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Is "what?" rude?
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Is "what?" rude?
Yes, very
16%
 16%  [ 6 ]
A little perhaps, but nothing to go nuts about
54%
 54%  [ 20 ]
No
29%
 29%  [ 11 ]
Total Votes : 37

Author Message
Privateer



Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Location: Easy Street.
PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 8:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
There's nothing at all rude about plain English 'What?'. Use of 'Pardon?' or 'Excuse me?' as a supposedly more polite substitute is pretentious - and a bit unmanly, like a limp handshake. Wink
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Big_Bird



Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: Sometimes here sometimes there...
PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 8:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Privateer wrote:
There's nothing at all rude about plain English 'What?'. Use of 'Pardon?' or 'Excuse me?' as a supposedly more polite substitute is pretentious - and a bit unmanly, like a limp handshake. Wink


I agree with Privateer and BK on this. When I say "Pardon?" I feel like a pompous prat. It's so school ma'amish. Makes me feel like a Softy Shandy-Sipping Southern Shyte! "What" feels down to earth. Rudeness for me is mostly about intention. It all depends on the tone of voice and facial expression with which the offending "what" is delivered.
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wo buxihuan hanguoren



Joined: 18 Apr 2007
Location: Suyuskis
PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 8:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
"What?" from strangers (depending on the tone) in South Africa is very rude, therefore it must be rude everywhere, because we can drink the tap water in SA and are thus global.

Global.
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jindodog



Joined: 31 May 2007
Location: not seoul
PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 9:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
i always say 'what?' and none of the others...where i come from (midwest of america) i've never gotten a dirty look or any suprised glances etc. but here i have had other native english speakers taken aback Embarassed . I think 'what?' is fine, as long as the tone is polite. Smile
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jeffkim1972



Joined: 10 Jan 2007
Location: Mokpo
PostPosted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
During my brief stint as a hagwon fill-in, there was this elementary student named james, maybe 11 years old, can't remember. Everytime i would call his name, "Jaaammmmesssss!!" he would just reply with "Whhhaaaattttt?!?!?!" in the most 'why are you bothering me' tone. it was quite funny.

Quite the ladies man also, all the other little girls called him "ajoshi", but he moved to Incheon.....
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Privateer



Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Location: Easy Street.
PostPosted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
jeffkim1972 wrote:
During my brief stint as a hagwon fill-in, there was this elementary student named james, maybe 11 years old, can't remember. Everytime i would call his name, "Jaaammmmesssss!!" he would just reply with "Whhhaaaattttt?!?!?!" in the most 'why are you bothering me' tone. it was quite funny.


Cool.

And you got your students to say 'What?'! I hate it when they say 'Why?'.
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cubanlord



Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Location: In Japan!
PostPosted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 4:23 pm    Post subject: Re: What Reply with quote
chris_J2 wrote:
Depends very much on the context...


A good friend of mine pointed this thread out to me last night over dinner; I decided to have a look see.

Chris_J2,

You hit the nail on the head. The word 'what' can be derogative in nature if used in a negative context, especially in a formal setting (e.g. a business meeting of some sort, when you are first getting to know someone, etc.). However, it can be considered normal when used in an informal setting among friends. Also, the tone in which the word is used also affects the receiver's interpretation of the word. For example, 'what' with the 'at' stressed at the end could be interpreted as aggressive or one being surprised depending on how high of a pitch you use in pronouncing the word.

I think for the average Joe it is pretty straight forward which tones are acceptable and which ones are not, that is, when discussing one's native language. If you are talking about a second or foreign language, then you are getting into the nuances of a language. This just goes to show that learning a language entails so much more than just knowing the properties of grammar and being able to produce intelligible sentences.
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pest2



Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
PostPosted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 5:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Its totally a UK vs North America thing. No more, no less.

I learned last summer while taking a TEFL course in the presence of 10 brits (and my fiance and I the only 2 non-brits except she is from Australia which is closer to the UK than the USA, anyway..) that in the UK it - and many other things - are considered rude that are not rude in the USA.

As far as teaching... I dont think it matters which way you teach as long as you explain the difference to your students... ie, if you go to the UK, say "pardon me" and not "what".
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safeblad



Joined: 17 Jul 2006
PostPosted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 6:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
pest2 wrote:
Its totally a UK vs North America thing. No more, no less.

As far as teaching... I dont think it matters which way you teach as long as you explain the difference to your students... ie, if you go to the UK, say "pardon me" and not "what".


I would never say pardon me it sounds ridiculous

Cubanlord mentioned that it is partly an issue of tone and context, which is true, it is possible to use similar phrases like 'excuse me; in a way which is hostile and rude.

I guess it comes down to what you would say at a job interview if you didnt hear correctly

i'm british and would probably say one of

sorry?
sorry, what?
sorry, what's that?
sorry what did you say?etc etc

or maybe excuse me. maybe
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pest2



Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
PostPosted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 6:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
safeblad wrote:
pest2 wrote:
Its totally a UK vs North America thing. No more, no less.

As far as teaching... I dont think it matters which way you teach as long as you explain the difference to your students... ie, if you go to the UK, say "pardon me" and not "what".


I would never say pardon me it sounds ridiculous

Cubanlord mentioned that it is partly an issue of tone and context, which is true, it is possible to use similar phrases like 'excuse me; in a way which is hostile and rude.

I guess it comes down to what you would say at a job interview if you didnt hear correctly

i'm british and would probably say one of

sorry?
sorry, wha