National emblem of England. Symbols of Great Britain - official and cultural

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Target: introduce students to regional studies material and lexical units on the topic “Symbols of Great Britain”

Tasks:

• introduce and consolidate regional studies material on the topic “Symbols of Great Britain”
• introduce and consolidate lexical units on the topic "Symbols of Great Britain"
• develop memory, attention, speech
• develop speaking skills
• develop linguistic conjecture
• develop interest in the language being studied

Equipment: poster with crossword puzzle, presentation "Symbols of Great Britain", map of the United Kingdom, cards with words

Literature:"600 oral topics on English language"Golovcheva G.S., linguistic and regional reference book Tomakhin G.D., "Happy English" T.B. Klementyeva

Lesson progress

I. Beginning

Org. moment

1) creating an atmosphere of foreign language communication

Good morning! Sit down! I`m glad to see you today!

Answer my questions:

1) What date is today?

2) What day of the week is it today?

3) What is the season now?

4) What is the weather like today?

II. Main part

A) introduction of new regional studies material

Now let`s start our trip. Be careful!

Today we will go to Britain to know some more interesting and new information about the country the language we learn. And we will stop at different station. On each station I will tell you about the country and the symbols of each country.

The first station is the United Kingdom.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland occupies the island of Great Britain. When people talk about Britain, they often use the name "United Kingdom".

The official name of the country is "The United Kingdom of great Britain and Northern Ireland"

This is the flag of the UK. It is famous as UNION JACK.

This flag consists of 3 crosses. The top red cross is the cross of the holy ruler of England, St. George. White cross- Patron Saint of Scotland - Saint Andrew. And the red cross - the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick.

Who can tell me what is it symbol?

A symbol is something that serves as a sign of some concept or phenomenon. In English this word sounds like this: symbol.

The second station is England. The Capital of England is London.

Symbol of England.

The symbol of England is red rose.

The symbol of England is the red rose. The red rose was the symbol of the Lancastrians, and white symbol Yorks. These were the two families who fought to inherit the throne in the Wars of the Roses. (1455 - 1485). This rivalry ended with the wedding of Henry 7 and Princess Elizabeth. Since then, the red rose has become a symbol of England.

This is the flag of England - the cross of the patron saint of England, St. George. This is a flag of England

The next station is Wales.

The capital of Wales is Cardiff.

Symbol of Wales.

The symbol of Wales is daffodil. The symbol of Wales is the daffodil. This flower is the patron saint of Wales - David. There is a legend that Saint David lived on bread and onions. The daffodil is associated with St. David's Day because it blooms on this day.

Flag of Wales.

This is the flag of Wales. This is the flag of Wales - the flag of St David. There is a legend that he killed a dragon. Thus, he saved his country. That's why the dragon is depicted on the Welsh flag.

The Forth station is Scotland.

The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh.

Symbol of Scotland.

The symbol of Scotland is a thistle. . The symbol of Scotland is the thistle. This legend tells how in ancient times the Vikings lived in the south of Scotland. With the intention of settling and settling in the country, they decided to attack the Scots at night. When they were near the shore and decided to take off their shoes so as not to create noise. But soon one of the Vikings stepped on a thistle and began to scream. After this, the Scots were saved and the thistle became a symbol of Scotland.

The flag of Scotland.

Flag of Scotland.

This is the flag of Scotland. This is the flag of Scotland.

White diagonal cross, cross of St. Andrew, patron saint of Scotland.

The last station is Northern Ireland.

The capital of Northern Ireland is Ireland.

Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland.

The symbol of Northern Ireland is a shamrock and red hand.

The symbol of Northern Ireland is the shamrock. This emblem was recognized on St. Patrick's Day and featured a red hand. There is a legend about how the right hand appeared on a clover leaf. This happened 3000 years ago. 2 Vikings with their army sailed on boats to Ireland. The first one was called Hermon `O Neil. The legend is silent about the second name. “Whoever gets to Irish land first will be king!” When they were already close to the shore, Herman’s boat sailed more slowly; then he cut off his right hand and threw her ashore. Thus Herman was the first to reach the land and became king. That is why the clover and the right hand became the symbol of Scotland.

B) securing the material

Now ask my questions:

1. What is the symbol of Scotland? (thistle)
2. What countries are in the UK? (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)
3. What is your associations with the word Red? (red hand, red dragon, red rose, red crosses)
4. The flower, the symbol of Scotland (thistle)
5. What is the symbol of England? (red rose)
6. Tell me the Legent the symbol of Wales. (st.David)

III. Magic square

Now let`s do magic square!

