(Please scroll down for English below)
大英帝國分成四個區：英格蘭、威爾斯、蘇格蘭、北愛爾蘭。
其中英格蘭又可以分為四區：Southern England, Northern England, the Midland, East Anglia.
大部分的外國人都怎麼認識英國的呢？好萊屋電影。好萊屋的電影裡永遠只有南部腔 (特別是倫敦腔)、有時後有蘇格蘭腔、偶爾有愛爾蘭腔 (因為美國有很多蘇格蘭和愛爾蘭移民)。有一次討論到外國人很難聽懂北方腔，一個從利物浦來的朋友就說：「在美國電影營造出來的英國裡，北英格蘭是不存在的。」
這其實是非常不公平的，尤其待了這麼久，雖然嘴巴上常常說我想去別的地方玩，但這裡已經被我當成第二個家鄉了。每次跟親友說我在英國讀書，很少人知道里茲在哪裡，約客夏？這不是一種狗嗎？不，這是一個郡 (類似於縣的單位)。
英國的刻板印象是「冷漠、冷靜、說話講求禮節」，想當然爾這其實比較適用於南英格蘭。北英格蘭的性格比較「熱情、有人情味、直話直說」。
台灣有南北情節，英格蘭也有，只是跟台灣南北相反。南方人笑北方人是「北猴子 Northern Monkeys」沒氣質，北方人笑南方人是「南仙子 Southern Fairies」裝上流。
如前文所說，約克夏已經是我第二家鄉了，這不只是因為讀書待久了的關係，更是因為我很認同約克夏人的性格，久而久之就與這個地區發展出了歸屬感。
我們系有一門課是討論英文與英國文化，有一次討論到不同的口音，英文腔大致可以分成四種等級：
最高級的是女王腔，也就是皇室跟上流社會用的英文；
第二級是倫敦腔、愛丁堡腔等比較被認可是「受過良好教育」的英文腔、
第三級是曼徹斯特、約克夏等區；
第四級是利物浦、伯明罕、紐卡索、格拉斯哥等地。
有個台灣同學分享說，他看過一場表演，主持人說了一個笑話：「一個亞洲家庭把小孩送來學英文，你知道他是去哪裡的語言學校嗎？利物浦！」他當時聽不懂笑點在哪，但現場觀眾全都笑翻了！
由此可見，約克夏腔並不是很上等的英文，但也不是最慘的。約克夏的刻板印象是「誠實、可靠、節儉摳門」，所以其他地區的人其實對他們還滿有好感的。(「真愛挑日子 (One Day) 裡由安‧海瑟威飾演的女主角艾瑪 (Emma) 就是約克夏里茲人」
約克夏，赫德菲的賽門哥哥超級以家鄉為榮的！他跟他的女朋友凱莉都很照顧我們，不僅邀我們去家裡參加派對很多次，還帶我們去很多私房景點玩。最貼心的是，在派對裡大家講話都很快，而且每個人講話都有各地的口音，我跟另一個台灣女孩妞妞一開始真的參與不了話題，賽門跟凱利就會過來關心我們，你們還好嗎？玩的開心嗎？然後介紹他們的朋友們給我們認識，讓我們漸漸地成為他們的一份子。
賽門總是很有耐心的跟我解釋他們的文化，他教了我三句老人家常說的諺語來說明約克夏精神：
Honest as the day is long
我問他說，是不是「日子有多長，人就應該多誠實」的意思，他就解釋說這句話形容非常非常誠實的人，不要去鑽白晝有多長的問題，就算英國冬天晝短夜長，約克夏人還是要保持誠實的精神！
所以我覺得最適當的中文應是「和日升日落一樣誠實可靠」
Call a spade a spade
直話直說。
我問他，鏟子不說鏟子要說什麼？他就說他也不知道，反正這句話的意思就是要講實話，就算講實話不好聽。他猜測有可能是因為鏟子在日常生活中的樸實角色，所以才會發展成這句諺語。
Don’t beat around the bush
不要在樹叢旁邊打架→不要廢話，說重點！
約克夏人說話到底有多直呢？
先給個英國人說話委婉的範例：老師改完學生的作業之後，通常都會約時間一對一檢討，老師的評語常常是這樣：「你寫的很好耶，我很欣賞你的文章，說真的我真的很喜歡，『但是』…」重點都在 But 之後，前面那幾句聽聽就好。
可是有一次賽門和凱莉帶我們出去玩，我特別做了香蕉蛋糕，殊不知那次的蛋糕不爭氣，賽門吃了跟我說：「對不起，但我真的不喜歡。」凱莉一聽擔心我會受傷，馬上說：「我覺得很好吃阿，我很喜歡！」
