Were there baths in Europe? How they washed in medieval Europe
15/05/10
Stupid people, not from the whole world. I was only in England for one day. Did not like. At customs we were bogged down with stupid questions. The seller could not count out the correct change for a can of beer. A worker on a ferry across the English Channel, instead of allowing cars to pass in order, began to let them in at random, which caused a traffic jam and a delay of an hour and a half. And in general they have the most stupid economic approach. The only country where domestic goods are more expensive than imports. You drive along an English motorway and see some foreign trucks that have more than local cars (i.e., imports just keep coming down). Why then should their economy be normal? If only they boasted of their English quality brands. The standard of living is no higher than Italian, and prices are Swiss. Another interesting case. Somehow two English pilots armed the Toronado to the teeth and began doing aerobatic maneuvers with such a heavy machine! The plane crashed like an axe, both were dead. They would also have an Airbus or a 747... In general, a stupid nation, nothing worse!
Danatarik, 19/09/10
I lived in London and communicated very closely with some of them. I agree with everyone about the reasons for hatred. They are closet racists. Eat smart people. But their whole mind is again through the prism of imperialist thinking of superiority. By the way, compared to the British, ordinary Americans are children. But the British have this diagnosis. Just the same, they will be interested in foreign culture and even admire it from the outside, but only in order to once again prove to themselves within themselves the superiority of the Anglo-Saxons over everyone else. I am convinced that all the evil that we have comes from Anglo-Saxon men. If you dig deeply into modern society with all its ugliness, it is a product of Anglo-Saxon thinking, introducing its values over the centuries. As a citizen of Kazakhstan: I am glad that we were a colony of Russia. This is better than being a colony of Britain (and such a possibility actually existed in the 19th century) or even some unknown province of China.
AlexHorror, 29/09/10
They are cruel, smug assholes, onanists and masturbators, they tease everyone, but they themselves don’t know anything, their language is shit.
taco, 14/10/10
I’ve lived in England for a long time and am convinced that I don’t like them. Very hypocritical people, they will smile and pat you on the shoulder, but wash you down to the last bone behind your back. They love to gossip, about nothing at all. Insidious. (Their integrity and justice are greatly exaggerated) Sadists. I like it when someone else has problems (they never show it on the outside, God forbid, but inside they gloat) Very much good actors(the best in the world) and in life too. Untidy. They never admit their weaknesses. They consider everyone else in the world inferior to themselves, and nothing will convince them otherwise. Vile nation.
EugeniA, 17/08/11
London, of course, is a beautiful city, I don’t argue, but the English are a complete horror. It’s not for nothing that Englishwomen are recognized as the ugliest women. They don’t know how to dress at all. Perhaps I don’t understand something about fashion, but to dress THIS way. No, excuse me! What about the men? God forbid I have such a husband. They are very noisy. When they are sober they behave decently, but it’s worth drinking one glass... and even then I like our drunks better. And they pester everyone. In general, I don’t like them. Of course there are exceptions, but I didn’t like the overall mass.
oromoo, 05/11/11
I hate that they took part in the bombing of Belgrade.
Oliya, 26/11/11
I had never thought about this nation and country at all until I had to encounter these people in my life. This is a nightmare!!! They do not have any principles, they correctly put an example from wartime above, they are ill-mannered and uneducated for the most part, they often wear unironed clothes, they are sloppy, arrogant, pathological liars (they are not afraid to say that they will not come to a meeting because someone one of the relatives allegedly died). They come to our country for no apparent reason, while praising their England. So why don't you live there? Very greedy, but greedy for other people's money! Our naive girls are being used. they only want money! Not even sex =) In this they are complete zeros =) (I've heard a lot, but haven't checked =)). Gentlemen?! This is definitely not about them. They actually hate all nations except their own. English jokes.....I won't say anything about this idiocy. I have no idea how such people were born. So that we appreciate each other more, probably!)) We need to ban the import of British people into Russia! =)
Lollipop, 13/12/11
When people in England talk about Russia, and not only in England, but also in America, and I Japan, among the simple people get a dull expression on their faces, as if they don’t know or feel anything good about Russia, but their upbringing doesn’t allow it, they won’t say it ordinary people in your face, you redneck, terrible Soviet, Putin, KGB)... I hate the Anglo-Saxons, I hate them with all my soul and heart, because I love my homeland and country, and England has always been, is and will be the enemy of my country. All wars , nasty things, death, everything was at the suggestion of the British and America. It may be good for them to live in their way of life, but it’s theirs way of life, and not ours, why bother having a tea party with people who don’t understand the word Russian, don’t respect it. I don’t need Mary Poppins, nor fogs, nor London, and especially the English flag on a T-shirt! And I’m generally silent about the fact that Queen is their drug fighter)
chigasovo, 27/07/12
Freaks, constantly smiling. I am for the destruction of them and the Americans. Fat bastards!