You can see many letters. And amoung these letters you must find new words.

IV. Remember and tell

ON THE BOARD:

Match the countries and emblems!

V. Homework

Learn the symbols of Britain, words by heart.

VI. Lesson summary

Our lesson is over! Good Bye! I hope the lesson was interesting, you have known many interesting things. You were very active!

I'll give you 5, 4, 3 for your work

Most countries in the world have their national symbol in the form of some kind of flower. In England, this symbol is the red rose. This article will discuss why the red rose became a symbol of England and why this flower plays such a big role in the life of England.

Why rose?

The choice of a flower as a symbol for each specific nation is usually determined by one of the following circumstances (or a combination of them):

• the flower must grow on the territory in which the nation lives. In this case, the flower plays the role of a sign of sociocultural coding;
• a flower as a symbol can be associated with legends and traditions of nations, with the help of which information about the past is transmitted;
• the choice of a flower as a symbol may be determined by certain historical events who played a significant role in the life of the nation.

In relation to England, the last of the listed circumstances became decisive - the rose established itself as a symbol of this country as a result of the bloody War of the Scarlet and White Roses. We will consider these events in more detail in our article.

Symbol of England in honor of the War of the Roses

The War of the Scarlet and White Roses - of course very unusual name for war. But perhaps this is why the name of this war is so well remembered. Of course, in this war it was not flowers that fought, but very specific people who belonged to different noble dynasties of that time - the York dynasty and the Lancaster dynasty. The coat of arms of the House of Lancaster was decorated with a red rose (it is today considered the main symbol of England), and the coat of arms of the House of York was white rose.

Roses appeared in the British Isles only in the 14th century. Noble English families were engaged in breeding these luxurious flowers. Famous lords and ladies loved the splendor of this flower. In his famous painting, the painter of those times, John Petty, skillfully depicted roses and the English nobility next to them. Thanks to this picture you can see how the British revered this noble flower in those days.

The 30-year War of the Scarlet and White Roses began in 1455 and ended in 1485. This bloody feudal war greatly weakened England and brought numerous disasters to its people. The war ended with the wedding of Henry VII of the House of Lancaster and Princess Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV (York). Thus, the warring families united and the Tudor dynasty began to rule on the English throne, on the emblem of which you can see the colors of these two roses (red and white). The War of the Scarlet and White Roses actually ended the Middle Ages in England - after it the history of a new England began, which reached its maximum power by the end of the 19th century.

Symbol of England: Tudor rose

Since that time, the flower, which is a symbol of England, has been depicted as a white rose of York, bordered by the petals of a red rose of the Lancastrian family. The emblem with this flower has become an integral tradition of England and Ireland. In those days, it could often be seen on the ceilings and facades of houses of the English nobility. However, even now an emblem with such an image is not uncommon in England.

This historical symbol of England currently appears on the uniforms of the Royal Life Guards and the guards in the Tower. The Tudor rose can also be seen on the cockade of members of the English Intelligence Forces. In addition, the image of a rose is present on various coins and on the royal coats of arms of Great Britain and Canada.

Symbolic flowers of other parts of Great Britain

In other areas of Great Britain (except England), in addition to the red rose, other flowers are revered.

The national symbol of Ireland, for example, is the clover flower, which is usually depicted as three connected flowers (somewhat reminiscent of a heart). The clover flower is also a registered trademark of Ireland. Also in this country, the field bell is especially loved - it is rare for the rainy climate of those places. According to legend, bells attract fairies with their ringing, who are able to enchant their travelers with a magical dance.

In Scotland, the thistle flower is used as a national symbol. According to legend, it was this holly and prickly flower (or rather, a whole field with it) that blocked the path of the Viking army in the 15th century and thereby saved Scotland from a bloody battle with these “masters of the seas” of those times.

The symbol of Wales is the yellow daffodil. He became one after the battle with the Saxons near Agincourt in 1415. Welsh warriors attached narcissus flowers to their helmets to distinguish themselves from their enemies in the heat of battle. The bright yellow narcissus flowers, clearly visible on the gray helmets of those years, provided them with exceptional assistance in this matter. Since then, the people of Wales have revered the daffodil as a symbol of victory.

Elena Shestakova (8D grade) MBOU "Secondary School No. 22", Kurgan

Annotation. This project is the first research work students. During the work it was necessary to collect required material on the topic of the project. 1. Find out the history of the origin of animal worship and ritual cults in honor of animals. 2. Find out the history of the appearance of the LION symbols on architectural monuments good old England 3. Where did the symbol of the BULLDOG come from, representing political system colonial England.

