Manager keeps correcting me.

[User1234567891011]

I'm 100% okay with being told IABU.

I work in a fast paced area, very loud and very busy - its hard to hear people and as a result asking someone to repeat themselves is the usual. I often have to ask ''What?'' because I didn't catch something.

My manager has a habit of saying ''Pardon!'' every time I say ''What?'' as a way of correcting me - Every. Single. Time. Its like having my mother in work.

AIBU to think she shouldn't be doing this every time? I could understand if I wasn't saying please or thank you, but I do. Just for full disclosure we're from different counties (I'm from the north), she also tends to correct the way I say things because of my accent.

midcenturymodern

I know exactly what you mean! People saying someone is ignorant would make me assume the person ignored someone etc. Not that they were generally rude - I've heard people call someone who was just rude ignorant though!

Pardon for me just has a different meaning to what, just like you said.

GoneGirl1234 Milk in the earlygrey! Good lord!

"Where I come from, 'pardon' is common. I don't say it."

What a bint. I go a little bit postal if people try and 'correct' - or, basically, mock - my accent (also North, the only people who say 'pardon' are mothers barking at toddlers, no one else EVER says pardon), and they can shove it up their plummy rears. Or reAAArs.

pluto
The obvious U name for toilet is Shit Slide. Obviously.

"I would Hazzard a guess that far more people would consider it the correct word to use."

I wouldn't. I'm from Croydon and have lived in West and South Yorkshire. No-one I know says "what", or "pardon" unless they have burped. As I said upthread "sorry" is the most commonly used word these days.

Would just like to point out that when I said "ignore the ignorant busybody" I was not using ignorant as a euphemism for rude, but pointing out that she was ignorant (i.e. didn't know) that actually saying "what?" is fine instead of "pardon".

I've seen some members of staff lose very large sales to other colleagues for just using 'what' as the customer thought they were being very rude and blunt with them.

I always use 'Sorry, I didn't catch that' when in a professional environment. But with my friends & family 'what' or 'pardon' are fine

It sounds as if shes doing it to "put you in your place" more than anything.

A lot f us have had a "boss" like that at some point - usually someone quite insecure who has been given just a little bit of authority and needs to find petty ways to assert their dominance to prove to themselves and everyone else that they are, indeed, "the boss".

It is low level bullying / harassment. The way you are dealing with it sounds fine unless you think she's vindictive enough to feel undermined and try complaining about you to management for "insubordination" or misrepresenting the situation and claiming you really are rude to customers and rude to her when she kindly pulls you up in order to improve your customer service - tread carefully. You might be better off keeping a log of how she corrects your accent and making sure you have witnesses willing to back you up, and /or getting in there first with a complaint about her harassing you if you think she's got it in for you.

"Could you repeat that please?" Would be best, but if it's loud your customer probably won't catch what you said and will yell either "what?" Or "pardon?" or "sorry?" at you - perhaps just cup your hand around your ear and mime incomprehension

None of the other managers do it. Like I said, managers alternate on shifts. I don't think she'll do anything to make me bad with the other managers as they all know me and witness me working in the exact same way she does and never say anything, they say ''What?!'' too!

Like I said, its not me saying it to the customers as I don't, we've been given a line by the company (Can you repeat that please?) to use. Its just between co-workers who are all very friendly with eachother. If she ever tried to put me down any way wrongly to another manager I would set it straight very bluntly, don't worry about that.

I think basically she's only a couple of years older than me so feels its the only way people will see her as more ''adult'' and ''in charge''.

User1234567891011

This woman is making your life unpleasant.

You mention "other managers".

Any chance of a transfer?

She sounds very silly, what? isn't rude, it is if you say it irritably, or with a pained expression on your face. How rude of her to correct you on how you pronounce words. Next time put her in her place, "where I come from saying what isn't considered bad manners, but patronising people is".

It would seem that, even though "what" is supposed to be U, the majority of people think it sounds rude and unfriendly.

What is what posh people say.

People who say pardon for what tend to say other stuff like myself, yourself etc for me and you.

If she says anything again say "I say what. pardon is for a burp or fart. Please don't correct how I speak again"

nobody who says 'what' would use 'pardon' for burp or fart either...:)
The p word is just a no-no.

Just point her in the direction of Nancy Mitford. U and non-U.

Your manager is the one who is technically wrong. Although in this day and age it shouldn't matter which word you use.

And it's really rude to correct someone in that way.

I agree 'what' is actually correct anyway if she's being pedantic-she's incorrect, not you! Also v rude to correct you!

"what" is correct. It pisses me off when people correct my 3yo

I'm genuinely intrigued by this. I was taught that 'what' is rude and 'pardon' polite - I say the former at home but the latter at work. Had no idea there was a problem with that or that it was incorrect! Mumsnet really is the font of all knowledge (or is it fount?).

Now off to Google 'U' and 'non-U' as I haven't the faintest idea what you're all on about.

Op, that's a terribly patronising quirk your manager has there. I'd probably just respond one day 'did you know that 'what' is actually correct and polite English, 'pardon' isn't?'. Might shut her up or at least make her think twice before constantly correcting you and others. She's got no business telling you how to talk if it's not in front of customers and not offensive to colleagues!

My mother was born in Germany and was descended from minor German aristocracy. Other kids at school thought I was "posh", but I still think that "what" is too abrupt and rude.

I can assure you that the Royals use "what" rather than "pardon".

They are also descended from German aristocracy..

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/sep/22/how-talk-posh-glossary-non-u

Insufferably emphamistic is OP what you tell your manager she is next time she corrects you