corsair12, 22/08/12
I believe that if you decide to live in this country, you need to count how many friends you have made here, and what you have achieved here. I believe that it is practically impossible to achieve either one or the other here. It can be achieved, but not in easy ways. In my case this is true. I didn’t have any friends for as long as I lived here, when there were a lot of friends at home. Secondly, since you are from another country, of course they should treat you well. For the first few years I went to school, I didn’t really get to know anyone, maybe because I studied with emigrants, but it seems like at home, even if you’re from a different class or group, you’ll still get to know someone. In England, no one will touch you or notice you, which basically says that you need to say and do everything yourself.
corsair12, 22/08/12
I think that this is a great strange thing, but in my case and with my experience, I think that I just lost time here. It all depends on the person. If you were brought up very well in another country, and are used to the fact that everyone around you pays attention to you, are used to attention and interesting things, then of course it will be difficult for you in England. You need to get to know someone, but at a much older age this is probably not possible. You won’t find a girl here, you might run into problems, you might get beaten, which is demonstrated by the emigrant factor. It is unlikely that in Europe they will beat a white man because he is an emigrant, but in England it is possible. Of course, in our countries everything is much worse, but if I take my personal experience, it’s better not to come here at all, because if you come, your life and all your fantasies will be destroyed. But of course, as a country, it is very great, it protects the rights of people, there are a lot of good things here, but in general it is just loneliness.
corsair12, 22/08/12
Here you need to understand them and live according to them, but if this does not suit you, then it will be difficult for you. In general, it all depends on your education, if you are a super person. then it’s better not to come here, it probably won’t be easy for our people here. Plus partnership business, it’s impossible to conduct business here. They only think they are correct.
I hate England, 23/08/12
I am sure that 90% of those who wrote in the left column have never been to England. I lived in it for 1.5 years and can’t wait to leave. The British are vile, cowardly, envious, greedy, deceitful people with a huge, simply cyclopean conceit. English men are tattooed savages, and women are simply terrible. Vulgar, rude, masculine creatures
For a reason, 09/09/12
I think everyone who has ever lived among the British for more than a couple of months, say 2 - 3 years, would never in their life be classified in the green column. I think the green column is those who have never lived side by side with them for a long time, but only know them by hearsay. They are so obsessed with their traditions and snobby that anyone who doesn't send Christmas cards to strangers is an aberration to them. Who doesn’t “sorry” / “thank you” at every step, where it is not needed - deviation. And their separate taps for cold and hot water- it sucks. All their museums are nothing more than plundered goods from their former colonies: India and the Caribbean islands, etc. They don’t wash their hands before eating, which is incredibly surprising to all visitors. Only there you can see a man sobbing, for no particular reason. And the other extreme of their men are headless fans who do not hesitate to use their force on women, you can even see this on the street!
For a reason, 09/09/12
The British are rarely wholeheartedly tolerant of the mentality and concepts of other people. Ultimately, “narrow-mindedness” begins to prevail among them, and it manifests itself more vehemently over time, so at first they study you and, out of politeness, pretend to be good. This is the nation that will never openly say what exactly they don’t like about you, they will smile in your face, and make fun of you with their locals. The Germans are better in this regard, at least they don’t beat around the bush, they will immediately say what they think about this or that matter. They believe that their English language"which has become so widespread by chance, gives them the right to forget about all other nations and languages. This is, as a rule, only nation in Europe, which knows nothing except its language, the rest know at least 2-3.
