I read this in the food thread, but would like some clarification.

Is it a Brit who does their very best to assimilate to the Spanish way of life? Or is it a Spaniard who eschews Spanish customs to appear more welcoming to the expats?

Thanks.

personally I think it's a myth

but your first definition is nearest to what people mean - a foreigner who does their very best to assimilate to the Spanish way of life - but to the extent that they eschew everything from their country of birth

I take it that it's a derogatory term, then?

obviously...............

Good definition.

Why is it 'obvious'?

Some might well try their best to fit in. Are you saying that those who try their best to fit in are somehow false/fictitious?

you will never hear it said without a sneer - & yes, when it's said, the inference is that you're a fake - hence the 'plastic'

Sounds a bit like the term, 'coconut' when talking about a person from the Caribbean who tries to fit into the 'British' way of life.

I have never heard of that one.

It's a phrase I have used for years, and for me it means someone that tries to go native and ignore wherever they came from. I'm all in favour of fitting in, learning the lingo etc, all essential in IMHO, but it's the referral to YUK, I only eat Spanish food, don't mix with any Brits, only have Spanish friends, don't have any UK TV etc, NHS crap, Spanish SS brilliant, never want to go back to UK etc. They are only ever going to be Brits no matter how hard they try to deny it, they'll never be Spanish. For me, it's all about balance, what's wrong with having Brit and Spanish friends, watching Spanish and Brit TV? We have Spanish friends here in UK that have embraced UK living, but they still have their "quedadas", they still go back home often etc, none that I know try to delete Spain from their life, or deny they are Spanish.

ok, I get it. i have the same feeling when I see houses in the uk that have their number on the front gate in some kind of 'French' style, or have signs that say, 'Attention au chien', that kind of thing.

It extends to saying things like, 'en famille', etc.

Cringing, in other words.

I came to Spain to live in Spain among Spaniards, or at least among Spanish culture

I would have no problem mixing among Brits in Oviedo who were taking part in Spanish society, but I happen not to know any. I don't any Russians either, as it happens. I know a couple of Italians and Argentinians and have no problem mixing with them

What I didnt come to Spain for, would be hanging around with Brits who are apart from Spanish culture and only do their own thing, in English. English food, English TV, English radio stations, English education, English restaurants, English friends etc etc. For that, I would have been better off in the UK

If I want to go to the UK, it is only a short flight away! When the kids are older we are going to spend summers in the UK. I like Britain and want my children to know it.

I see the other way, the Plastic Spaniard/Portuguese/Frenchman is the type of expat who is looking for the UK in the sun,who really wants nothng to do with the country they now live in.
IE, the only thing Spanish etc about them is the name on the plasctic bags from the local supermarket.

If say Pakistani's and Somalis carried on living their lives as if they were in their homelands, whilst living in the UK, and were criticised for doing so by indigenous UK residents, calls of racism would ring out from the roof tops. Afro Caribbeans, Chinese, Italians etc; etc; tend to do their own thing. However if a Brit living in Spain has the temerity to watch 'Match Of The Day', followed by a fish and chip supper, he/she risks being tarred and feathered and dragged through the streets, by Brits supposedly totally assimilated into the Spanish way of life.

Some folk really need to get a life.

In football parlance "plastic" means "fake". Pastic fans are people who pretend to be fans of a team, but don't know much about it, or do very much to support it, and very quickly cease to be a fan of that team should it start performing badly. So I guess a "Plastic Spaniard" is someone who pretends to be Spanish, but isn't really. To be honest I have never heard of the term before, and I don't know anyone like that. Some people choose to integrate more than others and, in many cases people have no choice because of where they live and how long they have been living there.