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British Common Sense
Надежда Никифоровна Рогожина, проректор по международным программам, зав. кафедрой лингвистики и межъязыковой коммуникации Самарского муниципального университета Наяновой, кандидат педагогических наук, доцент.
Директор негосударственного учреждения дополнительного образования “World Class-Samara”.
Dear Reader,
I am going to share with you my impressions of a book I read quite recently. I bought it during my stay in England in January this year after seeing a copy at my friend’s. It deals with something quintessentially1 British, that is ‘common sense’. What is it? Al Murray, the pub owner, TV personality and author of the book ‘The Pub Landlord’s book of British Common Sense’ gives a definition: “It’s the sixth sense, the others being: hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and touching.”* The book is lavishly illustrated with photos and pictures, full of humour (English, of course!) and easy to read. There are funny quizzes dealing with British history and way of life. This book could be written only by a Briton, no foreigner would be able to show the essence2 of the nation’s character. The book might be a good present for any of your friends who know a thing or two about the British character … and love it. I must say I enjoyed the book; it touches upon a great variety of topics as a glance at some chapter headings will show:
- Have You Got British Thinking?
- The Common Sense Jukebox.
- Why The Magna Carta Still Matters.
- The British Character Traits That What Which (sic) Have Made Us Great (this chapter includes paragraphs on ‘BRITISH FAIR PLAY’; ‘MUSTN’T GRUMBLE’; ‘REVOLUTION? NO, THANKS’; ‘DISTINGUISHED OLD AGE’; ‘THE GREAT BRITISH SENSE OF HUMOUR’; and ‘EVERYONE THINKS IN ENGLISH’.)
As the back cover so aptly3 states:
“This book has been lovingly compiled by one of the country’s leading thinkers and drinkers – Al Murray, the Pub Landlord – as well as including a few thoughts tossed4 in by his regulars5. Together they speak for generations of down-to-earth6, normal, hard working, honest, sensible, normal, law abiding7, tax paying (ish), normal, hard working, honourable, decent8, reasonable people. British people. Who don’t want to pay their speeding fines9.” (All the repetitions are by the author!)
Nadezhda
*Al Murray: ‘Pub Landlords’ Book of British Common Sense’, London: Hodder and Stoughton, 2007, p.2.
1 quintessentially – наиболее типично
2 essence – сущность
3 aptly – к месту
4 to toss in – добавить, подкинуть
5 regular – завсегдатай
6 down-to-earth – практичный
7 law abiding – законопослушный
8 decent – пристойный
9 speeding fine – штраф за превышение скорости
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