Toffs or Chavs? How Posh Are You?

According to Kate Fox in her latest book ‘Watching The English’ what words you use can determine what class you are.

THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS

1. A lower middle class person says pardon. An upper class person says sorry or what. The working class person may drop the t and say wha.

2. One word that makes the higher classes squirm is the word toilet. They say loo or lavatory. Bog is never acceptable unless in jest. Genteel euphemisms such as gents, ladies, bathroom, powder room, and privy are very middle class.

3. It’s been suggested that the word serviette was taken up by the lower and middle classes who found napkin a bit too close to the word nappy and wanted something that sounded a bit more refined. Serviette is now regarded as irredeemably lower class.

4. Dinner or tea? it’s only a working class hallmark if you use it to refer to the midday meal, which should be called lunch or luncheon. Calling your evening meal tea is also working class. The higher echelons call this meal supper. Dinner is for a formal occasion and never, ever use the term dinner party, it so middle class.

5. An upholstered seat for two or more people is called a settee or a couch if you are from the middle to lower classes. It’s a sofa if you live in Downton Abbey.

6. What do they call the room in which the settee/sofa is to be found? Settees are found in lounges or living rooms and sofas in sitting rooms or drawing rooms.
Drawing room is slightly pretentious so sitting room has become acceptable.

7. The upper and middle classes insist that the sweet course at the end of a meal is called pudding.  Afters will certainly also activate the class radar and get you demoted. Dessert is the least offensive of the three.

So which one are you? 

Have a terrific Tuesday all.