I dont get it
My mum always tells me saying 'WHAT?' is common and saying 'PARDON?' is posh.

But theres quite a few responses now which contradict her..
(i should have joined myspace, Wed 22 Oct 2008, 16:38, 10 replies)

With you on that one
I thought/was taught that saying 'what'? was the height of rudeness....
( Itsallsugar is made up of bits of names, Wed 22 Oct 2008, 17:00, closed)

Your mother is correct.
The end.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 22 Oct 2008, 17:08, closed)

^
Good Man!!
(Que?, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 5:26, closed)

I've always thought
that "What?" was akin to grunting, while saying "Pardon?" or "I'm sorry?" was more polite.

I tend to ask people to repeat themselves a lot because I'm partly deaf.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 22 Oct 2008, 17:14, closed)

Yes
'What?' seems a bit agressive. I'm not posh though, just well-mannered. I like to think.
( Itsallsugar is made up of bits of names, Wed 22 Oct 2008, 17:18, closed)

That's the insanity of the whole class thing
(and why I think a) [some of] this QOTW is so funny and b) people going on about 'bloody snobs' and classism and 'it's just making fun of poor people' should lighten up)

I think the idea is that *common* people think "what" is common and "pardon" is posh, and *that* is why common people then say "pardon", therefore *actually* making it common and hence making "what" posh. Or something like that. Same with other words, making fancy words like "lavatory" common and "loo" posh.

I can only refer to my earlier answer in this QOTW. Go and read Watching the English.
(julius, Wed 22 Oct 2008, 18:12, closed)

did see your earlier answer
A lot of these posts are funny because we read them and recognise aspects of ‘commonness’ in ourselves, although we wouldn’t necessarily class ourselves as such. We are all different. Maybe it ‘ain’t what you say it’s the way that you say it’? I have really enjoyed this QOTW. I am also halfway through Ben Elton’s ‘Blind Faith’ at the moment, which, if you haven’t read it yet, I would recommend. Just hope he isn’t right!
( Itsallsugar is made up of bits of names, Wed 22 Oct 2008, 18:31, closed)

Does it really matter?
They mean exactly the same thing.
( The Mock TurtIe ™ --- Thinks you are a cunt, on, Wed 22 Oct 2008, 19:15, closed)

maybe it doesn't
But if i said 'what?' to my mum when she asked me a question, she would be cross ;-)
( Itsallsugar is made up of bits of names, Wed 22 Oct 2008, 19:54, closed)

Perhaps ...
'What' used to be more acceptable than 'Pardon' because it was an abbreviation for "What did you say?"

Whereas now, 'What' is more likely to be short for "What the fuck do you want!"
(Que?, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 5:27, closed)