As a result of working on the project, Lena learned to use literature, improved her skills in searching for information on the Internet, processing it, gaining skills in working with text. The formation of general cultural, educational, cognitive, and informational competencies occurred at all stages of work on the project: during the search and processing of information, preparation and defense of slide presentations.

Project product–Expanded page telling about the visiting card of Great Britain for the all-Russian children's magazine “Nafanya”

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Municipal educational institution of the city of Kurgan

"Average secondary school №22"

School project week

“Teaching. Inspiration. Creation"

Information work

« National symbols UK"

Section: social sciences and humanities

Completed: Shestakova Elena,

8D class student

Project Manager:

Kislitsyna L.G., teacher

English language

2011

Introduction _____________________________________________ page 3

1. What is symbolism ______________________________ page 4

1. History of the LION symbol ___________________________ page 5

1. History of the BULLDOG symbol ______________________________ page 6

1. History of the GRIFF (Griffin) symbol ____________ page 8

Conclusion ___________________________________ page 8

References ______________________________ page 9

Appendix ___________________________________ page 10

Introduction

For anyone modern state its symbols exist in trinity:coat of arms, flag and anthem. Such a trinity in world practice began to take shape relatively late, from the 19th century. Since that time, symbols of state sovereignty have been gradually enshrined in law. The choice of certain images from thousands of emblems that existed in the Middle Ages and reflected the way of thinking of our ancestors was not accidental in each state.

However, we know that in addition to traditional symbols in the form of a coat of arms, flag and anthem, each country also has a number of other national symbols.

For example, Russia has its own semi-official and non-official official symbols - samovar (personification of the everyday aspects of the Russian way of life for foreigners), troika (symbol of the Russian people and their culture), bear (used in pre-revolutionary Russian political cartoons as a positive image of Russia), Red Square (symbol of the center of the country, its focus), Kremlin (symbol of the country's top leadership).

What symbols does Great Britain have? What is the history of these symbols? What caused the appearance of this or that symbol?

After asking these questions, I came up with an action plan:

TASKS:

What is symbolism?

Find out the history of the origin of zoological symbols.

Why some animals become symbols of the country.

I accepted the following assumption as a WORKING HYPOTHESIS: animal symbols are somehow connected with the history and traditions of the countries of Great Britain.

I turned to the Internet. Looking at the state emblem of the country, I saw not only ordinary lions, but also mythical ones. This suggested to me that the history of symbols lies somewhere very deep. I have accumulated a lot of material about the coats of arms of royal dynasties, symbols and symbols. In my work, I tried to systematize and summarize the information found.

1. What is symbolism?

Symbolism is a system of symbols, signs, usually distinguished by the diversity of their content, with the help of which abstract concepts and concepts are expressed. For example:

1. the cross is a symbol of Christianity,
2. double-headed eagle - coat of arms of Russia,
3. hammer and sickle - communist emblem,
4. The swastika is an ancient emblem of fertility, which in the 20th century also became a symbol of fascism.

Symbols are valuable because they reflecthistory, culture and lifedifferent countries. They are of great importance in the history of art and literature. Thoughts and language are closely related to symbolism. According to the interpretation of the academic dictionary of the Russian languagesymbol is a sign, an image of a thing or animal to designate an object.Many characters have gotten immense broad meaning, For examplesymbols of the cross, eagle, fish.The origin of symbols and the methods of their distribution are little understood scientifically. There is no doubt that some symbols arose among peoples independently; many similar symbols can be explained by common psychological and cultural reasons, e.g. the sun - in the form of a wheel, lightning - in the form of a hammer. *

For UK The following symbols are typical:

LION

BULLDOG - (personification of the negative aspects of the English character)

JOHN BULL -

BIG BEN

ROSE - (the emblem of a number of royal dynasties).

WITCHES

GRIFFIN - the unofficial emblem of the City of London.

1. History of the lion symbol.

The most important place among zoo characters The United Kingdom is occupied by lions: there are so many of them on all versions of the British coat of arms that it is difficult to calculate the total number, especially since some of them are depicted in a stylized manner, so it is not always possible to firmly say that this is a lion.

Lion - From time immemorial it was used as a heraldic symbol in royal dynasties. It is known that the king of beasts adorned almost every flag and coat of arms of this country and the colony of Britain.
Why are there so many lions in the northern country?

The fact is that the state does not have its own coat of arms, it is the coat of arms of the British monarch, and monarchs have always sought to emphasize their difference from mere mortals by choosing heraldic animals that personified strength, power, and nobility in them. It is known that both lions and leopards appeared on the coat of arms duringRichard I the Lionheart(1157-1199) from the Plantagenet dynasty. The coat of arms with three leopards or lions for a long time remained the only symbol of England.