For a reason, 09/09/12
In addition, they are boring and can tell the same stupid story a thousand times when they meet another acquaintance. Not in any European country You won’t find as many, excuse me, “vomit-filled” paths as there are in England; you’ll already be walking on Monday morning and the sight will make you feel bad. That's because on "Friday night" their girls get drunk until they're blue in the face, and then stand in the corner and burp, their weak stomachs can't stand it. And then, in the cold February evening, they are so drunk that their girls walk around in their cleavage, trying to drag passing boys to a “one night stand.” And with all this, they still think that they are better than other nations, and this comes across very clearly when talking with them. I saw many times how a girl and a guy stood on the street and shouted all the known swear words to each other, without being embarrassed by passers-by or anyone else. Many girls, themselves still young and not 17 years old, but they go with 3-4 year old children and rudely argue with others.
For a reason, 09/09/12
Well, to catch up, this is a nation that, let’s say, has “not gone far” in its moral image, it doesn’t have its own culture, and if there is anything worthwhile, it’s all borrowed from the colonies and neighboring countries. And even their language itself is English, which is 80% a mixture of French + German + Old Scandinavian, etc. Well, as you know, the less moral character and adequacy, the more arrogance, which is what they boast about. Of all European peoples I respect them the least for all the reasons listed. Who thinks the same or wants to know more about them, many of personal experience I can tell you, write in person.
alxme, 15/10/12
This great nation. No one else was able to get as much as they did with so little. Although no, there was another country, but not about it now. The greatness of gb is based on the willingness to sacrifice everything for the sake of victory. They don't give a damn about morality, suffering and hunger. To freedom and honor. On faith and truth. For the sake of their success in that cruel world in which they received neither honor nor truth nor freedom. And without pathos. No one has ever managed to quarrel continental powers so deftly and gracefully. Pimple is the ruler of half the world. Genocide is their middle name.
alxme, 15/10/12
I forgot to write about lies. Who are the biggest liars in the whole world? You guessed it. Where would they be without their savior? Such mass washing of heads and minds is difficult to imagine. Who would have thought that so many Russians would love the British after all their deeds? This is what the world's life-giving media do! Every family here has lost at least one family member because of the British and their redistribution of the world with their American brothers. Hitler Jugent is a copy of the Scouts. Hitler - man of the year in gb 1938. Hindus - do you love the British too? Boers? Irish? Scots? Caps and top hats? - screw you! Rack and hunger! But smart.
Scientists argue about the existence of national characters, but we, ordinary people, are convinced that they do exist, and we even know what they are like for each specific nation. Who is right? "The truth is out there somewhere," as they said in " The X-Files". The first thing that comes to mind when it comes to the national character of a particular people is really a set of stereotypes associated with this people. These stereotypical ideas about other peoples and other cultures prepare for a collision with a foreign culture, weaken the impact, reduce culture shock.
The most popular source of stereotypical ideas about national characters are the so-called international jokes, that is, jokes built on a template plot: representatives different nationalities, having found themselves in the same situation, react to it differently, in accordance with those traits of their national character that are attributed to them in the homeland of the joke. (I must admit that since childhood I loved this series of jokes and diligently memorized them. Therefore, now I am happy to present them here this article, taken from http://www.imc-iris.com/readarticle.php?article_id=78, where I came across some jokes that have long been familiar, although told a little differently)
Thus, in Russian international jokes, the British are usually emphatically punctual, taciturn, pragmatic, reserved, love cigars, whiskey, horse riding, etc. The Germans are practical, disciplined, organized, obsessed with order and therefore limited. The French are frivolous revelers, epicureans who think only about women, wine and gastronomic pleasures. Americans are rich, generous, self-confident, pragmatic, famous for their good expensive cars. 
Russians are reckless guys, unpretentious, alcoholics, fighters, open-minded, uncouth, love vodka and fights. In Russian international jokes, they all behave according to these stereotypes.
Here is the simplest joke of this kind: how people of different nationalities behave if they find a fly in a mug of beer. The German (practical) throws away the fly and drinks beer. The Frenchman (sentimental) takes out a fly, blows on it, spreads its wings - and does not drink beer. The Russian (unpretentious and fond of drinking) drinks beer without noticing the fly. The American (confident of his rights) calls the waiter, causes a scandal and demands another mug. A Chinese man (Chinese cuisine includes the most unexpected dishes) takes out a fly, drinks beer and eats the fly. The (mercantile) Jew drinks beer and sells a fly to the Chinese.
