Why are chicken eggs brown in the UK - as opposed to white in the US? (1 Viewer)

[andrew markworthy]

This is off topic, but, to answer your question, Scott, the use of wigs and gowns in UK courts gets reviewed by the legal profession every few years. They are used for several reasons: (a) to remind everyone of the long history of the law and the weight of precedence and tradition;(b) to in part mask the individuality of the lawyers and make the system appear less prone to individual personalities (e.g. Brit lawyers aren't allowed to stroll around the courtroom and go right up to the witnesses as in the USA); (c) to signal that what's going on is a trial for a serious crime (wigs and gowns are only used for courts handling more serious cases; 'routine crimes' carrying low prison sentences or fines are generally held in magistrates courts and there are no wigs or gowns).

 

[Jon_Are]

(wigs and gowns are used)

to signal that what's going on is a trial for a serious crime (wigs and gowns are only used for courts handling more serious cases

Forgive me, Andrew, but does anyone else see the humor in the above statement?

Jon

 

[Scott Page]

Thanks for the info Andrew. Being so knowledgable you sound like a Barister yourself. I figured that tradition must play a part in it as Brits seem much more into tradition than Americans (but I must admit that my knowledge of your country is limited to school books from the 60's and 70's and TV). Your explanations make it sound very reasonable. But it still seems very silly.
By the way, US attorneys really don't stroll around the court room (at least not during the murder trial that I was a jurist on), that is just Hollywood. They have to ask the judge for permission to approach witness for specific reasons.
I think we need a thread on wigs and gowns; sounds more interesting than eggs.
Love the BBC comedies!

 

[andrew markworthy]

British courts can be remarkably like the ones you've seen on movies. When I was a teenager, I used to while away a few idle hours in the public gallery at the local Crown Court (i.e. one of the ones used for serious cases). I had a slight inkling to become a lawyer, but the sight of what went on quickly put me off. All my friends who become lawyers earn more in a month than my annual salary, so maybe my views on the legal system aren't totally sound.

I think the whole thing about Brit institutions must be hysterically funny to (if you'll pardon the phrase) foreigners, but if you're born into the culture, it doesn't seem all that bizarre (indeed the mundane reality is that most of the great British institutions are things we just pay lip service to or just take for granted). I suppose this is true for any culture - e.g. Brits find things like pep rallies just a little odd.

 

[Scott Page]

Never been to a pep rally but I know what you mean. Looking from the outside in, other cultures do appear anything from slightly to very odd.

I'm sure that Americans seem very odd to many people. But many people think what they see on Baywatch is what Americans are like. California is a whole other planet. A lady was recently arrested in Utah for mowing her lawn in a bikini. Of course Utah is more straight-laced than most of the country, but in California it would not be much of an issue. The British institutions do seem very funny and quaint. But very likeable too, kind of like a quirky cousin. Course you all are cousins in a way. My ancestors come from the Norfolk area.

Your whole court, parliment, and royalty thing is kind of funny to us. But I'm sure that Americans are very amusing to Brits as well. I don't think that the Taliban are very amused by us though.

 

[andrew markworthy]

Scotty, I hate to tell you this, but the UK did have a fairly massive scare about salmonella in eggs a few years ago. However, if I remember correctly the origin was in native rather than imported eggs. A lot of Brit restaurants will now only use pasteurised egg yolk and similar when preparing dishes which require raw egg, like mayonnaise.