Explanations

WHAT ARE THE BRITISH LIKE? = This is asking for a description of the British people’s personality. LIKE here is a preposition of comparison. Notice the difference in these constructions:
- what is your father like- he’s nice (asking for description of personality)
- what does your father look like- he’s tall (asking for physical description)
Notice also that questions beginning with Wh-words have a falling intonation.

HUMOR (AmE)= in BrE this word is spelled HUMOUR.

SOMEWHAT= a little

WRY= a sense of humour which is ironic and complicated.

FAIR= just (they believe in justice)

DUTCH- people from Holland.

WE GO TOGETHER WELL= we like each other

WITTY= with an intelligent sense of humour.

ABHORRENT= horrible

HOWEVER, = but...

WELSH= from Wales, the little country to the left of Middle England.

I HAVE A SOFT SPOT FOR X= I like X a lot, I have deep feelings for X.

THOUGH= it means the same as BUT, but it often goes at the end of the sentence.

FAMILY-ORIENTATED= their family is the most important thing for them.

HOMEY= they like being at home.

STIFF= very formal and not too friendly.

SHOPKEEPER= a person who owns a shop. Here, he means that the British are very good at business.

STARCHED= stiff. Starch is a liquid used for stiffening cloth and making it rigid and hard.

POMPOUS= they behave as if they are more important and superior.

I’M FOND OF HIM= I like him.

HIS WAYS= his behaviour, the way he acts.

STRINGENT= strict, controlling.

PREJUDICED AGAINST X= with a prejudice against X, with negative ideas about X.

STUFFY= very formal and old-fashioned.

AWFUL= horrible

THE SOURCE= the origin.

SO AM I= me too.