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poperagurl · Joined: 27 Apr 2007 Posts: 26

Recently I realised that I hardly ever get to speak English anymore; I write a lot in English but I only ever get to speak English if a foreigner asks me for the time or the way to the post office. Laughing

So I thought I'd practice a little before my trip to London in May. And of all books I had to choose "Watching the English - The hidden rules of English behaviour" by Kate Fox. Very informative, but very intimidating Shocked

One chapter was about how your vocabulary and pronounciation can reveal your social class - How different words for the same thing could either make people think you're snobby, or uneducated. Shocked

Like if you said 'Pardon?' instead of 'Sorry?' it was worse than the f word. There were several pages of more examples, including one I found surprising: That it's the upper middle- and upper class that say 'loo' and the middle-middle class and below that say 'toilet'. I thought it was the other way around. Shocked

Is it really that important? I don't expect you to go around thinking about this every day, but would you seriously judge someone by the way he/she talks?
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KAREN PATRICIA

bestpi · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 33 Location: Tucson Arizona USA

It's only important if you wish to mix with only snobs or only everyday folks. If you just remember you manners and smile a lot, don't use the "F" word, you will get by nicely with either.

Don't scratch your toosh and then offer to shake hands, you know what I mean. Manners always and you'll be fine.

#2 John US - I put my foot in my mouth regularly between British and American English but manners always serve me well.

Cheers,
John