Another example. The UN commission decided to test different nations for survival and, as an experiment, placed representatives of different nationalities - two men and one woman - on separate uninhabited islands. Ten years later, a commission went to inspect the islands. On an English island, two gentlemen were playing tennis. “Everything is fine with us, we are in good athletic shape, there are no problems,” they said. “And the lady? We don’t know anything about her, no one introduced us.” On the French island, cheerful Marie said: “This is Pierre, this is Jacques, everything is fine with us, all three of us are very happy.” On the Spanish island, Maria told the commission that on the second day of the experiment, Jose killed Juan, and since then they have lived very happily. There were two Russian islands: pre-revolutionary and post-revolutionary. On a pre-revolutionary Russian island, sad Olga reported that she had loved one, married another, and all three were deeply unhappy. On a post-revolutionary Russian island, two strong men were playing cards in a hut when the commission arrived. "We have everything in in perfect order, - said one of them. “We organized a collective farm: I am the chairman, he is the party organizer.” “Where is your lady?” the commission members asked. “The people? People in the field," was the answer. (Note in parentheses that this expression - people in the field - was included in colloquial like a saying.)
A widely circulated joke throughout the world about international competition on best book about elephants in Russian version looks like this: The Germans brought a multi-volume work “Introduction to the Description of the Life of Elephants” on a cart. The British brought a book bound in expensive leather, “The Ivory Trade.” The French presented the jury with an elegantly illustrated publication, “Love among Elephants.” The Americans published a thin pocket book "All About Elephants." The Russians wrote a thick monograph "Russia - the Homeland of Elephants." The Bulgarians offered a brochure "The Bulgarian Elephant - younger brother Russian elephant". In Norwegian version According to this anecdote, the Germans are submitting the book “150 Ways to Use Elephants for Military Purposes” for the competition, the French are submitting “ Sex life at the elephants", Americans - "The biggest elephant I have ever seen", Swedes - "Political and social organization Elephant Society", the Danes - "150 recipes for elephant dishes", the Norwegians - "Norway and we, Norwegians."
And the last example from large number this kind of joke. Scientists decided to conduct an experiment: which nation tolerates the cold better? Representatives of different nationalities could take whatever they wanted into the freezer, and when it became too much to endure, they had to knock on the door of the chamber to have it opened. The Frenchman said: "Give me a lot of wine and pretty women" and went into the freezer. Half an hour later, a faint knock was heard, and the Frenchman, shivering from the cold, left the cell. The Englishman decided to take with him a cigar, a bottle of whiskey and one woman who had good self-control. An hour later there was a knock and the half-frozen Englishman was pulled out of the cell. The Russian wished for a drinking buddy, a bucket of vodka, two pickles and went to the freezer. Three hours later, the alarmed scientists opened the door slightly, fearing an accident. A fist appeared from the chamber, striking the experimenter, and the words were heard: “Here are the pigs! And it’s so cold, and they’re still opening the door,” and the door slammed. 
Such jokes can be continued for a long time, but the main thing is clear - the stereotypes of national characters in them are quite obvious.
English jokes ridicule the greedy Scots and drunken Irish. European stereotypes are clearly visible in the following joke: “Paradise is where cooks are French, mechanics are German, policemen are British, lovers are Italian and it is all organized by the Swiss. Hell is where cooks are British, policemen are German, lovers are the Swiss, mechanics are French, and it is all organized by Italians Hell is where the cooks are English, the police are German, the lovers are Swiss, the mechanics are French, and everything is organized by Italians].”
The features of an exemplary European on a humorous postcard are based on contrast: he should be talkative, like a Finn; accessible like a Belgian; technically capable, like the Portuguese; generous like a Dutchman; patient, like an Austrian; timid, like a Spaniard; organized like a Greek; sober as an Irishman; famous as a Luxembourger; modest, like a Dane; reserved, like an Italian; he must drive like a Frenchman and cook like an Englishman.
