To say what instead of pardon?

[toomanycoffeess]

Or is that rude?

It can be difficult amongst people who are not similar. Try this:

"Sorry, what?"

What
Loo
Sitting room
Napkin
Gararrrge (not garridge)

Just never, ever, say "pardon"

Absolutely batshit this thread 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Probably best to aim for MMC atm. You will need to practise saying 'what?' on a more regular basis for starters.

I've heard the King saying "what?" to someone so, if it's OK for him to do it, I'm sure you'll be fine.

I say sorry or what, depending who it is

Yes I do say ‘Sorry, what did you say?’ in addition to pardon… but today I have been teaching my 2 year old to say pardon every time she says ‘huh?’ to me. 😀 I think I’ve said pardon about 50 times today.

Neither. “Sorry” is the most polite I think.

I was taught to say pardon… working class family with Hyacinth Bucket aspirations.

If I say sorry too much though it can sound a bit sorry

No. Do not teach him to say pardon.

"Pardon" makes me cringe (as does "veg").

Did you have a front room?

Pardon me, just pop that yummy veg in the oven, and, voilà, a delicious din-dins for the hubby!

Yes, in the sense that we had two rooms downstairs - front and back 😂

I’m sorry I just can’t. I can’t teach my 2 year old to say ‘what?’ I can’t bring myself to do it!

I was brought up to say what/lavatory or loo/napkin etc, and anything non-u was frowned upon, but I later spent lots of time living overseas with English-speakers from elsewhere so have drifted into saying toilet and living room sometimes.

DP is several notches posher than me (titled relatives, actual stately homes etc), and he winces at 'toilet' or 'underwear' and calls it a 'drawing room', so I deliberately use the non-u words to tease him occasionally, as he is very aware of how arbitrary and stupid it all is. But I could not bring myself to say pardon, even as a joke...

English class-based language is weird and fascinating but really should not be taken seriously.

Good for you. If any of this class stuff interests you, then you are solidly lower or middle.

as he is very aware of how arbitrary and stupid it all is

But I could not bring myself to say pardon, even as a joke...

Well make yout mind up.

I think What used to be a lot more associated with the upper classes in the time of Bertie Wooster because it was often used in other ways e.g What Ho Jeeves, its a fine day, what, what what?

Working class here and it’s definitely rude to say ‘what’ in my book. Like a PP, I spend a lot of my time correcting my toddler (to say ‘pardon’) at the moment. I certainly won’t be changing that in light of this thread.

It’s so odd that the undertone here is that the upper class way is somehow unquestioningly the correct way, and that those that don’t prescribe to their rules are to be sniggered at. MN hideousness at its finest, even in such an innocuous topic.

What was that.

What did you say.

Sorry {insert name} I didn’t catch that.

Just smiled at this as it was something which my Mum used to say to me as a child and I could hear her voice in my head too. " It's not what, it's pardon". I miss my Mum but little things bring back memories and make me smile.

I hate pardon, it sounds rude.
I say ‘what’ or ‘sorry, what did you say?’ Depending on who I’m talking to.

I have no recollection what I was taught. I don't think it was pardon, except for "I beg your pardon" if someone was being "previous".

"What did you say" I think was often said.

The older I get, the more I say " could you repeat that please" or if speaking with someone from an overseas call centre "I'm sorry but I didn't catch that, please could you speak slowly and a little more loudly". Followed by "Oh, I don't think we're chums, my name is Mrs Hellebores and no, I'm not having a great day, I've already spent two hours on the phone to you chaps, further to 90 minutes texting your chat bots to try and sort out my broadband which isn't working".

Sorry