to say "pardon?"

[matildamatilda]

So I'm American and in the US it's not rude to say "What?" when someone calls you or when you didn't hear something.

It's informal, but not at all rude. Especially if you say it in a pleasant tone. So kids wouldn't be told off for answering "what?" the way they are here. It's just "what" as in "what did you say?"

Since I've lived here I've been training myself to say "Pardon?" but I just can't get the hang of it. It sounds kind of... supercilious maybe? Huffy? Am I just not pulling it off?

I usually end up saying, "Here I am, " or "Sorry did you say something?"

Do you say "pardon"?

Lavatory to me is a bit old-fashioned - aged ceramic, cold, and Izal or Bronco tracing paper.

Lavatory is antiquated.

Unless you are actual landed gentry, then lavatory is deeply affected.

And I say this as someone who doesn't use the word 'toilet'.

I use lavatory. I also use cunt. I'm obviously an antiquated, pretentious, foul mouthed biddy!

It's not pretentious if thats how you've been brought up to speak guv'nor

I find it very confusing. I was brought up to say pardon and toilet, (nouveau riche obvs) and now the really posh people I know say sorry and loo......what the hell will I teach my kids?!

Also, I thought the soup thing was to show you had money for food and weren't starving, so didnt need to gt it in your gob as fast as poss.....

Putting milk into cups before tea became the done thing because expensive cups were very fragile, and would crack if boiling tea went in first (useless trivia)

I remember reading somewhere that the spooning soup away from yourself came about during imperial conquest wars, the officers would be in their tents scoffing and would spoon away from themselves as the constant clatter of horses passing by meant spilling soup on oneself was a hazard.

Whether that is true or not I have no idea.

I say "sorry, what did you say" but I rather like the way my Zimbabwean neighbour says "come again?":)

Its a minefield! I find this stuff really interesting . Japanese Margaret has it spot on - its not a Mumsnet thing it just comes out because we are anonymous. I wouldn't talk about this stuff in real life as would hate to offend and would come across as a prat.

My fathers side of family were aspirational working class and it was all pardon/serviette/lounge etc. Whilst my mothers were impoverished but highly educated upper middles (napkin, looking glass, horror of suburbia). So I guess I am dual heritage

oh yes, Granny is your grandmother, Nanny is someone who is paid to look after you!

Round here everyone has Nanny (GM) but it confused my mother no end when she arrived...

oops, meant to say I do think Nan is lovely.

I say what I want and if I'm sneered at for that that person will know they have deeply offended me. the fucking snob

frogslegs - so if someone is passing me and says "excuse me, excuse me" does that mean they are not only passing, but also farting grin

Quite possibly :) You'll snigger to yourself now if you ever hear it said like that.

'The big light' Haha! I'm guilty of calling it that.

I had Nana's and Grandma's.

My father says 'glass' rather than 'looking glass'.

happygirl - it's the other way round! People with inferior quality china had to put the milk in first, to prevent cracking. People with quality porcelain had no need!

This made me giggle

www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,,-1400,00.html

at 'rancid milk'... obviously more of a problem for the colonials than those in England..

My mum always told me that the "upper classes"/ posh people say what and it's the aspiring middle classes that use pardon. So keep going with what if you fancy hobnobbing! www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/apr/17/britishidentity.monarchy
I say pardon for what it's worth

God, that article about the royals/Middletons is so depressing. I can't imagine ever wanting to join that foosty old club, let alone making a concerted effort to do so.

Vive la revolution!