What's another word for "What"?

[Trustmeimadoggroomer17]

Me and DP are teaching DD about manners and we have notice when we call her she says "what" of course that's what we say or we go yee?? To each other... What's the correct response we though if we shout her she should respond yes mummy or yes daddy? Is that right or is there a completely different type word... God were so common, but we don't want her saying what to teachers ect ect

Pardon?

Pardon

Apparently pardon is common and what isn't so who knows!

A cheerful "Yes" or "uh-huh" might be alternatives?

"Yes??" would be fine?

Yes

But that's correct. I sometimes say " say again" but what a mouthful. What? Is perfectly fine!

Do you mean when someone calls her name? Or when she doesn't hear what is said first time? Obviously 'pardon' if it's the latter.

Pardon is lower middle class. "Sorry?" is UMC and "what" is UC/WC.

I though using 'what' is what toffs do and that use of 'pardon' is actually considered common. I am happy to disabused of this if i am wrong!

Love the idea of any of my dcs responding at all. They just ignore me, or grunt.

I don't have a problem personally with 'what?' - for me it's just short hand for 'what did you say?' - but I know lots of people don't like it.

I say 'sorry?'

If someone calls my name across the room I say "yeh?" Or "yep?"

I guess the "proper" response would be "yes?"

If it's to her name being called then I like "hello?"

Exactly bluesky. Whatwhat etc (said while sporting pince-nez.

You don't respond "pardon" when someone calls your name. You respond: "yes?"

What is fine. Pardon on its own doesn't make sense it's 'I beg your pardon' a sin I'm sorry I didn't catch that. Believing what is rude is a myth

I'd just say 'yes?'.

I say (and teach my children) to say 'sorry?' if they need something repeated

Pardon lower middle class?! It's infinitely more polite than what.

She should say ' yes'.
Some posters are answering as though you daughter hasn't heard what you said but you mean when you call her name, don't you?
If you don't hear what someone said it's always ' what?' .
Never 'pardon', you aren't asking to be pardoned.

If she means 'what', then why not say it? The downside of teaching her a correct response is that it might be undermined by others at primary school. We were forever having to remind our children not to say 'Pardon or pardon me' because a teaching assistant felt it was more acceptable and required children to use the ghastly phrases.

'Pardon' is dreadful. 'What', 'yes', 'sorry' are the things to say, depending on the circumstances. I think it was Jilly Cooper whose daughter said 'Mummy says 'pardon' is a much worse word than f*' - nuff said!

Pardon is a polite way of saying you didn't hear someone first time. What sounds more rude to me.

"You called?"

A roll of the eyes, a big sigh and a grumpy "Uh?"

Failing that, just "Yes?" or "What?" is fine. I think what must be short for "What do you want/what can I do for you?"

Pardon doesn't work because no-one has done anything wrong.