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0 pointsenochthered3d ago0 comments

I’m a Brit. It was only after living overseas that I realised just how mad our use of “sorry” can be.

An example. One day I was on the tube. My bag was on the seat next to me. A bloke gets on, points at my bag and says “sorry”.

What he actually meant, was “move your bag”.

The thing is, if he had said something so direct, I would have said “sorry, what did you say to me?”

And on and on…

0 comments

dieselgate3d ago

I grew up in the states with a close friend whose parents are both from the UK and she's the only person I've known to say "I beg your pardon" with regularity. Is that a British/UK English thing too? I never hear/read it used otherwise but it seems more succinct and "proper" to me.

Mentioning it because I'm actually slightly surprised to see the "sorry, what did you say" usage here and in the article because it seems so pedestrian

swarnie3d ago

"I beg your pardon" like "Sorry" can have multiple meanings based on the situation and inflection.

It can be used to excuse not hearing something, to get someone to repeat something preposterous or to generally reply to something shocking without actually expecting the other person to reiterate.

I hear it most days in corporate tech.....

DonHopkins3d ago

It's the perfect retort whenever someone expects a rose garden.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-eclUz-RYI

roarcher3d ago

I'm American and I've heard Americans say "I beg your pardon", but like you I've always thought of it as a slightly proper (maybe WASP-y) idiom. People frequently say "excuse me", "sorry?", or "say again?". At least I do. Maybe I should get my ears checked.

tdeck3d ago

I'm familiar with the expression but if an American said that to me, I'd probably think it meant "rethink what you just said".

1 more reply

cromka3d ago

They'll also commonly say "pardon me", which is a bit nicer "say again", but definitely nowhere close to "I beg your pardon" uptightness.

thrownthatway3d ago

The usage of "I beg your pardon" is not uncommon in Australia, but more ironic.

enochtheredOP3d ago

“I beg your pardon” can be translated as “what the fuck did you just say to me?”

It’s getting quite serious if you have to whip that one out

rcarr2d ago

You definitely shut up quickly when you said something as a kid and grandma whipped this one out

mock-possum2d ago

The proper response to ‘I beg your pardon’ (and ‘I beg to differ’) is always, “alright then, beg!”

thrownthatway3d ago

Reminds me of that Hale and Pace skit on the street.

https://youtu.be/VRmjbvChV_M

swarnie3d ago

> One day I was on the tube. My bag was on the seat next to me

Presumably you also said sorry in return?

protocolture3d ago

Eh its sorry for "sorry would you mind terribly moving your bag" nothing so direct as move your bag alone.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

dieselgate3d ago

Mentioning it because I'm actually slightly surprised to see the "sorry, what did you say" usage here and in the article because it seems so pedestrian

swarnie3d ago

"I beg your pardon" like "Sorry" can have multiple meanings based on the situation and inflection.

It can be used to excuse not hearing something, to get someone to repeat something preposterous or to generally reply to something shocking without actually expecting the other person to reiterate.

I hear it most days in corporate tech.....

DonHopkins3d ago

It's the perfect retort whenever someone expects a rose garden.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-eclUz-RYI

roarcher3d ago

tdeck3d ago

I'm familiar with the expression but if an American said that to me, I'd probably think it meant "rethink what you just said".

1 more reply

cromka3d ago

They'll also commonly say "pardon me", which is a bit nicer "say again", but definitely nowhere close to "I beg your pardon" uptightness.

thrownthatway3d ago

The usage of "I beg your pardon" is not uncommon in Australia, but more ironic.

enochtheredOP3d ago

“I beg your pardon” can be translated as “what the fuck did you just say to me?”

It’s getting quite serious if you have to whip that one out

rcarr2d ago

You definitely shut up quickly when you said something as a kid and grandma whipped this one out

mock-possum2d ago

The proper response to ‘I beg your pardon’ (and ‘I beg to differ’) is always, “alright then, beg!”

thrownthatway3d ago

Reminds me of that Hale and Pace skit on the street.

https://youtu.be/VRmjbvChV_M

swarnie3d ago

> One day I was on the tube. My bag was on the seat next to me

Presumably you also said sorry in return?

protocolture3d ago

Eh its sorry for "sorry would you mind terribly moving your bag" nothing so direct as move your bag alone.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse