Question re: INexpensive

[Triggles]

DH & I were at a mobile phone shop the other day looking at (surprise!) phones. The shop assistant asked if they could help, to which DH answered "We're looking for an inexpensive mobile to keep on hand as a spare." The shop assistant raised an eyebrow at DH and said "Do you mean INexpensive or maybe UNexpensive?"

Have I missed something here? Isn't INEXPENSIVE the correct word?!? It was my perception that the shop assistant was being rude and condescending. But wasn't he also incorrect?? (or maybe that's UNcorrect?)

The shop assistant was both rude and, amusingly, wrong.

Thank you. That makes me feel ever so much better as I told him in no uncertain terms that I didn't appreciate his condescending manner and that if was going to deign to correct someone's speech in future, he should make sure he knew what he was talking about before opening his mouth. Wretch.

sorry, if HE was going to...