The figures of shield holders have changed several times over the centuries. IN different times The shield was supported by falcons, a white swan, a yal, a white boar, a red Welsh dragon, indicating the Celtic origins of the Tudor dynasty, and a silver hound of the county of Richmond. Since 1603, a crowned British lion and a unicorn have been installed at the shield. The golden helmet of the English coat of arms is crowned with the crown of St. Edward, which appeared in the coat of arms during the reign of Charles II (1633-1701). The top of the helmet is a golden crowned leopard, called the British lion. The mantle is gold, lined with ermine.

Nowadays, in the main square of London there is a monument to the legendary Admiral Nelson, the winner of the Battle of Trafalgar, which is surrounded byfour bronze lionsby Sir Edwin Landser. Bronze lions, symbol of the British Empire. Victory always means trophies, so the lions were melted down from French cannons. Thus, Britain once again showed its superiority over the French fleet.

The idea of ​​​​creating the main square of London - Trafalgar Square belongs to J. Nash. The square was built in 1829-1941 to commemorate the victory won by the English fleet under the command of Admiral Nelson in 1805 off Cape Trafalgar during the Anglo-French War. Nelson was killed in action. In 1842, a granite column with the figure of Nelson was erected (architect Railton, sculptor Bailey), the height of the column is 60 meters (170 feet).

London football club Millwall was founded back in 1885 by the Scottish company J.T. Morton. Today our focus is on English Millwall, the club that once had the most aggressive and dangerous fans in Britain. The club's emblem with a lion is a symbol of the courage of the club's fans / Wikipedia

1. History of the bulldog symbol

A truly English gentleman of the 18th century was John Bull - an image that reflected all the main features of a real Englishman. He had the most ordinary appearance: a pot-bellied, red-faced farmer, whose face reflected cunning. A distinctive feature was the constant sideburns, white trousers, a red frock coat and a short top hat were always with this gentleman. This image of John Bull was often used by cartoonists of the time on the most popular topics of foreign and domestic policy.

The image of John Bull began to gain fame and soon came to represent the central figures of the political apparatus, and then all Englishmen began to personify themselves with a popular image. In the 19th century, Boulle's caricature was opposed to Napoleon Bonaparte himself. Buhl's wardrobe was replenished with several items, including a British flag vest and shiny boots. Despite the changes in his wardrobe, his character remained the same “farmer”: rough, simple and very strong. He loves country life - ale, jerky, dogs, horses and noisy village fun.An English bulldog became his constant companion,which exactly repeated the appearance and character of its owner.

The English Bulldog is a breed that is called the most “English” of all dog breeds. It is safe to say that there is no longer a country in the world whose inhabitants would associate themselves with one specific breed of dog.

Thanks to this good connection with John Bull, who firmly and for a long time became a symbol of the country. In 1865, the breed of elite dogs was approved, and its standard appeared - the English bulldog. The bulldog was declared a national treasure. This breed has become associated with good old England. The pairing of John Bull and the English Bulldog embodied the generosity, confidence and strength of the English nation. By the beginning of the First World War, the English bulldog had gained enormous popularity among the British, so much so that it ceased to be associated with John Bull.

Fortunately, since 1864, when the first bulldog club was created, a gradual restoration of the breed began. Only, of course, this time completely different character traits were put at the forefront - after all, bulldogs had to decorate exhibitions and be a “gentleman” of the canine world: a calm and moderately friendly symbol of Great Britain. So, in just a few decades, the English bulldog turned from an outcast to business card» empires.

It is known that the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, loved to be photographed with a bulldog named John. If a dog has earned such trust, then there is a reason for it.

The image of the bulldog was used by both supporters of Britain and its opponents. Numerous posters of the time depicted bulldogs in a variety of forms. In some, the dogs defended the flag of Britain, in others they examined the territory of the state with their stern gaze, in others they happily played with the medals of England’s enemies. Bulldogs personified not only strict guards. The drawings with lovely ladies holding small bulldog puppies in their arms exuded warmth and homeliness.

Currently, the International Competition of English Language Experts is taking place under the name “British Bulldog”. This name was also used by the world famous English wrestling athlete David Smith.

1. History of the vulture (griffin) symbol

It is known that royalty often used mythical monsters as heraldic symbols. Edward III (1312 - 1377) placed his beloved griffin on his coat of arms.