The American joke about the nationality of Jesus Christ also clearly shows stereotypes of different cultures and ideas about different nationalities:
Three proofs that Jesus Christ was a Jew:
1. He continued his father's business.
2. He lived at home until he was 33 years old.
3. He was convinced that his mother was a virgin, and his mother was sure that he was God.
Three proofs that Jesus was Irish:
1. He never got married.
2. He never had a permanent job.
3. His last wish was to drink.
Three proofs that Jesus was Italian:
1. He spoke using gestures.
2. He drank wine at every meal.
3. He was engaged in carpentry.
Three proofs that Jesus was black:
1. He called everyone brothers.
2. He did not have a permanent place of residence.
3. Nobody hired him.
Three proofs that Jesus was Puerto Rican:
1. His name was Jesus. 
2. He was always in trouble with the law.
3. His mother did not know who his real father was.
Three proofs that Jesus was from California:
1. He never cut his hair.
2. He always walked barefoot.
3. He founded a new religion.
IN Lately Descriptions of real experiments began to appear in the press, caused by a fashionable passion for the problems of diversity of cultures and national characters. These experiments sometimes come close to the situations of international jokes, and sometimes leave them far behind.
Here is an example characterizing the features of national holidays: “The London Guardian talks about a series filmed by Channel 4 of British television documentaries about groups of vacationers from Germany, the USA, England and Japan who received vouchers to one of the boarding houses in Turkey. A hidden camera monitored their behavior in various situations.
For example, an actor who played the role of a bus driver on which tourists were supposed to go on an excursion got behind the wheel while drunk. The British, seeing this, refused to get on the bus. The Japanese remained unperturbed until the leader of their group pointed out to them a bottle of alcohol standing at the driver’s feet. The Germans began to worry that he might be fired from his job if they made a fuss.
During the excursions in which all four groups took part, the actor lit a cigarette, although smoking was prohibited on the bus. The British politely asked him to put out his cigarette. The Japanese, who did not want to disturb the harmony, chose to remain silent. The Germans first held a vote and only then expressed dissatisfaction, and the Americans began to smoke themselves.
At the bar, when the bartender left the bar, the actor began to take bottles of beer without paying. The British and Americans joyfully followed his example. The Germans did not steal beer, and the Japanese not only did not steal, but also reported what had happened to the boarding house administration.”
If you take national literatures Since these are the heroes of national literatures, what is first striking is their contrast with the stereotypical characters of international jokes. Indeed, frivolous Frenchmen who think about wine and women, at the level of their world-class classical literature, are represented by the dramatic heroes of Stendhal, Balzac, Hugo, Mérimée, Maupassant, Zola, solving complex human problems and having nothing in common with frivolous hero-lovers.
On the contrary, the prim and restrained to the point of absurdity, the English created from anecdotes a literature full of sparkling humor, irony, and sarcasm: the literature of Jonathan Swift, Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, Dickens, Thackeray. Shakespeare, finally, who has 22 comedies for every five tragedies. No other culture values humor so highly.
Drilled by order (Ordnung!) and self-discipline, the Germans gave the world the most tender and profound poetry of Goethe and Heine from international jokes.
Finally, the anecdotal hooligans and alcoholics - the Russians - made a precious contribution to the treasury of world literature: the works of Pushkin, Lermontov, Tolstoy, Turgenev, Chekhov, Dostoevsky. The heroes of these works, with their philosophical quests and subtle emotional experiences, are intellectuals among the characters of world classical literature (it is not for nothing that the word intelligentsia itself entered European languages from the Russian language).
So where is the Russian national character? In jokes or classical literature? Who is a typical Russian - a guy with a bucket of vodka in the freezer or Pierre Bezukhov?
Of course high literature is a reflection of the author’s subjective view, although it is based on deep observations, while an anecdote passed from mouth to mouth is a carrier of the national unconscious, and therefore a more truthful “we”.
Thus, international jokes, which are entirely based on stereotypical ideas about a particular people, do not so much reflect some of the most significant and typical features people, how many shape them both in the eyes of other peoples and in their own eyes. (How many Russians abroad drink vodka just to confirm the stereotypical Russianness expected of them).
