(Seen on a high street in Oxford, England)

Two stereotypes, that is.

Now, there have been books and papers and articles on the subject of stereotypes, how prevalent they are, how dangerous they may be, etc, etc. So maybe a better term, suggested by anthropologist Kate Fox, is “defining characteristics”. In her wonderful book “Watching the English” she writes about humour, which, she says, is the English “default mode”. We can’t even switch it off (and for the benefit of my non-English friends – I’ve tried, honest I have).

She writes about pets, too: “it is often said that we treat them like people, but this is not true. Have you seen how we treat people? It would be unthinkable to be so cold and unfriendly to an animal”. (By the way, just in case you’re wondering, she does go on to say that she is exaggerating – a bit. Now is that her English humour, or…?)

Postscript: (For information – after a mild winter so far, it has today turned icy). After finishing this post, your intrepid Travelling Frog, wrapped up in scarf and hat and warm coat, ventured out to the shops. And heard the following conversation:

Customer: “It’s so cold today”

Assistant: “Yes, isn’t it.  There’s a calculated vindictiveness about the English weather”

Customer: “There is. Perhaps we should talk about something else”

Assistant: “But we’re English! That’s what we do. We talk about the weather”

Stereotype number three?!

* an entertaining read as well as hugely informative