Calling all Brits!!! Need some enlightenment....

[MisterTinkles]

[SIZE="4"]To all of you guys who live in Britain, especially the London area.

Recently I have found an AWESOME show called "Not Going Out" with Lee Mack.

They make reference to his character being "from the North" or being "Northerner" when it comes to age, cleanliness, and family traits.

What does it mean when they make fun of him being "northern"?

North of what? London? England? Whales? Ireland?
North of some street?

What is it about "northerners" that is so bad, that they have to make so many jokes and references to it?


I absolutely love this show and would like to know why "northern" is so freeking funny.[/SIZE]

By the way, I find Lee Mack cute. In fact, he could be the older brother of a buddy I had some years ago.

[EvenOlderButWiser]

I think the closest you can come in reference is perhaps Redneck in US speak ;-)

Generally the standing joke for many years is anyone north of Watford (a town just north of London) is considered a "Northener"

ObW
X

[dean]

I came from the north originally and the north is a much different place to be in culturally and financially I guess. Maybe look up north-south divide in the uk on wikipedia or something for more info on that... But generally, northeners are generally known as being more down to earth and friendly, and living in their own kind of bubble I guess (small towns all community feel etc)... but northeners are also known for being very honest and "say what you see". The accent is also much different (you can probably hear from the show that you've been watching - so funny by the way!) and often my accent gets mocked by my southern friends... in a lovely way of course ;-)

[megumidesu]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North%E2%80...ed_Kingdom

[partisan]

In southern england you would get a cup of tea, a civilised chat about pottery and an early night, up north you will get tea in an old jam jar due to lack of fine china, a chat about sex and stay up all night getting pissed on gin and singing songs, laaaaa.

[joseph]

north of england i m nortnher from newcastle.we are just as good. i dont now why they lauhged]
.i love being from newcastel geordie.

[partisan]

^this ones been on the gin^ typical northern

[Chas]

I don't see any difference between Northerners/Southerners within the UK other then the accent and sometimes a change of words for various things. Most of the time people mock eachothers accents in the UK, when some Northerners find out I was raised in London they begin with the "I'm a Landanah!" phrase to jokingly mock it.

[MisterTinkles]

Oh, thanks guys! That helps a lot.

[MisterTinkles]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North%E2%80...ed_Kingdom

Very interesting.

Sort of like the divide we had here between the North and South way back when.
But ours ended up in a civil war....go figure.