The material was prepared based on the book: S. G. Ter-Minasova “Language and Intercultural Communication” Publisher: Slovo M. Year: 2000
I would be grateful if you continue the topic with anecdotes in the comments (but without insults!)
The unsurpassed restraint of the British is well characterized by the following anecdote:
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“In London, in his drawing room, an Englishman sits, smokes a pipe and reads the morning Times. Suddenly a wall collapses, and a Bentley, driven by another Englishman, drives into the living room, its brakes squealing. The owner of the house calmly looks at him, takes out the phone and asks:
“Can I ask where sir is going in such a hurry?”
- To Manchester, sir!
“In that case, sir, it would be closer to you through the kitchen...”
The British are laconic, that's a fact. After surviving an earthquake, miraculously escaping a terrible forest fire or being attacked by wild animals, it is very English to say: “I apologize for being late. I was detained on the way here." And do not add anything more, no details or details, which, however, no one expects.
Compliments in English.
Englishwomen complain that because of this manner of speaking, their husbands do not know how to give compliments (to pay complements), and even if a woman looks simply stunning in her new evening dress, her husband will mumble something like: “How cute you look today.”
If a European young man (resident of the continent - a continental youth) wants to confess his love to his sweetheart, he will kneel ( to kneel down) and will tell her that she is the most delightful, charming and most beautiful of all living and that he cannot live without her for a minute. For greater persuasiveness, he can shoot himself right there, without leaving the spot. This is a normal, everyday declaration of love in continental countries. In England, a young man will pat his beloved on the shoulder and say softly: “You know, I don’t object to you, you know.” If he's going crazy with passion, he might add, "Actually, I quite like you" (I rather fancy you, in fact).
Stereotype.
This is how the British seem to us after watching numerous films or reading masterpieces English classics. We simply cannot imagine anyone other than dry, prim sirs, with a polite, icy smile frozen on their lips. The Englishman is a caricature of restraint, stiffness, coldness and icy politeness, they say, their climate is such that they are poor, so they have to conform.
In reality, of course, this is not the case. Well, or not really. Behind the notorious English restraint lie quite understandable reasons for this behavior, and climate has nothing to do with it. “Restrained Englishmen” not only smile more often than Russians, but also at the level of verbal communication they often behave more emotionally and expressively. By the way, only the British themselves are allowed to criticize the British climate; foreigners cannot criticize the fogs and dampness of Albion - you will be branded a boor. ( a cad)
This is the ability to remain calm and equanimous under any circumstances (“ to keep stiff upper lip"). Restraint is not at all a consequence of a lack of emotionality, as it seems to many foreigners, but a desire to maintain a comfortable communication environment, and a reluctance to embarrass the interlocutor. Restraint is one of the dominant traits English style communication and is directly related to English politeness.
There is one more interesting feature- the British tend to criticize everything that relates to themselves, be it their home, work, appearance... At the same time, the interlocutor is expected to respond by dissuading the speaker and “sincerely” admiring what was just cursed. This is called "fishing for compliments" ( fishing for compliments).
We, Russians, of course, do not understand this specific “hypocrisy”; how can we, we exclaim, lie straight to your face and say something that is not what you think?! Well, in general, no one talks about us as a well-mannered and polite nation. Although, God knows, we should often bite our lips and remain silent when we are bursting with unexpressed emotions, right?
It's just politeness.
The hallmark of the British is considered to be the manifestation of refined manners, and in the end, this “primness” of theirs is the result of excellent upbringing and the ability to impeccably control oneself, know the rules of behavior in society, at the table, and also comply with the dress code, etc. They are not as impulsive as the French, less mobile and fussy than the Americans and, of course, are inferior in expression to the Germans. But they are distinguished by a subtle sense of the essence of things, diplomacy, prudence, some phlegmatism and, most importantly, intelligence.
How and what to praise.
Although in a number of situations, “cold and reserved Englishmen” demonstrate amazing emotionality and expressiveness in communication. For example, they often overestimate both the interlocutor and everything that is happening and observed, using for this a large number of different emotionally loaded lexemes: great, excellent, perfect, gorgeous, wonderful, brilliant, superb, fantastic, fabulous, marvelous, divine , ravishing, terrific, delighted, enjoyable, etc.:
How absolutely marvelous! (How absolutely wonderful!) (in a friend's garden)
That's fabulous. You must be thrilled (Fabulous. You should be delighted) (reaction to good news).