The griffin is a fantastic hybrid creature of Assyro-Babylonian origin, an ancient emblem of solar power, a mythical monster with the head, wings and claws of an eagle, but with the body of a lion. It symbolizes power and authority.

These days, the Griffin has become the unofficial symbol of the City of London. Evidence of this is the many different griffins in the city. The boundaries of the City are marked by black posts with its emblem, and at the entrance from the main streets there is a statue of a dragon.

Here is a griffin - the unofficial symbol of the city of London. The City was considered such an important part of not even the city, but the country that it had its own Lord Mayor, and if the King wished to visit the City, he would stop at the border and wait for the Lord Mayor to present him with a special saber as a symbol of loyalty and admission to business center of the empire. Therefore, in addition to the sculpture, there was an arch built by the famous sculptor Christopher Wren. The sculpture's pedestal is engraved with two bas-reliefs of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. TO great joy For tourists, the griffin continues to be the unofficial emblem of the City of London.

Conclusion

In my work, I talked about the symbols of Great Britain and the history of their origin, as well as what caused the emergence of this or that symbol. After looking at the history of these symbols, I was able to analyze some facts from the history of the United Kingdom. In the process of my work, I came to the conclusion that my hypothesis was correct. And now we can say with confidence that the symbols of Great Britain reflect the history, culture and way of life of this country and are most closely connected with the traditions of the countries of Great Britain. There are different symbols at different times. For example, in Great Britain, symbols have changed over many centuries, and they are still changing now. With the advent of new royal dynasties, the symbolism changes. In my work, I only talked about some of the symbols of Great Britain, but there are many of them, official and unofficial. Each of them has its own secret hidden.

References

1. What is symbolism -

* http://enc-dic.com/dmytriev/Simvol-4167.html

* http://dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/brokgauz_efron/93857/

*Andrey IOFFE - Origins of constitutionalism -http://www.ug.ru/old/ug_pril/gv/98/22/t5_1.htm

1. History of the lion symbol *http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%E5%F0%E1_%C2%E5%EB%E8%EA%EE%E1%F0%E8%F2%E0%ED%E8%E8

* http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D2%F0%E0%F4%E0%EB%FC%E3%E0%F0%F1%EA%E0%FF_%EF%EB%EE%F9%E0 %E4%FC

1. History of the Bulldog symbol *http://1001dogs.ru/publ/a/anglijskij_buldog/2-1-0-18

* http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%E6%EE%ED_%C1%F3%EB%EB%FC

1. History of the Vulture symbol

* http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%DD%E4%F3%E0%F0%E4_III

* http://magicsym.ru/mificheskie_suschestva/grifon-2.html

Application

UK Business Card Information

For the All-Russian children's magazine

"Nafanya"

Royal coat of arms of Great Britain -This is the official coat of arms of the British monarch (currently Elizabeth II). The coat of arms has two lions and seven leopards. Six golden leopards with azure arms on the shield correspond to England. The scarlet lion represents Scotland. Crowned leopard wearing a crest. A golden crowned lion as a shield holder supports the shield on the right. On the other side, the shield is supported by a chained unicorn.

LION - (symbol of the United Kingdom).

BULLDOG - "calling card" of the empire. Bulldogs grace exhibitions and are the “gentlemen” of the canine world:

JOHN BULL - serves to personify the English character, and most of its shadow sides. He has a farmer's character: rough, simple and very strong

BIG BEN - (the chime bell, located on the high tower of Parliament in Westminster, the chime of which is broadcast daily on the radio as a national sound signal; the bell weighs 13 tons and is named after the chief warden of works Benjamin Hall in 1856, symbolizing England and its capital) .

WITCHES - (traditionally depicted riding a broomstick and flying out of a chimney, serve as a classic image of a truly English commitment to old, conservative traditions, the English belief in ghosts and apparitions), etc.

GRIFFIN - the unofficial emblem of the City of London. The boundaries of the City are marked by black posts with its emblem, and at the entrance from the main streets there is a statue of a dragon.

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“National symbols of Great Britain” Completed by: Elena Shestakova, student of 8D grade at Municipal Budgetary Educational Institution “Secondary School No. 22” Project leader: Kislitsyna L.G., English teacher

Project objectives What is symbolism. What is the history of the emergence of zoological symbols. Why some animals become symbols of the country. How can you represent the visiting card of Great Britain using zoological symbols?

