U And Non-U
Just one of those little moments that raise a smile:
I found myself listening to the Women's Hour omnibus on Radio Four yesterday, and in particular an item about use of language that stemed from a complaint by a parent that their child's teacher had used the work 'toilet' when they preferred the child to use 'lavatory'. This set off a discussion about the distinction between what Nancy Mitford called U and Non-U.
One of the contributors, in an effort to resolve one of the classic dilemmas of this debate, recounted how she'd asked the poshest person she knew whether he would refer to a particular room as a lounge, a sitting room, or a living room, and was left more confused than ever when he replied "None of them my dear, I'd call it a saloon."