Social classes and subcultures in UK

Social classes and sub-cultures

in the UK

Zhamal Toktamysova4 July 2012

Parliament

House of Lords

House of Commons

British monarch

History

•Cottagers and labourers

•Husbandman (or other tradesmen)

•Yeoman

Classifications: archaic (1)

•Merchant citizens

•Gentry/Gentleman

•Knights

Classifications: archaic (2)

•Baronets

•Peer (Noble/Archbishop)

•Royal

Classifications: archaic (3)

Underclass

Working class◦ Unskilled and semi-skilled working class◦ Skilled working class

Middle class◦ Lower middle class◦ Middle middle class◦ Upper middle class

Upper class

21st century: informal classifications

Which social class is it? (1)

Hyacinth Bucket

Margo Leadbetter

Gap Yah

Which social class is it? (2)

Written Spoken: intonation, stress, phonemes, vowels

◦ Example: Golf, Ralph, solder

Vocabulary:

U and non-U English (1)

http://www.helsinki.fi/jarj/ufy/24991_s113_150Ross.pdf

Vocabulary

U and non-U English (2)

Working class subcultures:◦ Punks◦ Skinheads (redskins, suedeheads)◦ Chavs◦ Neds (Scottish)

Subcultures (1)

Middle class subcultures:◦ Teddy boys◦ Hipsters ◦ Mods and rockers

Subcultures (2)

How do you think, is it easy to move between social classes in UK?

What do you need to move to the upper class?

How do you think, why do people join a subculture?

Discussion