
Change the language settings in Netflix to English, and watch a few travel shows.
Find culturally critical sources
There are plenty of people, even within the UK who don’t like Britishness.
The Scots, Northern Irish and Welsh each have complicated relationships with British nationality.
Find speakers from the independence movements who you admire.
Listen to Great Bands
Plenty of international music is produced in English. Look up the lyrics and sing along.
Learning English without Embracing British Culture
And that’s how to decouple the English language from Britishness.
Open your mind to the possibility that English (the language) isn’t intrinsically naff or unlikeable because you have a poor impression of British culture.
Look for ways to enjoy it (including how it sounds) and you’ll transform from someone holding out against English to actively seeking it.
For language acquisition, that’s the difference between swimming upstream or down.
English learning, differently!
How our blend of real-world English unlocks speakers,
one voice at a time.
Further Information
*Ttartan-washing is a term used critically in the context of Scottish tourism and branding. It refers to the overuse or superficial use of Scottish cultural symbols – particularly tartan, bagpipes, Highland imagery, and stereotypical Scottish elements to market products, places, or experiences in a way that lacks authenticity or depth.
If you are looking for English coaching:
Discover our English Language Learning Holidays and our Online Coaching.
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Do You Teach Professional English? Yes, But Not The Way You Think