The social structure of the United Kingdom is incredibly diverse. The UK is a fusion of the cultures of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and is situated off the northwest coast of continental Europe.
The community of the UK welcomes and provides opportunities to people from a variety of backgrounds. Therefore, this overview of culture in the UK is all you need if you’re thinking of studying there or travelling there on business. Without further ado, let’s get started.
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Top Universities to Study in the UK
In several academic domains, such as engineering, science, art, and design, business and management, law, and finance, the UK leads worldwide. The UK’s status and legacy as an international centre for scientific study attracts some of the world’s top thinkers.
The United Kingdom is home to some of the best universities and colleges in the world, offering an extensive range of academic degrees and research possibilities.
| Top Universities | Annual fee in GBP | Annual fee in INR |
| University of Oxford | 26,770 GBP | 2,695,846 INR |
| Imperial College London | 26,847 GBP | 2,703,600 INR |
| University of Cambridge | 32,400 GBP | 3,262,809 INR |
| University of Edinburgh | 19,720 GBP | 1,985,882 INR |
| University College London | 21,900 GBP | 2,205,417 INR |
Culture in the UK: British Entertainment Industry
The rich and popular culture in the UK is influential not only in Great Britain but globally. It imports talents that transcend varied forms of media. Some of the most prominent contributions of the British Entertainment Industry include:
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1. The Beatles
In 1960, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr established the English rock group known as The Beatles in Liverpool. Popular music was acknowledged as an art form and the 1960s counterculture developed thanks in large part to this band, who are considered the most influential band of all time. From folk and Indian music to psychedelic and hard rock, the band explored a wide range of musical genres. Their sound creatively combined elements of classical music and traditional pop.
2. Harry Potter
Written by British novelist J. K. Rowling, the Harry Potter series consists of seven fantasy novels. Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter, a young wizard, are all students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and their lives are followed throughout the novels. Lord Voldemort, a malevolent wizard who seeks to become immortal, overturn the Ministry of Magic, and enslave both wizards and Muggles (those who are not magical) is the major antagonist of Harry Potter’s story.
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3. Theatre
The Romans brought theatre to what is now the United Kingdom from Europe, and auditoriums were built all around the nation for this purpose (one example has been found at Verulamium). During the Middle Ages, theatre emerged through the mummers’ plays, a type of primitive street theatre connected to the Morris dance, which focused on stories like Robin Hood and Saint George and the Dragon.
Language
The official language of the UK is English. Individuals throughout the nation interact with each other in this language. However, some people in Wales still speak Welsh. But the same individuals also speak English, so you won’t have to worry about a language barrier. Although, natives speak in different dialects throughout the country. Here are some of the main dialects that you’ll come across in the UK.
- Brummy: Birmingham
- Cockney: London (Most famous)
- Geordie: Middlesbrough, Newcastle, and Sunderland
- Mancunian: Manchester
- Scottish: Scotland
- Scouser: Liverpool
- Welsh: Wales
- West Country: Bristol, Cornwall, and Devon
With so many dialects and accents in the country, even the britishers get confused at times while interacting with each other. Other language speakers in the UK include Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic, Polish, Bengali, Gujarati, and Punjabi. Apart from these, some individuals also speak Arabic, Mandarin, French, and Portuguese.
Etiquettes
Here are a few key pointers on British society etiquettes of the culture in the UK, that you must know if you are planning to move there.
- When it comes to meeting and greeting, the etiquette in the UK is to shake hands, including children. It is also considered to shake hands before leaving, especially in business and social meetings. However, one must shake hands with a light, friendly touch while not applying too much pressure on the other person’s hand.
- When greeting someone, last names should be used with the appropriate title unless invited to use the first name specifically.
- When interacting with individuals, the British see them as their equals; the Britishers are modest yet direct. On the other hand, while interacting with someone they know, the tone is more informal yet reserved.
- Most Britishers don’t use effusive language and are masters of understatement. They have a marked tendency to use qualifiers such as ‘it could be,’ ‘possibly,’ or ‘perhaps.’
Traditions
Wondering what are some of the common British traditions of culture in the UK. Here are some traditions you should know about the United Kingdom.
1. Cheese Rolling
A mob eager to chase after a ball of Double Gloucester cheese for amusement is the source of this peculiar British ritual. It’s held on Gloucestershire, England’s Cooper’s Hill, where the drop is so steep that competitors are forced to stutter to the finish line, where, hopefully, cheese is waiting.
2. Christmas & New Year’s Eve
In the culture in the UK, people celebrate Christmas in a big way, just like in other Christian-majority countries. Around December, the weather is beautiful and the streets are illuminated with lights. In different regions of the region, carols and nativity performances are well-known. In the UK, roast beef, roast turkey, baked potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, tiny sausages, and Brussels sprouts are typically served for Christmas supper or lunch.
3. Bonfire Night
An annual ceremony on November 5th, often known as Guy Fawkes Night, honors the failed 1605 Gunpowder Plot. Burning Guy Fawkes effigies and lighting bonfires are among the activities people engage in.
