[weirdnessandcoffee]

What does everyone think it means to be British? Is it culture, food, a passport or a mix?

Also, I'd like to know how many people think that being British means you have to be born in this country.

Thank you (It's for a project)

[Annoying-Mouse]

Being British means having a British passport. We have far too many people to generalize cultural attitudes as homogeneous.

[Carecup]

A passport, a decent knowledge of English and a deference to our laws.

[Benniboi1]

Being British means you start a conversation by moaning about the weather.

[plimsolls]

multeecuwlturelizem!!

[cl_steele]

Stiff upper lip and a good sense of humour
being born here helps to..

[Rainingshame]

A passport pretty much, other than that the idea of labeling it as anyone thing is what breeds xenophobia.

[This Honest]

Bangers and Mash

[TheHansa]

means you're not French

[fuzznbass]

The sharp sense of humour and appreciation of our culture

[ROYP]

Going to mosque and observing Ramadan of course

[DetectiveConan]

First of all, it's a subjective feeling. People choose to identify as British and that's the most important precondition.

Then, secondarily, you can mention:

Being born in the UK or being a resident of the UK.
Having a British education and/or having social ties with other people from the UK.

I think these are important but as I said, if you don't feel British then you're not British even if you have a British passport and a British education.

[lukas1051]

Complaining.

[Pindar]

A sense of superiority over other countries and cultures.

[TurboCretin]

I would hesitate to call someone British if they weren't born here, legal status notwithstanding.

[jstinson]

(Original post by Stefan1991)
A sense of superiority over other countries and cultures.

Doesn't every culture like to feel this way?

I agree with Conan, If you don't feel British you can't be British. Though I suppose it could be argued feeling British doesn't make you British.

I feel Canadian even if I've ended up living in the UK much longer, ie Canada 0-6 England from 6-18, it makes it a right pain going on holiday

[DragonHeartstring]

"No hugs! I'm British. We only show affection to dogs and horses."
- From 'What A Girl Wants', I think :P

In my opinion, to be classified British you should have been born here/lived here for X number of years/hold a British passport.
But! To truly feel British I think you have to like the culture and food too, whether it be Fish & Chips, ceilidhs, moaning about the weather, increase in prices, tea, scones, etc

[bloomblaze]

Being of British ancestry is a requirement. You can be British without being born in Britain to be British.

You could be born in China to two British parents, but that wouldnt make you Chinese.

On the other side of the coin, there are many people who are born in Britain but dont come from British ancestry.

[cgraham15]

You don't have to be born here to be British strictly. Example: My dad was born in Kenya to a British family, moved to South Africa when he was 2 and only moved here when he was 24. He grew up in SA and considers himself South African. He did everything that a teenager born in South Africa would do, therefore he is South African.
However (this is an invented example), say a family from Russia move to the UK. They have a kid who grows up in the UK, however the family is strict and the only culture which any of them grasp is the Russian culture, then they would not be British, because they aren't like the people here. Make sense? They wouldn't have been intergrated (I'm not saying you have to be 100% intergrated, but you get what I mean).
Of course you can say you're British if you're born here, but you're only really British if you're ancestory has been British for a substantial period of time or if you are British through your lifestyle etc.

[soempty]

To eat fish and chips.