Курсовая работа: An Evergreen topic in British classical literature, children’s poems and everyday speech: patterns of climate in the British isles

- “I don’t know”. What was one to do, thought Adela, with someone who didn’t talk gardening or dogs – these standbys of rural conversation? (ibid);

- The weather is very delightful just now, is it not?” – “A St. Martin’s summer” (ibid);

- “Hullo, hullo, hullo, here I am. Good afternoon, good afternoon. What a lovely day, what? Shall I sit here? Right ho”. (Pelham Grenville Wodehouse)

* * *

- Morning, he said.

- Morning, - Nice weather.

- Beautiful (ibid). (Bernard Shaw)

The weather is the favorite conversational topic in England. People talk about the weather more in Britain than in most parts of the world. When two Englishmen meet their first words will be “how are you?” and after the reply “very well, thank you. How are you? ”. The next remark is almost certain to be about the weather. When they go abroad the English often surprise people of other nationalities by this tendency to talk about the weather, a topic of conversation that other people do not find so interesting.

So, talking about the weather is always an interesting, exciting subject for British people and you must be good at talking about it. It is a part of polite conversations which may be extremely short:

- Good morning, Mr. Brown

- Good morning, Mr. Dickson. How do you like the weather today?

- Isn’t it awful?

- Yes, it’s been pouring since yesterday morning and the outlook is not very promising.

* * *

- Good afternoon, Mrs. Collins, nice day, isn’t it?

- Oh, yes, just lovely, I believe it’s a bit colder than yesterday.

- Yes, the mist has cleared but the weather forecast says it will be snowing later in the day.

* * *

- Hello, Charles

- Hello, Dick. Lovely day, isn’t it?

- Absolutely wonderful, nice and warm. What is the weather forecast for tomorrow? Do you know?

- Yes, it says it will be bright and sunny

- How nice. Good bye.

* * *

- Nice day, isn’t it?

- Isn’t it beautiful!

- The sun…

- Isn’t it wonderful?

- Yes, wonderful, isn’t it?