Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Anglophilia

Anglophilia.

I ran across this word recently and it got me to thinking.

No, it's not a disease.

Well, maybe it kind of is.

Anglophilia is defined as "unusual admiration or partiality for England, English ways or things English."

I guess the key here is "unusual" so I guess it does sort of fall into the "disease" category, disease being defined as "a particular quality, habit, or disposition regarded as adversely affecting a person or group of people."

Now I wouldn't say that Anglophilia particularly adversely affects those who exhibit it, but who knows?  My friends might be sick of my calling the trunk of my car a boot, asking them if they want their tea M.I.F. or T.I.F. or watching episodes of "Eastenders" when I should be spending time with Hubby.

I have made no secret of my admiration for England and all things English. 

I have always wanted to live there.  I'm not sure when it started.  It could have started with The Beatles, the fashion of Carnaby Street and Twiggy



or maybe even sooner than that because my mother was a bit of a Royal watcher.  You see, Prince Charles and I were born the same year, so perhaps she thought her daughter might grow up to marry a prince?  I did grow up to marry a prince, but it wasn't Prince Charles.

I wrote about my love of England in my post "Why I Love England," but I never thought of it as a disease before.

But I guess I might have some symptoms.

If you are thinking that you, too, might be possessed, er, I mean affected by this, let me give you some tell-tale signs of Anglophilia:



---You are such a "Downton Abbey" fan that Maggie Smith has a restraining order against you.



---You've been to England so many times the flight attendants on British Airways not only know you by your nickname, but they know what you like to drink and your bra size* (*long story, but suffice it to say you have had many long chats with them en route).



---You break into a cold sweat between 3pm and 5pm if you can't get a cuppa and a scone.



---A chip butty actually sounds delicious to you



---When talking about driving in England you never say they drive on the wrong side of the road.





---You dream of having a red call box in your back garden.

 
(Not to mention that you say call box instead of phone booth and back garden instead of back yard)





---You know more of the TV shows on BBC than NBC and you have actually been to the BBC.



---You haven't missed an episode of "Eastenders" in over 25 years and you have actually met one of the cast members.





---You can translate this sentence: "Eat your bubble and squeak, then get up those apples to bed, and Adam and Eve it, I will be coming up later to have a butchers to be sure you are asleep." (Cockney rhyming slang for "Eat your leftover veggies (Bubble and squeak), then get up those stairs (apples and pears) to bed, and believe (Adam and Eve) it, I will be coming up later to have a look (butcher's hook) to be sure you are asleep.")




---You still have every episode of "Absolutely Fabulous"  --- on VHS.





---You actually like Seattle weather.  It reminds you of England.




---You have been to more National Trust properties than U.S National Parks.

 




---You say "don't get your knickers in a twist, "I'm going to the loo," "She looks like she was pulled through a hedgerow backwards,"  and you call a baby carriage a "pram," even though your friends roll their eyes and don't have the slightest idea what you are talking about. However, they give you a pass, because they know you have issues.




---You have a Princess Diana doll with all of Diana's iconic clothes.  You tell your friends she is for your granddaughter except you don't have a granddaughter and you are secretly playing with the doll yourself.







---You have the Union Jack on everything from your purse to your pillows.  You even have it tattooed on your...





---You often find yourself queuing up behind people who have merely stopped to look in a shop window.




---As soon as the sun comes out, you have a picnic, even if it's on the side of the road.




---You like your dogs better than your children.



If you say yes to 5 or more of these, you have a problem with Anglophilia. 

And don't think Anglophilia is the only disease of this kind out there.  There is Francophilia, Germanophilia, Italianophilia.  It goes on and on.

I admit that I have a certain fondness for England and English ways and always dreamed of living there. At my advanced age, I realize that probably won't happen now, especially since I don't believe in Bucket Lists. (I have an Un-Bucket List, though).

But I am not even close to suffering from Anglophilia as described.

I am merely providing a public service with my blog, as I like to do for my readers, so you can determine if you suffer from any of these diseases and if so, seek help.

Now if you will excuse me, it's 4pm, the sun is out, and I am going to take my Princess Diana doll and my favorite poodle for a walk in a pram and have a cuppa and a scone on the side of the road followed by an episode of "Eastenders!"


Thanks for Reading!
 

See you Friday
 
for my review of Al Pacino's
 
new movie
 
"Danny Collins"
 
and
 
The Week in Reviews
 
(What to See or Read and What to Avoid)


 
and the latest on


 
"My 1001 Movies I Must See Before

 I Die Project."


 

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4 comments :

  1. I have to say every day spent in England is a day not in France.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So you suffer from Francophilia, right? :)

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    2. Actually, we're called Francophiles, c'est formidable!

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    3. I know, but the disease of which you are suffering is Francophilia! :)

      Delete