The following symbols are characteristic of Great Britain - LION - the symbol of the United Kingdom BULLDOG - the personification of the negative sides of the English character JOHN BUL - serves to personify the English character, and mostly its shadow sides. BIG BEN - the chiming bell located on the high tower of Parliament in Westminster ROSE - the emblem of a number of royal dynasties WITCHES - serve as a classic image of a truly English commitment to old, conservative traditions GRIFFIN - the unofficial emblem of the City of London

The Royal Arms of Great Britain is the official coat of arms of the British monarch (Elizabeth II)

Lion heraldic symbol of Great Britain Richard I Lionheart of Plantagenet

Bronze lions in Trafalgar Square According to legend, the bronze lions, 6 meters long and almost 3 meters high, cast from captured French cannons, will come to life if the clock on Big Ben strikes 13 times.

History of the John Bull symbol 18th century - a truly English gentleman 19th century - Boole's caricature opposed Napoleon Bonaparte himself. 20th century - a rude, simple and very strong master

History of the bulldog symbol Bulldog - exactly repeats the appearance and character of its owner In 1865, a standard for elite dogs appeared - the English bulldog

Winston Churchill Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1940-1945 and 1951-1955

International English Language Competition

History of the vulture symbol (griffin) Edward III (1312-1377) Lancaster dynasty

Monument to Queen Victoria The entrance to the city begins with this statue. It symbolizes strength and power. The boundaries of the City are marked by black posts with its emblem.

Conclusion The symbols of Great Britain reflect the history, culture and way of life of this country. The symbols are closely related to the traditions of the countries of Great Britain. Symbols have changed over many centuries, and they are still changing now. Zoological symbols can represent the calling card of a country.

The presentation uses Internet resources http://images.yandex.ru/ http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Bull http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki http://www.novate.ru /blogs/

Vladislav Kholostyakov (St. Petersburg)

Robin bird Considered the national bird of England, it is found in many areas of the country. The cheerful, vigorous male is active throughout the day, he helps the female build a nest and at the same time obtains food. This bird vigilantly guards its nest and has a strong developed sense territorial property and reacts aggressively when other birds approach it. Since the mid-19th century, the robin has been a constant symbol of Christmas in Great Britain. Her Majesty Queen Victoria's postmen often worked even on Christmas Day. They wore red uniforms, earning them the nickname “Robin Redbreasts.” A popular theme on Christmas cards since then has been the robin next to a red letterbox, symbolizing the postman delivering the traditional bundle of cards and gifts at Christmas in Britain. Since the 1960s, the robin has been the unofficial national bird of Great Britain and undoubtedly its most beloved.

Black crows have earned a completely different reputation - symbols of bad news or misfortune. Among the Celts, ravens were associated with darkness and gloom, as well as with the gift of prophecy. Thus, in the literary monuments of the Irish Celts, the raven often has a prophetic gift. For example, ravens often warned Lugh of the approaching hordes of Fomorians. In addition, the raven was associated with the battlefield; he was depicted flying over rivers of blood, shouting prophecies about the outcome of the battle. Badb, the goddess of war, often took the form of a raven when appearing on the battlefield. The appearance of Badb on the battlefield in the form of a raven was often interpreted as a prophecy about the death of some character.

Black crows- perhaps not only one of the main legends, but also important symbols of the modern Tower. It is known for certain that the first raven appeared in the castle in 1553 during the time of the “nine-day queen” Jane Grey. However, crows became iconic during the time of Queen Elizabeth, on whose orders her favorite Duke of Essex was imprisoned for raising a riot. According to legend, while waiting for the verdict, a huge black raven knocked on the window of the Duke’s cell with its beak, and, looking intently into Essex’s eyes, shouted “Vivat!” three times. The Duke told visiting relatives about the bad omen, they in turn spread the word throughout London, the sad outcome was obvious to everyone. A few days later, the Duke of Essex was brutally executed. This legend lived on for several centuries - the raven appeared to those doomed to the scaffold, until the Tower lost its status as a royal prison and became a museum. Since then, entire dynasties of ravens have settled on the territory of the Tower, and their life on the territory of the castle has acquired a lot of legends. So, one of them still lives - it is believed that the Tower and the entire British Empire will fall as soon as the crows leave it.

Surprisingly, in the 17th century, King Charles II issues a decree, which clearly states that six black ravens must be kept in the castle at all times. A special raven guardian was appointed to monitor this, whose duties included the complete maintenance of the birds. This tradition is still alive today.

Since those times, practically nothing has changed; seven black ravens (one is a spare) live in excellent conditions in the fortress - in spacious enclosures. Every year the state allocates a substantial budget for the maintenance of ravens. Thanks to excellent nutrition, the “Keepers of the Tower” are very well-fed. In their daily diet includes about 200 grams of fresh meat and blood biscuits, in addition, once a week the birds are given eggs, fresh rabbit meat and fried croutons. Each raven has its own name and character - Baldrick, Munin, Thor, Gugin, Gwillum and Branwyn. Every tourist can see them walking along the green lawn.

