I must admit; I'm an intolerant sort of bloke.
If I hear someone saying Scone (skowne), instead of Scone (skon), my insides start to tie into knots, and my temperature rises.
If I see someone holding their knife like a pencil, or eating with their mouth open, I go into spasms of despair.
If I'm behind women (and their hyperactive brats) in the checkout queue, who buy nothing but ready-made, multi-coloured, packeted instant meals, and sweets, I want to give them a good slapping.
If I hear people being derogative about high standards, and promoting the cause of 'dumbing down', I fear for the future of mankind.
If I'm overtaken at 100 kph by some idiot in a 70 kph zone, I reach for my non-existent machine gun.
If I encounter those 'chip on shoulder', 'politics of envy', 'why's ee got more than wot I got' people, I want to run screaming.
If I hold the door open for a lady, and she doesn't just say a simple 'thank you' or 'ta ducks' (not that I do it to be thanked), I feel desperately saddened on her behalf.
In fact, if I encounter any deliberate lowering of natural good standards, manners, or basic etiquette, I tend to become agitated. I suppose it's all a matter of how one was raised.
Did I mention hoity-toity parvenus? I really am an intolerant bugger, aren't I.
Explain the scone thing. I thought that this was just differences in regional pronunciation. I'm trying to think what I'm intolerant of. Bad manners certainly. I'll have to ponder on this a bit! x
ReplyDeleteI can't explain the Scone thing; it just makes me cringe when I hear it pronounced Skowne. It's the same with Film and Fillum.
DeleteYes to all of those, and also people who walk into/out of a warm cafe on a cold day and leave the door open behind them,
ReplyDeleteI was limited with time, but there are many other things I could have added, including the lack of basic courtesy towards others.
DeleteI'm intolerant to bad manners in all its size, shape and form. Then I always say thank you with a smile when a gentleman opens a door for me, but It's a rare thing nowadays - less gentlemen (and less ladies) around. I say scones the way you do, but I think that's because of my accent. In any case I think you are tolerant Cro, tolerant enough to tolerate my incorrect English, so I do thank you :-) Greetings Maria x
ReplyDeleteMaria, your English is extremely good. So many 'foreigners' now speak English better than most English. Second-language English speakers tend to leave out the 'like', 'sort of', and 'I mean', that Brits find so essential.
DeleteCro, whilst, rightly, complimenting Maria on her English, you might do her the courtesy to show her the error of her way, thus improving her English further. It's "fewer" [gentlemen and ladies around]. Not "less".
DeleteU
Thank you, Ursula for correcting me on "fewer" and not "less", I appreciate it very much and I will remember in the future, but I certainly cannot expect Cro to correct the many grammatical errors I make here.
DeleteCro, thank you for your kind and encouraging words xx
yes ditto to all of that. Do you mean Scone ie rhymes with own?? What about somethink or nothink?
ReplyDeleteYes, it should be Scone that rhymes with gone. As for Somefink and nuffink (your spellings were wrong) I agree 100%.
DeleteI'm with lovelygrey - I've always understood that the pronunciation of the word scone (which has an 'e' on the end, so therefore should make the 'oh' into 'owe') along with many other words, is purely a regional thing.
ReplyDeleteAlas, Cro, you were brought up in a different world with different standards. I shudder to think what things will be like in a hundred years time.
Oh - and you missed out about standing up when a lady comes into the room, and I sincerely hope that you walk on the outside of the pavement when escorting Lady M about town !
The standing up bit is tricky. I have always done this, especially when a lady leaves or joins the table, but I find nowadays that I am alone, and the other men around tend to look rather rude. I'm sure you can guess what I continue to do.
DeleteMy son in law rises to greet a newcomer. My grandson does the same.
DeleteIt's the little things that count really don't you think Cro? good manners and consideration go a long way with me....but fink instead of think drives me mad!
ReplyDeleteI think we agree here.
DeleteThis bother of yours with the pronunciation of Scone is very much the same as the Celtic or seltic it is only a regional cringe matey. No wonder your BP is high.
ReplyDeleteAnd no doubt you're one who says Fillum and not Film.
DeleteActually Cro, I say film and my wife says filum - which is foreign to my ears!
DeleteI really wish people more people paid attention to etiquette and nice manners these days. I love it when men hold doors for me and behave like gentlemen, even though I'm a modern woman and believe in equal rights for all. I just wish modern life could be a bit more....graceful. Polite. Does that make me old fashioned?
ReplyDeleteYes, and very feminine too.
DeleteI hold doors for women and men alike, even children. What does that make me ?
DeleteI agree with many of your irritations and I could add a few of my own. Generally, I just get on with my day courteously and don't let other people's lack of standard get in my way or in my head space.
