How to be an Anglophile

Tea, The Office, fish and chips and The Beatles. That's only a sampling of all the wonderful things our friends across the pond have to offer. If you're interested in knowing more about the British way of life, then you're probably an Anglophile.
An Anglophile is someone who is fond of or greatly admires England and English culture, and here is your guide on how to become one! So stop faffing around, grab onto your knickers, and read this hand dandy do it yourself guide to becoming an Anglophile! Cheerio!

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• An affinity for all things English
• Love of gloomy weather, tea and sports
• Good manners
• An open mind about English cuisine

1. The first step to learning (and loving) any culture is to familiarize yourself with the lingo. The British are known for their interesting and humorous phrases and colloquialisms, so much so that English speakers sometimes have trouble following British speech. Know that "Blimey" is a way of expressing surprise, "Rubbish" is trash,
   "Taking the piss" means to make fun of someone, and so on. While you're at it, it wouldn't hurt to read up on cockney rhyming slang as well.

2. When it comes to the arts, the British have a lot to offer. Consuming English literature, movies and of course music is a must if you plan on becoming an Anglophile. You might be surprised to find out that a lot of your favorite authors, actors and musicians are actually English in the process. You might want to also call your cable company and subscribe to BBC America if you don't already have it.

3. Food. It's a language all onto itself, and just like the lingo, the food might seem a bit strange (or have strange names) but learning about it and liking it is a must if you plan to call yourself an Anglophile. Though the British are quite known for tea, they have a plethora of other items including, bangers and mash (sausages and mashed potato), spotted dick (sponge pudding with currants, shepherd's pie (ground meat covered with mashed potato and cheese, toad in the hole (sausages in batter) and of course the famous Sunday Roast, a traditional meal served on Sundays consisting of roasted meat such as beef, pork, lamb or chicken with boiled and roasted vegetables. Each meat has its own accompaniment such as mint sauce for lamb and applesauce for pork. British cuisine is usually perceived as having not much to offer by outsiders, but it is its simple nature and basic ingredients that carry its charm.

4. Tea. Drink it, cherish it, worship it. Make it a habit to drink at least two cups a day if you can. Become familiar with the common British tea brands, which can be bought at international markets or simply online. Get used to drinking it with milk, as this is the way it is traditionally consumed.

5. Though it may be a pretty small country, England has a pretty diverse group of regional accents and dialects that you should train your ear to if you're planning on becoming an Anglophile. This is perhaps the hardest task on your journey, however, being able to distinguish between a posh London accent as opposed to a Welsh or Yorkshire accent is the mark of a genuine Anglophile.

6. 

   Go to England! Visit Abbey Road, Big Ben and don't forget to stop for tea and scones! Relish in the gloomy weather. Proclaim how much you love the rain. Go shopping at London's famous Portobello market and make sure you have some fish and chips while you're there. If you want to really get a feel for what English life is like, go beyond the borders of London into cities like Brighton, Manchester and Liverpool- and stop complaining about the currency rate! You must learn to love and spend the pound on all the delicacies Dear Old Blighty has to offer!

Resources

• British Accents
• The American's Guide to Speaking British