to be unsure which class I belong to?

[Thankgodforcaffeine]

It isn't really keeping me awake at night, but I am curious.

I am not British and did not grow up in the UK, so I do not have this "6th sense" most Brits have which enable them to tell which class people belong to.

How can I tell where I would fit in, considering that in my case accent and vocabulary are irrelevant (I learnt English at school)?

Trivial I know, but I keep wondering.

The forrin class

:o :o Thanks flatbread, you really cleared it all up for me!

dpends what your parents do, what your grandparents do and how many staff you have.

I'm British and I don't know what class I am either, lol

i would not worry becasue those that judge you by what class you are or are desperate to tell the world what class they are in (lots on here :o ) are twats and not worth knowing :)

be yourself that is what makes you interesting

What flatbread said This book might give you some clues though .. Watching the English

if you work for a living - working class

if other people work for your living - ruling class

hth !

I think there are very real differences that become obvious when you move between classes e.g. grew up working class move into middle class.

It depends on what your parents did for a living and their income/lifestyle alongside your level of education and what you/your partner does for a living/lifestyle you have. I mention lifestyle because someone may be living in an inherited large cottage for example as their parents were very wealthy but work as a part time TA. So its not all about the job you do.

What job do you do
Do you own or rent your house
What education level do you have
Do you say napkin or serviette

But if you post about yourself, we could all give you our opinions, which I am sure wouldn't necessarily be the same. Somewtimes what class you belong to is straightforward e.g. if you are sales assistant and DP is a labourer. Parents were dinner lady and bus driver - so clearly working class. But sometimes much more complicated and nobody will agree what class.

There's too many blinking classes, and even more that only have one person in them.

Don't fret it.

My folks were traditional working class bred, miners and steelworkers in the past, salt of the earth. My Dad went into business instead of underground and became a sort of working middle/normal class, looked down on by others who had middle class upbringing but the same income, and dismissed as a goody two shoes by his born into class.

My Granny was seriously upperclass in her head but grew up piss poor and married 'well' to someone who lived the working class life but had ancestorial links to the upper class, great grandchild or something of the 4th Baronette of Renishaw Hall no less - still hoping there may be an inheritence out there and I've always loved Edith Sitwell - so what am I?

I'm working, middle, upper, lowerchav at times class I suppose... just class

Like I say, don't fret it, you'll get a headache!

do you use a long 'a' as in Spaaaaaaaaaaniel?

Why would you want to label yourself? My eldest considers himself middle class due to his job, his degree and his salary. Personally for me class and talking about it is for snobs.

if you have to ask you are of a lower class.

it's not about money. it's about attitude.

fabbychic - Yes talking and being concerned about class is looked down on by many British - particularly ime in those who are middle class or above.

But honestly I think it is naive to think it doesn't matter. I think for many/most people it doesn't affect them day to day as, but if you have moved drastically between classes it does affect you. People do make assumptions about you based on class.

"I think there are very real differences that become obvious when you move between classes e.g. grew up working class move into middle class."

I have always wondered about this, can you move into another class? Or are you a product of your upbringing, no matter what job you do, how much you earn, where you live and where you purchase your napkins?

suburban I read the book you recommend a while ago, but it didn't really help. It is mostly about what you call things (ie have you got a settee/ a sofa/ a couch, and is it in your front room/ lounge/ living room etc. )

Because I learnt English at school, I have a couch and it's in my living room, but I only use these words because I was taught them at school.

atyourcervix my parents run a small shop, my grandparents were farmers/ labourers and I have no staff (but I really wish I had staff, my house would be tidy then)

I think I am possibly even more confused now :o

So is it about how much I earn? Or about how much I would like people to think I earn? Or how much my parents earn? Or not at all about money?

Does the way people dress say anything about class (choice of brands, etc.) ?

You could try this quiz what class are you

adversecamber no, no and no.

We have now established that I am not a Royal :o (do Royals MN? I wonder)

suburban thank you for the link :)

According to the DM I am upper-middle class.

Which surely means that I would automatically discount any statement starting with the words "according to the DM" :o

takeonboard - I don't know the answer to that one - seriously Where I grew up was very poor and very very few went on to university. Friends I went to school with all do low paid jobs such as work in a fish and chip shop and think I am very wealthy and a bit posh in a way.

But the middle class people I work with I don't think quite see me as middle class either. Or if some ever do they make assumptions that I am from a similar background as them. So to some extent I think you can end up straddling 2 classes.

It isn't by design - but virtually all my close friends are born working class now with middle class levels of income/lifestyle.

Point is, the system is set up to stop people moving "up" the classes.

If you are working class (parents do manual work, say toilet and not educated above age 16), the classes above you will dismiss you as "working class".

If you are newly middle class (your parents were working class but you went to university, you used to say serviette and toilet but now struggle to say napkin and loo), those above you will still look down on you ("her parents say toiket! Fnar fnar"). If you are heard uttering the word settee, the middle classes will find this strangely comment-worthy but if you upgrade your vocab you will be roundly dismissed as a parvenu and thus laughed at behind your back. The working classes will think you are a snobby cow who has got above her station.

If you are solidly middle class (university education all round, napkins, lavatories and family meals with conversation a go go, nice house with good carpets from John Lewis), those above you will find you terribly twee and parochial whereas those lower will think you very la-di-daa and incomprehensible.

If you are upper class (threadbare carpets, dusty furniture, packs of dogs and staff, public school manners and food preferences, say "what" never "pardon") the middle class will find you dirty and smelly and not understand how you can drive around in such a muddy car and the working class will think you are very poor (unless they see your house).

Everybody is supposed

I'm British and I don't know what class I am either, lol

Your use of an internet acronym suggests residuum/underclass.

That said, you do know how to use the apostrophe correctly.

You are right, it is confusing isn't it?