Beliefs and religion
The Church of England is the official state-sanctioned region in the United Kingdom. It belongs to Christianity or the Christian protestant faith. However, the church’s influence has significantly decreased since the middle of the 20th century. However, it still accounts for 40–45% of the UK’s religious population. One of the most prominent and ancient Christian buildings in the United Kingdom is the Canterbury Cathedral located in Kent.
This group is made up of Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, and Catholics in addition to members of the Church of England. A variety of minority people also follow different minority religions in addition to these. These consist of Sikhism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Additionally, it’s estimated that one-third of the UK population does not practise any religion.
Final Thoughts
The United Kingdom is without a doubt one of the world’s most culturally varied islands. The customs of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales have a significant influence on British culture or culture in the UK. English is the primary language spoken in the United Kingdom, but people also communicate in Welsh, Irish Gaelic, Punjabi, French, Portuguese, and Scottish Gaelic, among other languages. British influence is still very much present in the world today. There’s a reason for the clichés that the British adore afternoon tea and never leave the house without an umbrella. In the area, people celebrate holidays like Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Eve extensively. People understand and have the highest regard for each other’s value systems despite having different religious views.
If you’re a student or working professional planning to move to the UK, go through the above guide on the culture in the UK to understand the region better. In order to get further information on the culture in the UK, book a free counselling call on LeapScholar today.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What are some things that make residing in the UK so great?
The region of the UK offers splendid landscapes and historic cities like London that are bustling with life. Individuals from all walks of life and areas migrate to the UK for sheer opportunities. It is a multicultural island that offers immense diversity.
Q. Is William Blake a vital part of culture in the UK?
William Blake was a romantic poet and painter responsible for crafting some of the most vital images in British cultural history. He was heavily influenced by the political context and social changes of his era. Over time, his work has been immortalized.
Q. Does the Queen from the royal family hold much power in the UK?
As the UK is a constitutional monarchy, the ability to pass legislation belongs to the parliament and not the Queen. She has a symbolic role in the United Kingdom. For instance, she opens up the parliament every year and puts a stamp on every bill so that it becomes an act. In that sense, her powers and duties are representational.
Q. Is Ireland a part of the United Kingdom?
The island of Ireland is divided into two parts. The first is the Republic of Ireland, a sovereign country independent of the UK. Conversely, there is Northern Ireland which is a part of the UK.
Q. What are the customs and etiquette of the UK?
Ans. Asking someone directly about their income, status, weight, or age is frequently regarded as rude. It is considered impolite to spit in public. Always wait in queue for your turn if something has a queue. Never shout or wave at a waiter or other service staff member.
Q. What is UK famous for?
Ans. The United Kingdom is renowned worldwide for its sports and literature. The United Kingdom gave birth to the sports of football, rugby, cricket, boxing, and golf. Notable writers from the United Kingdom include Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and William Shakespeare.
Q. What religions are in the UK?
Ans. Considering that British society is among the most secularised in the world, it is important to note that the majority of Britons hold the following religious beliefs: agnosticism, nontheism, atheism, secular humanism, and non-affiliation, according to numerous polls measuring population religious beliefs. Christianity supplanted earlier Romano-British religions, such as Celtic and Anglo-Saxon paganism, and ruled for more than 1,400 years. The state church of England, which has the most population among its members, is the Church of England.
Q. What is the national food of the UK?
Ans. For good reason—in addition to being the most beloved—chicken tikka masala has become a quintessential British national cuisine, symbolising the country’s ability to assimilate and modify other influences.
Q. Which sport is famous in the UK?
Ans. The most popular sports are association football, rugby, cricket, and tennis. During the nineteenth century, several modern sports, including football, hockey, cricket, rugby union, rugby league, bandy, squash, tennis and badminton, were codified in England.
Q. Why is Indian food the national dish of the UK?
Ans. Curry is an Indian cuisine that has been tailored to British tastes, but it’s so popular that it brings in almost £5 billion a year for the British economy. So it should come as no surprise when Robin Cook, the British foreign secretary, called chicken tikka masala a “true British national dish” in 2001.
Q. Is there a national drink of the UK?
Ans. There isn’t an official national beverage in the United Kingdom. But tea is frequently regarded as England’s national beverage. Another popular beverage in the UK is gin and tonic, which some people claim to be England’s national beverage. It’s important to remember that the UK has a long history of producing alcoholic drinks, such as wine, whisky, beer, and ale.
Q. How popular is cricket in the UK?
Ans. With an average of 505,000 monthly searches, cricket is the second most popular sport in the UK, only surpassed by football. An estimated 181,000 people play cricket at least twice a month, and 65% of people watch cricket in some capacity, according to an Active Sport England 2020–2021 poll. The popularity of the sport is indicated by the fact that Stockport and Cardiff have the highest and lowest proportions of searches for the keyword “Cricket Bat” relative to population sizes.
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