To say what instead of pardon?

[toomanycoffeess]

Or is that rude?

This is really interesting, I wonder if there are regional differences too. I was brought up, and always thought, that ‘what’ is very rude and ‘pardon’ is the correct way. I had no idea some people would think the opposite. I personally say ‘sorry?’. DD 10 says ‘huh?’, even when I’m sure she’s heard, drives me mad!

Oh right, cool 😄

I still remember my teacher at my all girls’ grammar school screeching at me because I answered “what” when I didn’t hear her. 43 years later I’ve never said it since, it’s now “sorry.”

😂

That's because pardon is naff.

I was brought up lower middle and taught to say "pardon" - I have been trying to shake it off ever since (ditto "serviette", lounge" etc). I think I finally succeeded ....
I love the classic Dame Jilly quote that "Mummy says 'pardon' is a much worse word than 'f*ck'" 🤣

I say 'I beg your pardon?' Occasionally. Most often though I say 'say again'. Prob due to military background.

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 🤷🏻‍♀️

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

You would say "pardon", would you?

"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.

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!

I would!

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

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'.

And do you say serviette, couch, and lounge?

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.

Cheers! 🍻

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!

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

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.

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”.

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.

Yes, it's not about money.

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

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

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!?