但我一點都不介意賽門說實話，他至少還是很給面子吃完了一塊蛋糕，沒有浪費食物，而且我自己也吃得出來那次做得不好。
至於省錢節儉這一點，約克夏賽門哥哥凱利姐姐都非常節儉，凱莉就說：「我喜歡挑便宜的東西買，就算品質會差一點也沒關係。」
這是我最愛里茲的一點！里茲市中心類似「大創」的店，至少就有五六間，例如：一鎊店、99p店，都是所有東西單一價台幣47。而食材也可以到傳統市場 (里茲傳統市場超美的！)、蔬果店、肉舖裡買，絕對比超市買划算 (也更能掌握新鮮度)！
有一次跟朋友認真算起來，如果一個星期不上館子吃飯、不買奢侈品，住宿、交通費除外，一周零用錢大約30鎊 (台幣1400) 就綽綽有餘了。
省錢的方式有千萬種，也不一定要委屈自己，只要多花一點心思時間，就能用小小的錢換來大大的幸福！
南部人怎麼看約克夏呢？
一個從薩里，溫布頓的朋友畢業回南部前請我喝咖啡敘舊。阿姨煮咖啡時順便跟他聊了兩句，他買好咖啡端過來給我，我說：「我喜歡看你跟咖啡店的女士聊天的樣子，這種感覺很棒。」
他就說：「真的，這是非常北部的文化，我回去後一定會想念這裡。」
我就說：「南部人是不會聊天嗎？」
他就說：「不太會，尤其是倫敦人更冷漠。」
約克夏人真的很溫暖，等公車、買咖啡、買菜挑食材、人們很容易就會聊上兩句。有一次宿舍換窗簾零件，那個阿伯就跟我聊起天來，問我讀什麼系、在英國適應得如何、還介紹附近的景點給我。
我非常喜歡逛傳統市場，跟當地肉販和糕餅店買東西。有些人怕市場的東西不衛生，但我喜愛市場的溫暖勝過冷冰冰的超市。有些肉販跟我熟到都知道我要買什麼部位的肉了，甚至會教我如何料理！有一次我去的時候排骨已經賣完了，肉販阿伯大聲的說：「你太晚來了啦！剛剛有一個華人一口氣買光了！你們華人怎麼這麼愛用排骨啊？」我就說：「排骨可以做很多料理耶，我都拿來熬湯。」他立刻介紹我買豬大骨，更便宜而且熬起湯更濃郁！
我每天搭公車，下車時都會跟司機說謝謝。雖然我不記得他們的臉，但很多司機都會記得乘客的臉。有一次買完菜提著兩三大袋食物，上車手忙腳亂要找車票時，司機居然說：「我記得你啦，快點上車！」那個當下雖然一個人手提重物很累，但是心是暖暖的。
很多人出國後，一方面有文化衝擊、再來是害怕語言隔閡，就覺得融入當地是很遙不可及的事情，最後幾乎都跟同語系的人生活在一起。同語系的人互相照顧是比較有安全感，也有家鄉的味道，但說穿了，又何必大老遠出國呢？
我並不是故意「吃西餐」，而是剛好我遇到的西方人朋友大部分都非常好相處，跟他們在一起讓我非常自在。久而久之我慢慢融入他們，漸漸忘記自己是外國人的身分，他們也不一定會再把我當外國人看待，膚色的差異在人們變熟之後就似乎變得毫無意義，而語言的隔閡呢... 我不是英文老師，寫這些的意義並不是在於勸導大家努力學英文，而是想分享我的體認：如果因為怕英文不好而不敢融入當地，那來英國意義為何？我也不是一開始就聽得懂每個人的英文 (我每個禮拜都在適應新朋友的英文)，但如果你因為害怕而把英文擋在耳外、裹足不前，就永遠不會進步。只要勇敢跨出第一步，就會發現一切沒有想像中的難。
我一直相信，就算膚色不同、語言不同，人的本質還是一樣的。我喜歡比較不同文化之間的差異，但更喜歡尋找被人們忽略的相似點。我相信跨文化研究的意義不是在於分化彼此，而是拉近距離。
這就是為什麼我願意在這裡多留一陣子，因為我認同這裡的很多事情。(當然，不是照單全收)
我是台灣人，但我也培養出了自己的約克夏精神！
The United Kingdom consists of four regions: England, Wales, Scotland, and the North Ireland. Within the region England, there are three areas, Southern England, Midlands, Northern England, and the East Anglia.