You're being extremely kind (You are extremely kind) (gratitude for minor help).
However, it should be borne in mind that the meaning conveyed by these adjectives in the process of communication does not always correspond to their lexical meaning and they should not be taken literally, since emotional condition the speaker, as well as a high assessment of the addressee’s actions and qualities, may not reflect true feelings and relationships, and this feature is difficult for us to understand.
Another example - to feel happy does not always express an emotional state, it can be an expression of attitude.
‘Don’t hesitate to get back in touch if you need me. I'll always be happy to see you.(doctor to patient leaving hospital)
Adjective happy corresponds to Russian glad, satisfied, satisfied. Accordingly, they must be interpreted this way:
I'll be happy to see you.- I'll be glad to see you. I'm happy with my cake. – I’m quite happy with my cake (I like my cake myself).
I am not happy with your behavior.- I'm unhappy with your behavior.
Meaning satisfied/dissatisfied adjectives happy / unhappy are used not only in colloquial, but also in official business speech:
We are happy with your draft contract(from business letter) – We are satisfied with your draft contract);
in political discourse ( President Putin is extremely unhappy about NATO missiles to be installed in Eastern Europe(BBC News) - President Putin is extremely dissatisfied with NATO plans to deploy missiles in eastern Europe);
V educational literature (Often we do this when we want to show that we are unhappy about it(about the peculiarities of using the tenses of the group Continuous) - We often do this when we want to show that we are unhappy with it).
This concerns conversational norms. IN modern society the British are influenced by new norms and standards of behavior, like residents of other countries, and if older generation Great Britain shows a cold-blooded self-control of character, while the young Englishmen are their complete opposite with their exalted temperament. Without any embarrassment or affectation, they hug and kiss in public, talk loudly to each other on the streets, excitedly gesticulating with their hands, lead a hectic lifestyle before the wedding, trying to have fun and travel for the next years to come.
But what is most important to you and me personally is that the British are quite sociable people, and they treat tourists more than kindly.))
Part of the article was kindly provided by Rara Avis - Business English.
It is difficult to imagine Russia without baths. Even today, when the fashion for saunas has spread, in almost every village courtyard or summer cottage There is a Russian bathhouse where you can give yourself a strong steam and heartily whip yourself with a fragrant broom.
The history of the Russian bath is ancient; the chronicler Nestor mentioned it. Naturally, almost all foreigners who visited Russia encountered a Russian bathhouse. As a rule, the Russian bathhouse made an indelible impression on them, and terrified many of them. And there was something to be afraid of - in the clouds of hot steam, flushed men and women whipped themselves with rods, and then threw themselves into the snow or an ice hole. From the outside it probably looked like sophisticated self-torture.
At the end of the 17th century, Hans Eirmann visited Russia in the retinue of the Swedish ambassador Count Christian Horn, who left notes about Muscovy. This is what struck him about Russian bath washing: “They don’t use, like us, a scraper to clean dirt from the body, but they have a so-called broom, it’s made of birch twigs that they dry. In the summer, while the brooms are still green, they are brought to cities on countless carts for sale; each owner buys them in large quantities and hangs them out to dry. With them, Muscovites allow themselves to be thoroughly whipped by others.
This broom is first soaked in warm water, which for noble people is boiled with good herbs, and then they stroke and rub themselves with it all over the body up and down until all the dirty tricks come off the skin. They do this so many times until they see that they are completely clean. At the same time, Muscovites have a particularly healthy habit of dousing themselves with ice water from head to toe in the bathhouse, and only after that are they ready.”
Z.I. Letunov. Russian baths
For civilized Europe, who preferred to clean dirt from herself with scrapers, mask the smell of an unwashed body with perfume, and hang flea traps under her clothes to fight insects, the Russian bathing procedures were amazing. The fact that Europeans had poor physical cleanliness is not an exaggeration. “Venetian women wore expensive silks and furs, flaunted jewelry, but did not wash, and their underwear was either terribly dirty or had none at all” - this is the testimony of the traveler Marco Polo. And the Spanish Queen Isabella of Castile stated that she washed herself twice in her entire life - at birth and before her wedding.
