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Pedants' corner
Original poster

WHAT?

52 replies

word · 27/07/2009 15:55

Right. Showed sby a video of our hols. On it was a bit where my DS wanted to play the yes or no game - ie you are not allowed to answer any question with yes or no.

I was enjoying watching it until we got to the bit where DS said (on the video), "Mu-uuuum... ?" and as I knew he was trying to catch me out, instead of replying, "Yes, darling?" I said, "What, darling?".

At this point the people watching the video decided to pull me up on my English!

"It's not "what", it's "pardon"". Cue guffaws of laughter (they know I'm a pedant).

WTF?

Firstly, I WAS PLAYING A SODDING GAME, secondly, does anyone answer "Muuuuuum?" with pardon? Thirdly, isn't it rude for anyone (apart from your parents perhaps) to critisize you, as a grown adult, for saying anything?

Finally, haven't I heard that truly posh people think that pardon is rude anyway? Are there any of you "truly posh" people out there, who could enlighten me?!
TIA

OP posts:
PortAndLemon · 27/07/2009 15:58

I'm not truly posh but yes, "Pardon" is seen as being faintly lower-middle-class. The posh say "What?" and the more-apologetic-and-hence-slightly-less-posh might venture a "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

flowerybeanbag · 27/07/2009 16:01

YANBU. Pardon wouldn't have been correct anyway. You weren't saying you hadn't heard what he said, you were asking him what he wanted. 'What, darling?', as in 'What [is it you want] darling?'.

I have also heard the rumour that v posh people think 'pardon' when you've not heard someone is rude and that they do indeed say 'what' instead, but I cannot verify that personally!

Original poster
word · 27/07/2009 16:03

Thanks. I couldn't see the logic, either!

OP posts:
hambler · 27/07/2009 16:03

"what" was the correct response.

Pardon is false posh. Jilly Cooper says so , so it must be true

TigerFeet · 27/07/2009 16:08

I'm fully aware that "pardon" is faux posh but I still try and get dd to say it anyway when she has misheard something. Otherwise she says "WHA'" in an awful Kevin the Teenager manner that grates on my nerves. She's 5, not 15.

YANBU. The critisisers clearly have their heads up their arses.

PuppyMonkey · 27/07/2009 16:14

If you meant "Yes darling?" you should have just said "Yes darling?" That's what I reckon any road up, where's me whippet?....

hambler · 27/07/2009 16:16

tigerfeet my 7 yo says WHAA as well

Original poster
word · 27/07/2009 16:16

Ah but PuppyMonkey... then I would have been "Out"! Please, read the OP again and you'll see I'm not totally strange... just a little bit.

OP posts:
PortAndLemon · 27/07/2009 16:17

Then she would have lost the game, though, PM (not saying "Yes" being the whole point, or rather half of the point)

PuppyMonkey · 27/07/2009 16:19

Oh yes... I missed that bit... durr.

PortAndLemon · 27/07/2009 16:20

Mind you, if you were showing a group of friends a holiday video shot in such detail that it records entire games you played, you arguably deserve whatever you get... (notice that I said "arguably"... please don't hit me...)

Original poster
word · 27/07/2009 16:23

Oh hell, no, not friends! Family. Getting our own back.

OP posts:
hambler · 27/07/2009 16:24

port and lemon, I was FAR too polite to point that out, but seeing as you mentioned it...OP why oh why were you showing your friends a holiday video featuring a word game between you and your child?

TrillianuptheAstra · 27/07/2009 16:26

It doesn't matter if pardon is posh or not, it would be incorrect because it wouldn't convey the message you wanted to get across.

Original poster
word · 27/07/2009 16:26

Lolol.

My erroneous spelling of criticize is glaring at me now. In Pedants' Corner, no less. ROFL

OP posts:
stillstanding · 27/07/2009 16:28

My grandmother - a very classy lady but dreadful snob - would be appalled if I ever said "pardon". Totally infra dig.

TrillianuptheAstra · 27/07/2009 16:29

I spotted criticize - can you pretend to be American?

Spidermama · 27/07/2009 16:29

YANBU.

At school my children get told off for saying 'what?' because they think it's rude. The teachers reckon they should say 'pardon?' but I was brought up to believe that pardon, along with serviette and toilet, are Hyacinth Bucket and nouveau riche.

Original poster
word · 27/07/2009 16:31

Yeah, I can pretend to be American. I don't think that excuses the second "c" being an "s" though!

OP posts:
Mumcentreplus · 27/07/2009 17:07

toilet nouveau riche?

personally I don't like What? if I don't know the person...sounds too familiar and ever so slightly rude somehow...

hambler · 27/07/2009 17:35

You are most certainly not a true pedant.
It's WANDERS off!

Actually, genuine typos don't count, do they?

stillstanding · 27/07/2009 18:58

I strongly suspect that this isn't a pedant's issue at all but something quite different ...!

Mumcentreplus · 27/07/2009 22:17

hahaha ..bluddy pendants

diedandgonetodevon · 27/07/2009 22:22

'Pardon' is awful and, like Spidermama says, right up there with serviette and toilet.

VulpusinaWilfsuit · 27/07/2009 22:23

Pardon, like many frenchified words, is utter Bucketish ponceyness.

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