How do most of the foreigners get the understanding toward Britain? Hollywood films. When there are British characters in the film, they always speak in southern English accent (especially London accent). There could be some with Scottish accent or Irish accent, but very occasionally (because a large population in US are immigrants from the two regions). We once discussed that lots of foreigners have problems understanding the Northern accent. A friend who is from Liverpool said, “In the British idea sculpted by American films, the Northern England does not exist.”
This is very unfair. Though I always complain that this is such a boring place, I want to get out of here… But the truth is, I’ve already viewed Leeds as my second hometown. Sad thing is that not much Taiwanese friends or relatives of mine know where Leeds is. “Yorkshire? Isn’t it a type of dog?” Nope, it’s a ‘shire’, a county.
The common English stereotypes are cold, calm, and polite. These characters mainly apply to Southern England. The Northern people are friendly, have time for other people, speak more straight-forward, whilst the Southern people tend to keep themselves isolated and distant.
Taiwan has the North-and-South complex, and so does England (but the direction is in contrast). Southern English people call the Northerns as the ‘Northern Monkeys’, and the Northern people call people from the South as the ‘Southern Fairies’.
As mentioned before, Yorkshire is my second home now. This is not only because I have been studying in here for a while, but more importantly, I appreciate the Yorkshire moral, and therefore develop a sense of belonging with the place.
One of our course’ core modules is English for International Communication. We discussed some English accent’s varieties. English accents can be classified into four levels:
1. The Queen English, used by royal family and upper class people.
2. London accent, Edinburgh accent, etc. These are considered more as ‘educated’ English.
3. Manchester (Mancunian), Yorkshire, etc.
4 . Liverpool (Scouse), Birmingham (Brummie), Newcastle, Glasgow, etc.
A Taiwanese friend said that she has been to a show and the host told a joke, “An Asian family send their child here to learn English. Do you know where the language school is? Liverpool!” She couldn’t get it, but all the other audience burst out laughing!
Well apparently, Yorkshire English is not very posh, but not too bad, neither. The Yorkshire stereotypes are honest, trust-worthy, and good at money (or stingy). I believe they are quite welcome in other regions in the country. (Emma in the novel and film <One Day> (played by Anne Hathaway) is from Leeds, Yorkshire.)
Simon who is from Huddersfield is very proud of his Yorkshire background. He and his girlfriend, Kelly, are both very kind to us. They invited us to their home party several times, and even took us to travel in some local spots. Their consideration can been found in lots of small details. For instance, me and another Taiwanese girl, Michelle, did have problem understanding people’s English in the party as they spoke very fast with very strong accents from different areas. When we couldn’t get involved to their topic so just sit by the side, he and Kelly would come to us and ask, “Are you ok? Do you enjoy the party?” They also introduced their friends to us, and so we gradually became a part of them.
Simon is always very patient in explaining their culture to me. He taught me three old sayings to demonstrate the meaning of Yorkshire spirit:
Honest as the day is long
This is to describe someone who is very honest. Don’t think too much about how long is the day time. I believe Yorkshire people do behave honestly even when day time is shorter in winter!
I think the most suitable way to express this in Chinese is ‘to be as reliable as the sun rises and sets.’
Call a spade a spade
This means to tell the truth even if it sounds rude or unpleasant.
Don’t beat around the bush
Don’t go around the irrelevant things. Just go straight to the point!
So, how straight-forward are Yorkshire people?
First of all, here is an example of English polite speaking: Usually tutors would arrange individual meetings to give students feedback. The feedback is usually like this, “Well done! This is really nice. I actually really like your writing. BUT…” The point is always after the ‘BUT’, don’t be too serious about the praising before that.