Foreigners were amazed that Russians even dragged them to the bathhouse, considering it almost an obligatory attribute of communication. Courlander Jacob Reitenfels, who visited Moscow almost simultaneously with Eirmann, wrote that “Russians consider it impossible to form friendship without inviting them to the bathhouse and then eating at the same table.”
F.S. Zhuravlev. Bachelorette party in the bathhouse
At the same time, in Moscow, the Czech traveler Bernhard Tanner and his companions decided to own initiative visit a public bath. It turned out to be an embarrassment. “According to our custom, we came covered, thinking that they wash here the same as in our area, but from the very first step we noticed the difference; The door, we saw, was open, the windows were not locked, but it was still very hot in the bathhouse. When the Muscovites saw us covered, and they were completely naked without any shame, they burst into laughter. There are no servants here, nor a bathhouse attendant or a barber; anyone who needed water had to go down to the river himself. We stayed there a little and left dry as we came, having looked at their way of washing; how they, instead of rubbing themselves, began to whip themselves with rods, scream, and roll around cold water. We saw that women wash themselves in the same way, and they also run naked back and forth without hesitation.”
By the way, foreigners unanimously noted that in a Russian bath either men and women wash together, or the sections for them are separated only by a small partition, and they all run out together without hesitation to plunge into the snow or into the river. For them it was truly exotic. In Russia, only in 1743, the Senate, by a special decree, prohibited men from washing together with women in commercial baths. The decree began to be observed, but only in major cities.
Foreigners were also quite surprised by the fact that Russian marital duties are associated with washing in a bathhouse. Before the wedding, the bride and groom always washed in the bathhouse, which was a continuation of a kind of “stag party” and “hen party,” and after the first wedding night they went to the bathhouse together. This custom was followed for a long time and Russian monarchs. Moreover, if on ordinary days the king “was pleased to sleep with the queen,” then in the morning they both went to the bathhouse, where they washed together or separately with their entourage. It is curious that based on this principle, the boyars immediately figured out that False Dmitry and his wife were clearly “not part of Rus'” and did not go to the bathhouse together.
To the credit of foreigners, many understood that the Russians were far ahead of them in matters of hygiene. Spaniard Ribero Sanchez former doctor at the court of Elizabeth Petrovna, he sincerely admired: “Everyone clearly sees how happy society would be if it had an easy, harmless and so effective way that it could not only preserve health, but also heal or tame diseases that so often happen. I, for my part, only have one Russian bath prepared properly, I consider capable of bringing such great good to a person. When I think about the multitude of medicines coming out of pharmacies and chemical laboratories, prepared by so many dependents, and brought from all over the world, then I wanted to see that half or three-quarters of them, buildings erected everywhere at great expense, would turn into Russian baths for the benefit of society.” .
E. Korneev. Russian bath. Engraving
He is echoed by the Cameroon Berholtz, who became acquainted with a Russian bathhouse in St. Petersburg. In his notes about Russia, he describes in detail a visit to the steam room and all the sauna rituals, noting that “at the end of all these operations you feel as if you were born again.”
It is worth noting that many foreigners took root in Russia, becoming practically Russian in their habits. Naturally, they also got used to the Russian bathhouse. TO 19th century Expensive, richly furnished bathhouses with good service and excellent buffets appeared in large cities. They quickly turned into a kind of clubs for wealthy people. In Moscow, the famous Sanduny became such a bathhouse-club, where all the cream of the Russian nobility visited and where foreigners began to go with pleasure.
Serebryakova Zinaida Evgenievn, Bathhouse. 1913
It is interesting that foreigners who lived in Russia for a long time began to build bathhouses upon their return to their homeland, which greatly amazed their compatriots. The Russian bathhouse “conquered” Germany especially quickly. “But we Germans,” wrote the German physician Max Ploten, “using this healing remedy, never even mention its name, rarely remember that we owe this step forward in cultural development to our eastern neighbor" Baths began to appear in other countries, and the Portuguese Antonio Sanches even published the book “Respectful Essays on Russian Baths.”
