British Stuff: 101 Objects That Make Britain Great

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Wonky – is another word for shaky or unstable. You can use it to refer to a person or an object. For example, you might say a chair has a wonky leg. Used, mass-market toys from the '70s, '80s, and '90s can command large price tags – so it could be time to start rummaging in your attic for that forgotten toy or game that could fetch a high price at auction! The arrival of Celtic and Germanic tribes influenced Britain's early development. [13] [14] The Celtic peoples introduced unique languages, traditions, and social structures. Subsequently, the migrations of Germanic tribes, such as the Anglo-Saxons, further influenced Britain’s cultural landscape. The ancient Roman occupation of Britain, lasting almost 400 years, also impacted the linguistic and cultural identity of Great Britain. [15] Keith Richards: A musician, singer and songwriter who is famous as being part of the Rolling Stones.

Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own currency which is legal tender elsewhere in the UK but if you use them anywhere else outside those contexts people might not accept them’ (Jouyin Teoh)Leave it out – means you want someone to stop doing or saying something that you find upsetting or annoying. M Nineteen Eighty-Four: A dystopian novel written by George Orwell about a society that is overwhemlingly surveilled. Is the origin of “big brother”. Astronauts don’t get a lot of choice in when or where they fly but I would absolutely love to go to the Moon.”

Yonks – when you haven’t seen someone for a long time. Example: “God, I haven’t been to a lecture for yonks!” The early 18th century period of British literature is known as the Augustan Age and included the development of the novel. Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe (1719) and Moll Flanders (1722) are often seen as the first English novels, however the development of the novel took place in a wider literary context that included the rise of prose satires – which reached a high point with Gulliver's Travels – and earlier foreign works like the Spanish Don Quixote. [24] Also linked to the Augustan period is Samuel Johnson's A Dictionary of the English Language. Published in 1755, it was viewed as the pre-eminent British dictionary until the completion of the Oxford English Dictionary 150 years later. [25] Cara DeLevigne: A model, singer and actress. Perhaps best known for her role in the movie Suicide Squad. During the High Middle Ages tales originated from Brythonic traditions, notably the Arthurian legend. [117] Deriving from Welsh source; King Arthur, Excalibur and Merlin, while the Jersey poet Wace introduced the Knights of the Round Table. These stories are most centrally brought together within Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae ( History of the Kings of Britain). Another early figure from British tradition, King Cole, may have been based on a real figure from Sub-Roman Britain. Many of the tales make up part of the wider Matter of Britain, a collection of shared British folklore. I’m off to Bedfordshire – is rhyming English slang for when someone is tired and wants to go to bed. Get it?Punks: A subculture which involves fashion, music, film and art. Characterised by anti-establishment attitudes, individual freedom, and aggressive fashion and music. Experts at the ESA are testing the leg to make sure it complies with Nasa standards. In 2015, the crew of the ISS were forced to evacuate the US part of the satellite following a rise in ammonia levels. Much of the folklore of the United Kingdom pre-dates the 18th century. Though some of the characters and stories are present throughout all of the UK, most belong to specific countries or regions. Common folkloric beings include pixies, giants, elves, bogeymen, trolls, goblins and dwarves. While many legends and folk-customs are thought to be ancient, such as the tales of Offa of Angeln and Weyland Smith, others date from after the Norman invasion of England, such as Robin Hood and his Merry Men of Sherwood and their battles with the Sheriff of Nottingham. [115] Richard the Lionheart, Christian leader of the Third Crusade, came to be seen as a contemporary and supporter of Robin Hood. A plaque features Richard marrying Robin and Maid Marian outside Nottingham Castle. [116] Following the building of the world's first seaside pier in July 1814 in Ryde, Isle of Wight off the south coast of England, the pier became fashionable at seaside resorts in the UK during the Victorian era, peaking in the 1860s with 22 being built. [101] Providing a walkway out to sea, the seaside pier is regarded as among the finest Victorian architecture, and is an iconic symbol of the British seaside holiday. [101] By 1914, there were over 100 piers around the UK's coasts. [101] Today there are 55 seaside piers in the UK. [101] Tower Bridge (half a mile from London Bridge) opened in 1895.