But still, the most important place among the animal symbols of the United Kingdom is occupied by lions:

There are so many of them on all versions of the British coat of arms that it is difficult to calculate the total number, especially since some of them are depicted in a stylized manner, so it is not always possible to firmly say that this is a lion. Why are there so many lions in the northern country?

The fact is that the state does not have its own coat of arms, it is the coat of arms of the British monarch, and monarchs have always sought to emphasize their difference from mere mortals, so they chose more exotic heraldic animal symbols. It is known that both lions and leopards appeared on the coat of arms during the time of Richard the Lionheart.

But more often royalty used mythical monsters. Edward III placed his beloved griffin on his coat of arms (these hybrid animals have the body of a lion, and the head and claws, sometimes also wings, of an eagle). True, griffins did not take root either in the popular consciousness or as official symbols.

After the unification with Scotland, a white unicorn appeared on the royal (and therefore state) coat of arms - these are already Scottish symbols.
The unicorn is often depicted in chains: firstly, because it is a dangerous animal, and the second meaning of these chains is read as Scotland’s dependence on England.

Red dragons are very popular animals in all countries. These are the official symbols of Wales, but for others, they are rather folklore images. The chronicles of the Middle Ages preserved several evidence of the appearance of flying and swimming dragons.

Many locals and tourists believe that dragons still live on English soil - now they are usually seen not in the sky, but in the water. The story of the lake dragon Nessie is one of the most sensational in the world.

While people are arguing about the existence of Nessie in a Scottish lake, the situation with aquatic inhabitants is not in their favor. Many British rivers, once famous for their salmon, trout, roach, perch, pike and grayling, have been polluted, leading to the decline of the domestic fishing industry. Fishing in fresh water is now just a sport. The shores of the North Sea have been Europe's largest fishing grounds for centuries. In the waters off the British Isles there are various types fish: in the surface layers sea ​​waters From May to October there are a lot of herring, sprat feed in the bays and estuaries of the rivers, and sardines and mackerel appear off the coast of the Cornish Peninsula. The most important commercial fish from distant and near waters are cod, haddock and whiting, mackerel, haddock, herring and flounder.

Bulldog - a living symbol of England during the Middle Ages

To replace the disappeared animals, the British brought to the islands both wild representatives of other fauna, such as North American beavers and martens, as well as cultivated breeds of livestock, as well as companion animals. One of the breeds of such companion animals has become a symbol of “good old England” - this is the famous bulldog.

During the Middle Ages, animal fighting was extremely popular in England. They can be counted among the favorite types of entertainment of the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and other ancient peoples. It is believed that Phoenician traders brought the vicious Molossian dogs to England from Ancient Greece and thus the mastiff breed was established. From ancient centuries to relatively recent times, the name “mastiff” was applied to all large dogs without exception, as well as bulldogs. The name "bulldog" (bull dog) is associated with its purpose - to attack a bull.

When bull baiting was banned by law in 1835, the large population of bulldogs was “out of business.” Some specimens were preserved here and there for dog fighting; although officially prohibited, they flourished on farms, in the backyards of bars, and in the basements of city houses. The English Bulldog is one of the most striking and famous European fighting breeds, but has retained very little in common with its ferocious ancestors. While the first show bulldogs had an expression of strength and the rugged charm of warriors, modern representatives of the breed have become a symbol of “beautiful in it’s ugliness.” Subsequently, the breeders' desire for extravagance led to serious anatomical changes in the dog. Already at the beginning of this century, the bulldog looked as if he had suffered from rickets. Following fashion, breeders sought to especially highlight the characteristic external features of the legendary breed. And, oddly enough, the more cartoonish it looks, the more medals there are at exhibitions.

The bulldog was strong, resilient and agile. Having left the sphere of traditional use, the English bulldog began to acquire the qualities of a watchman and companion of a respectable gentleman. Some inconveniences were created by an overly tough temperament, so vicious dogs were exported in large numbers to New World and other colonies, where life was harsh and morals were simple and completely devoid of the stiffness and gloss inherent in the metropolis; those who remained in their homeland were destined to undergo changes that would allow them to enter the measured life of “good old England” without chaos, destruction and self-harm. Thus, the character and temperament of the bulldog became the object of close attention of breeders. Since a “classic gentleman” must have a “respectable” dog, preference was given to balanced, loyal to strangers (to a certain extent) and reliable bulldogs.