If one let any annoyance show, it would dominate your life. Best just to ignore, and sigh inwardly.
DeleteI don't suffer fools gladly. Does that count? I say scon.
ReplyDeleteNow't better than a Norfolk Scon.
DeleteMost of what is being put down to regional differences here is in fact ignorance.
DeleteIgnorance of what? These are dialect differences. In American English "scone" rhymes with "cone" as it does in Ireland. Some dialects are regional, but not all.
DeleteOh shut up Shawn, I was just trying to liven it up a bit.
DeleteThank you Rachel... what's wrong with people; bring back Mia.
DeleteOh dear, I am definitely a scone to rhyme with cone person, but then I am from the cold wastelands of the north - East Midlands, really, but anywhere north of 'The Wash' seems to be counted 'north'. May make some scones for tea tonight, it is time to get the recipe perfected ready for the village show
ReplyDeleteNorth of The Wash? It's North of Croydon for us true southerners.
DeleteI know it's an old etiquette rule for a man to stand up when a woman leaves the table but I have to say that if I needed a visit to the ladies in the middle of a meal I would curse you for standing up and bringing attention to my exit.
ReplyDeleteSo be it, but I'd stand anyway!
DeletePlease may I leave a comment?
ReplyDeleteIf we thought about others a little more rather than me! me! me! life might be more pleasant.
Thank you.
I agree.
DeleteI think that the pronunciation of scone is a regional thing……I am from the E. Midlands and have always said " scowne". I now live in Hertfordshire and true locals say " I done it" rather than " I did it". Drives me nuts! Also I have a friend who hails from Liverpool who says " Haitch" instead of aitch, for the letter, and another pal who insists that the retail shop Matalan is Mataland. I value their friendship so merely cringe and don't correct them! (I could go on….but need to eat my breakfast, have a shower, and get out with the dogs by 8.50am. )
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that the recent teaching of 'Haitch' is a plot to keep people down.
DeleteThe more I live a quiet country life the more I find the behaviour of others irritating. I try not to let them get to me, but they inevitably do. If it were not for going out and about playing music I think that we would cheerfully become hermits!
ReplyDeleteI originally finished the above piece by saying 'This is why I'm a hermit', but I deleted it.
DeleteI would never have guessed this of you, Cro...
ReplyDeleteWho would!
DeleteI feel the same Cro - my son thinks it is something to do with my age.
ReplyDeleteI've been like this for at least 40 years.
DeleteI am intolerant of intolerance and try not to sweat the small stuff. Life is too short. I also say thank you for all kindnesses given to me.
ReplyDeleteSadly a lot of folk take pride in being as rude as possible these days.
DeleteI like a bit of courtesy and good manners and the ' haitch ' thing gets my goat too.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment I am really fed up with funeral insurance adverts .... there are loads of them and I have had phone calls about it and one came in the post this morning !!!! I know I'm old but they don't have to keep reminding me !!! XXXX
Those ad's are very condescending; I saw one today. Ghastly.
DeleteMy particular bug-bear is people who say Me and Tom are 'going' or 'watching' or whatever verb instead of Tom and I are 'going' or 'watching' or whatever verb. And hearing the word 'birfday' makes me cringe all over. And since there are members of my own family that do this on a regular basis I manage to 'bear' it, but I never ever grin ...
ReplyDeleteBirf-die is horrible; but don't you think that people take great delight in saying it, even they know perfectly well how to say Birth-day.
DeleteNo properly brought up gentleman (or lady) would be discourteous enough to correct someone else's English or manners. That's strictly the preserve of the censorious middle-classes. Many of the upper classes have appalling manners but think nothing of it.
ReplyDeleteThey don't 'correct', they just sigh and despair.
DeleteVery true Nick - I was always brought up with the fact that "one" did not comment on a person's English or their manners, and it was extremely rude to do so. Nor did we ever discuss politics, money or religion.
DeleteJust caught auntie gladys baking
ReplyDeleteShe says scone as in phone
Maybe, but one can forgive the Welsh.
DeleteBet they taste better than a skon !
DeleteI asked the maid in dulcet tone\ To order me a buttered scone\ The silly girl has been and gone\ And ordered me a buttered scone.
ReplyDeleteAnd I bet it tasted better than the one that rhymed with 'tone'.
DeleteIt is definitely scone not scon how can it be scon when there is an 'e' at the end. Scon I definitely a southern pronounciation. Holding your knife and fork in the wrong way also gets my goat. People who don't say please and thank you haven't been 'brung' up proper!
ReplyDelete'Ain't been brung up proper'; do get it right Elaine.
DeleteWe eat scones (scons)down under but have a town called Scone pronounced Skown which reminds me...haven't made scones for years...Devonshire tea..yum!
ReplyDelete