Why do British people view themselves as being similar to Germans?

No because ethnically they're still Germanic.

I don't know what exactly is meant by ethnically but I guarantee genetically at least present day Britain is more similar to pre-dark age Britain than it is to present day Germany, as the number of migrants who came over to Britain during the Germanic migrations was miniscule compared to the pre-existing population.

Reply 21

yudothis

20

I have never heard anyone in Britain say that.

The only thing Brits seem to be mistaken about is that Germany cares about Britain, in particular in football. They regard us as the main rival, whereas we would consider the Netherlands or even Italy, who we only for the first time in 2014 beat in a competition.

We're cousins.

Well the two main connections are Protestantism and the fact that both languages are West Germanic; if you're familiar with the Lewis model, the two countries are also placed similarly there. However, Anglosphere countries are more similar to each other than any continental European country is similar to the UK, in my opinion.

Reply 24

markovchain17

19

Original post by yudothis

I have never heard anyone in Britain say that.

The only thing Brits seem to be mistaken about is that Germany cares about Britain, in particular in football. They regard us as the main rival, whereas we would consider the Netherlands or even Italy, who we only for the first time in 2014 beat in a competition.

I've heard the opposite, that Germany consider Netherlands they're main rivals

Edit: unless you're German and meant what I said anyway oops

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(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 25

Qwalk

5

Original post by markovchain17

I've heard the opposite, that Germany consider Netherlands they're main rivals

Edit: unless you're German and meant what I said anyway oops

Posted from TSR Mobile

Germany doesn't even think about the Dutch.
It's the French - British - German rivalry.

Reply 26

Plagioclase

21

I've never heard British people considering themselves as similar to Germans, because they're definitely not. The only particularly convincing links I can think of is that English is classified as a Germanic language, and the Royal Family is a branch of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, a German family.

Reply 27

yudothis

20

Original post by markovchain17

I've heard the opposite, that Germany consider Netherlands they're main rivals

Edit: unless you're German and meant what I said anyway oops

Posted from TSR Mobile

I am German and did say what you just said :wink:

Reply 28

yudothis

20

Original post by Qwalk

Germany doesn't even think about the Dutch.
It's the French - British - German rivalry.

If you are German this statement is weird af, if you are British it just proves the misconceptions Brits have.

Reply 29

JamesN88

20

Original post by Allemagne

After living in both countries, I can safely say that the two are completely different. This is in terms of food, culture, religion and tradition. The two just can't compare. Tbh if you consider that the whole of East Germany was communist for over 50 years and that the south of Germany is deeply Catholic, the differences are inevitable. I'd associate Germany more with being 'Central European' with neighbours such as Poland, Austria and the Czech Republic. Definitely more similarities between those countries than with Germany and the UK. Italy and France have more similarities with the German culture, especially if you visit Tyrol, Alsace and Bavaria.

I'd be interested to hear examples of this? I don't think I've ever heard a Brit say anything of the sort.

(Not including neo-Nazi fruitcakes)

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 30

Unknown-99

19

Because they like to drink beer.

Reply 31

Qwalk

5

Original post by yudothis

If you are German this statement is weird af, if you are British it just proves the misconceptions Brits have.

I'm talking about a geopolitical viewpoint. The Netherlands is just a German vassal state.

Reply 32

markovchain17

19

Original post by Qwalk

Germany doesn't even think about the Dutch.
It's the French - British - German rivalry.

Granted I've spoken to few Germans about it. Wikipedia goes into detail about it https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/England–Germany_football_rivalry#Media_and_public_reactions

Edit: I saw ur other post, I thought you were on about football sorry
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(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 33

JoshyWalker

6

Didn’t realise we did 😂

Reply 34

yudothis

20

Original post by Qwalk

I'm talking about a geopolitical viewpoint. The Netherlands is just a German vassal state.

I see. But so far we have been speaking about generally being similar, and football.

Reply 35

SMEGGGY

21

Original post by Allemagne

After living in both countries, I can safely say that the two are completely different. This is in terms of food, culture, religion and tradition. The two just can't compare. Tbh if you consider that the whole of East Germany was communist for over 50 years and that the south of Germany is deeply Catholic, the differences are inevitable. I'd associate Germany more with being 'Central European' with neighbours such as Poland, Austria and the Czech Republic. Definitely more similarities between those countries than with Germany and the UK. Italy and France have more similarities with the German culture, especially if you visit Tyrol, Alsace and Bavaria.

How did you come to this conclusion? (the question you ask)

:rolleyes:

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Reply 36

Ganjaweed Rebel

17

Original post by Plagioclase

I've never heard British people considering themselves as similar to Germans, because they're definitely not. The only particularly convincing links I can think of is that English is classified as a Germanic language, and the Royal Family is a branch of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, a German family.

Apart from Danes, Saxons, Angles, Jutes and Normans (who were the descends of Scandinavians aristocrats) all being Germanic peoples

Reply 37

Binsanite Kekuit

4

Both are very diverse countries... their own people are so very different from one another.

All I can say is that in Hamburg, the people reminded me very much of the people here in England... in terms of how they lived and what they did day to day. The main difference is that the Germans are more religious than the British.

Both cultures love to go on holiday to *****y islands in the Med, complain about rent, car insurance and weather, and both peoples enjoy alcohol and football.