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AIBU?

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Original poster

To say what instead of pardon?

181 replies

toomanycoffeess · 06/04/2024 19:19

Or is that rude?

OP posts:
desperatedaysareover · 06/04/2024 20:43

Lounge is giving ‘Abigail’s Party.’

alexdgr8 · 06/04/2024 20:42

Cavalierchaos · 06/04/2024 19:38

'What' is really rude! I say pardon or what was that,sorry? Or even just 'sorry?' with a puzzled look.

absolutely !
i went to 5 different schools, inc a private boarding school.
if i'd said, 'what?' to any of the teachers, i'd have got an order mark. and that was serious.

Geebray · 06/04/2024 20:41

Afraidofthedarke · 06/04/2024 20:40

I take it from this thread that’s not a good thing 😆

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Depends on your position.

Afraidofthedarke · 06/04/2024 20:40

Geebray · 06/04/2024 20:38

Living room is akin to toilet. And pardon.

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I take it from this thread that’s not a good thing 😆

Geebray · 06/04/2024 20:39

Geebray · 06/04/2024 20:38

Living room is akin to toilet. And pardon.

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And you can't say napkin and serviette. Serviette denotes you.

Geebray · 06/04/2024 20:38

Afraidofthedarke · 06/04/2024 20:38

Not really. I do say both napkin or serviette. I never say couch but I say sofa or settee and living room not lounge. What does that say about me!?

Edited
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Living room is akin to toilet. And pardon.

Afraidofthedarke · 06/04/2024 20:38

Geebray · 06/04/2024 20:31

And do you say serviette, couch, and lounge?

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Not really. I do say both napkin or serviette. I never say couch but I say sofa or settee and living room not lounge. What does that say about me!?

checkedshirts · 06/04/2024 20:37

BCBird · 06/04/2024 19:33

Working class. Always say pardon. If any pupils say what, I give them 'the look' and it soon becomes pardon😆

Pardon is worse than a child saying fuck imo. Always what. See also people that say toilet instead of loo.

Geebray · 06/04/2024 20:37

Lifeinlists · 06/04/2024 20:35

Ah but is that old wealth or new?

Jilly Cooper did sort that one out: Caroline and Harry Stowcrat- definitely old money. What?
Mr and Mrs Nouveau - Richards - working class, self- made millionaires. Pardon?

Both wealthy though.

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Yes, it's not about money.

"Wealth" is a dreadful "toilet" type word.

desperatedaysareover · 06/04/2024 20:37

Might be the people who I know who say ‘pardon’ but it sounds (despite them speaking normally the rest of the time) like this:

Paaaaaaaahrdonnnnn

Both ILs are teachers and they really give it the full five-nil.

WingsofRain · 06/04/2024 20:35

Geebray · 06/04/2024 20:26

You would say "pardon", would you?

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No, I’d say “sorry”, but I was brought up to say “pardon”. An American friend I had used to say “excuse me?” which I found really confusing but much less rude than “what”.

Lifeinlists · 06/04/2024 20:35

Teentaxidriver · 06/04/2024 20:16

Pardon is non-U amongst wealthy.

Ah but is that old wealth or new?

Jilly Cooper did sort that one out: Caroline and Harry Stowcrat- definitely old money. What?
Mr and Mrs Nouveau - Richards - working class, self- made millionaires. Pardon?

Both wealthy though.

Mammyloveswine · 06/04/2024 20:34

I say "sorry?" But my husband has insisted on my children saying "pardon" and I can't lie they sound very cute and polite!

KitKatChunki · 06/04/2024 20:34

Pardon is twee and cheap - you'd ask the Queen for a pardon, no one else can do that. It seems rude to (UC/UMC) people because it sounds as though you are asking someone you've potentially offended to stop being so offended because they are not the Queen.

My mum once had to take a matron aside at drop off for giving me detention for refusing to say pardon and insisting on what. I was a rebel at 6!

Geebray · 06/04/2024 20:33

Cheepcheepcheep · 06/04/2024 20:31

Nah it’s fair enough I’m drunk! Sorry 😂

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Cheers! 🍻

ThomasinaLivesHere · 06/04/2024 20:32

All are better than ‘Eh?’ which is what some people I know say.
It’s interesting that ‘pardon’ is seen as common by some as I always thought that was the proper polite way.

Geebray · 06/04/2024 20:31

Afraidofthedarke · 06/04/2024 20:30

I would!

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And do you say serviette, couch, and lounge?

watchingthesnowfall · 06/04/2024 20:31

I was brought up with 'what?' in a MC household. Pardon was 'common', along with settee, serviette and toilet. Strangely, my SIL corrects my children when they say 'what?', but my DH says they were brought up to say 'what?' as well. Annoys the fuck out of me when she tells them to say 'pardon'.

Cheepcheepcheep · 06/04/2024 20:31

Geebray · 06/04/2024 20:19

Oh right, cool 😄

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Nah it’s fair enough I’m drunk! Sorry 😂

Afraidofthedarke · 06/04/2024 20:30

Geebray · 06/04/2024 20:26

You would say "pardon", would you?

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I would!

Amandasummers · 06/04/2024 20:29

I hear pardon as “I dare you to repeat that” type thing.

ive always been told pardon instead of what but im a what kind of person!

SparrowFeet · 06/04/2024 20:27

"Pardon" just sounds wrong in the context of "what did you say." It doesn't mean anything on its own.
"Pardon me" is saying please forgive me. So you should be saying "pardon me, I did not hear what you said. Could you please repeat it" when "what was that" or "what did you say" would suffice.

Geebray · 06/04/2024 20:26

WingsofRain · 06/04/2024 20:22

I would find “what?” incredibly rude in this context.

You would say "pardon", would you?

WingsofRain · 06/04/2024 20:22

I would find “what?” incredibly rude in this context.

InterIgnis · 06/04/2024 20:22

English isn’t my first language but I was taught it was ‘what?’, never ‘pardon?’. ‘What?’ may sound harsh and abrasive to some ears, but then again so does my accent 🤷🏻‍♀️

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