Current trends in the development of the breed place bulldog lovers in a somewhat ambiguous position. The modern bulldog is a work of art in which aesthetic perfection comes into direct conflict with normal physiology, directing the efforts of the breeder into the area of ​​pathological physiology. On the other hand, work to improve the health of the breed in lately are playing an increasingly prominent role and are likely to become the main focus of breeding in the near future. Balance and common sense are very important here, since the appearance of the bulldog will lose its “zest,” but at the same time, a further increase in exaggerated decorativeness will make the breed unviable.

Here are two Old English stories about bulldogs not yet burdened by the codes of gentlemanliness and companionship:

First. A tax inspector comes to an English fortified house and brings a payment slip. No one opens it for the inspector, and he puts the document into a crack in the fortified house, after which he looks out the window. What does he see? He sees how the red bulldog quickly picks up the piece of paper, throws it into the fireplace on the smoldering coals and phlegmatically watches how it lights up.

Second. English dockers drink whiskey in the company of their bulldogs. For some reason, one young bulldog has a death grip on his owner’s nose. The docker's companions try to unclench the dog's jaws, to which the owner shouts heart-rendingly, saying, don't touch the dog, let him taste the blood.

The modern version of the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum is an alternative to English and Swiss boarding schools:

12 Sep

English Topic: National Emblems of the United Kingdom

Topic: National emblems of the United Kingdom with translation (National emblems of the United Kingdom). This text can be used as a presentation, project, story, essay, essay or message on a topic.

Lots of emblems

There are quite a few national emblems of the United Kingdom, which consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each country has its own patron saint and floral emblem.

Rose

The national flower of England is the rose. It has been adopted as an emblem since the Wars of the Roses. This is the name given to the civil wars that took place from 1455 to 1485 between the royal houses of Lancaster and York. Saint George's Day, the patron saint of England, is celebrated on April 23 and is considered a national day.

Thistle and bluebell

The national flowers of Scotland are the thistle and bluebell. The thistle was first used in the 15th century as a symbol of protection. The day of the country's patron saint, St. Andrew, is celebrated on November 30.

Narcissus

The daffodil is the national flower of Wales. It is usually worn on St. David's Day, which is celebrated on March 1st. The vegetable called leek is also a traditional emblem of Wales.

Shamrock

The national flower of Northern Ireland is the shamrock. It is a plant with three leaves, similar to clover. Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17th.

Union Jack

Another famous emblem of the United Kingdom is the flag known as the Union Jack, which consists of three crosses. Each cross represents the patron saints of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Wales has its own flag, called the Welsh Dragon.

Royal coat of arms

Another emblem of the United Kingdom that is worth mentioning is the royal coat of arms. The three lions depicted on it symbolize England, a fierce lion standing on hind legs– Scotland and the harp – Ireland. They are all in a circle supported by a lion and a unicorn. The lion has been considered a symbol of national power for many centuries, and the unicorn, a mythical animal, is a symbol of purity.

Download Topic in English: National emblems of the United Kingdom

National emblems of the United Kingdom

A number of national emblems

There are quite a number of national emblems of the United Kingdom, which consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each country has its own patron saint and a floral emblem.

Rose

The National flower of England is the rose. It has been adopted as an emblem since the time of the Wars of the Roses. That is the name for civil wars that took place from 1455 till 1485 between the royal houses of Lancaster and York. St. George’s Day, England’s patron saint, is celebrated on the 23rd of April and regarded as a national day.

The thistle and the Scottish bluebel

The national flowers of Scotland are the thistle and the Scottish bluebell. The thistle was first used in the 15th century as a symbol of defense. The Day of the country’s patron Saint Andrew is celebrated on the 30th of November.

The daffodil

The daffodil is the national flower of Wales. It's usually worn on St. David’s day, which is celebrated on the 1st of March. The vegetable called leek is also a traditional emblem of Wales.

The shamrock

The national flower of Northern Ireland is the shamrock. It’s a three-leaved plant similar to clover. The Day of the country’s patron Saint Patrick is celebrated on the 17th of March.

Union Jack

Another famous emblem of the United Kingdom is its flag, known as the Union Jack, which is made up of three crosses. Each cross stands for patron saints of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Wales has its own flag called the Welsh Dragon.

The Royal Coat of Arms

One more emblem of the UK that is worth mentioning is the Royal Coat of Arms. The three lions depicted in it symbolize England, a lion rampant – Scotland and a harp – Ireland. All of them are in a circle which is supported by a lion and a unicorn. The lion has been used as a symbol of national strength for many centuries and the unicorn, a mythical animal, is a symbol of purity.