However, once when Simon and his girl friend Kelly took us out for a trip, I made some banana cake there. Simon tasted some, and then told me, “Sorry Nathalie, but I really don’t like it.” Kelly might be a bit worry about my feeling so she said, “I like it. I think it’s very nice.”
I don’t mind him telling the true feeling at all. At least he finished the portion without wasting the food. Plus even myself could tell the cake wasn’t very successful.
In terms of keeping money, Simon and Kelly are both very frugal. Kelly said, “I like to buy cheap stuffs even I know their quality is not so good.”
This is indeed my favourite point of Leeds! Leeds has got a lot of cheap shops. For instance, Poundland, 99p shop, etc. I seriously believe that Leeds City Market is the most beautiful market in the universe. Buying cooking material from markets, local vegetable shops, and local butchers is the best way to save money. (Not to mention vegetable from the supermarket is not vegetable, they are plastic…) I love buying meat from butchers! They even teach me methods of cooking the meat! Another proof that some English people do care about food!
I calculated our living expenses with my friend. We came to a conclusion that if we don’t go to restaurants, don’t buy pricy stuffs, apart from living and transportation costs, about 30 pounds a week can support living here quite well.
There are thousands of ways of saving budget. No need to sacrifice the living quality, but just spend some time and energy to do some research, then even a small amount of money can give you a great happiness!
And how do Southern people view Yorkshire people?
A friend from Wimbledon, Surrey had a coffee and catch up with me before finishing his degree and going back to the South. He got the coffee and had a small chat with the lady there. I told him, “I like the way you chat with the lady in the coffee shop, it was very nice.”
He said, “Yeah, this is a very Northern thing. Ah, I’m gonna miss here.”
I said, “What? Don’t people chat with each other in the South?”
“Not really. Especially in London.”
Yorkshire people are very warm. People chat with each other easily no matter when they are waiting for the bus, buying coffee, or shopping for grocery.
I love shopping in markets, buying food from local butchers and bakeries. Some people worry about the hygiene there, but I prefer the warmth in the market than the cold supermarket. Some butchers know me so well that they remember what kind of meat I usually take. Some even teach me how to cook! Once when I went there for pork ribs, the butcher exclaimed loudly, “You are late! A Chinese man just came and took all the pork ribs away. You Chinese really like pork ribs!” I said, “Pork ribs are very useful! I usually use them to cook soup.” He then introduced me another kind of pork bones which are cheaper than the ribs and taste even better in the soup!
I travel by bus every day and always greet the driver. I don’t remember their faces, but a lot of drivers remember passengers’ faces. Once I get on the bus with two or three heavy bags of grocery, struggling to find my ticket. The driver said, “Oh, I remember you. Just get on the bus!” At that moment, my hands were aching but my heart was warmed.
Because of cultural shock and language barrier, a lot of people find getting into foreign society very difficult or even impossible. They end up spending most of the time with people from the same area, using the same language. Fair enough. It does bring more sense of security when you are with people speaking the same language, and it does make people feel more at home. But why bother to go abroad?
I’m not the kind of people who have the ‘white fantasy’. It’s just that I’m very lucky to have met some very easy-going Westerner friends. They make me feel very comfortable hanging out with them. As I getting more involved with them, I gradually forgot my position as a foreigner, and they sometimes forgot that I am a non-native English speaker. The colour difference means nothing after people become closer to each other. In term of language barrier… Well, I’m not an English teacher, my purpose of writing these are not to persuade people ‘go learn English!’ All I can say is: If you take your limited as the excuse of keeping a distance from local environment, what’s the point of coming to UK? I wasn’t able to understand every native speaker’s English; in fact, I am still learning to understand new friends’ different accents every week! If you block English out of your ears, close yourself in the comfort zone, you will never have any progress. Once you take the first step to face the challenge, you’ll find it not that difficult.
I always believe that despite of the colour and language difference, the essence of human beings is the same. I enjoy comparing the cultural differences, but more importantly, I love to find out similarities that are often ignored by people. I believe that the meaning of intercultural studies is not to divide people into groups, but to fill the gap between each other.
This is why I am willing to stay here a bit longer, because I agree with a lot of the things here. (But not everything)
I am a Taiwanese, but I also developed my own Yorkshire Moral!
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