Excuse me
#1
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Joined: Jul 2008
Location: Indiana, USA
Posts: 381
Excuse me
Why? What have you done? Sh#t yaself?
(surely I'm not the only ex-pat who can't help but think this every time an American says 'excuse me')
(surely I'm not the only ex-pat who can't help but think this every time an American says 'excuse me')
#2
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Eugene, OR
Posts: 1,352
Re: Excuse me
No more/less silly than saying "sorry" or "all right?" all the time - every language has its verbal social fabric placeholders!
#4
Re: Excuse me
Do Americans use 'excuse me' differently to Brits?
I say 'excuse me' if somebody is blocking my way, has their supermarket trolley in my way, if I need to pass somebody etc. Much better than just sticking out my elbows and shoving everybody out of my way.
I say 'excuse me' if somebody is blocking my way, has their supermarket trolley in my way, if I need to pass somebody etc. Much better than just sticking out my elbows and shoving everybody out of my way.
#6
Re: Excuse me
My Canadian hubby is for ever saying "I'm sorry" and I'm forever asking me "What for?"
#7
Re: Excuse me
The general consensus is that 'sorry' means you need to apologise for something and 'excuse me' means you need to grab somebody's attention.
I say 'general' very lightly. There are a million expressions with both of these phrases.
#9
Re: Excuse me
I always say excuse me if I want to interrupt a conversation or if I need to squeeze past someone or reach across. I also use it sternly if my dude says something naughty or "I beg your pardon" which I could never understand because why would I be begging for his pardon if he said something he shouldn't?
#10
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: Excuse me
I will occasionally reply with "Why, did you fart?" if my son or wife says it, but it's not out of the ordinary to hear it, especially if I'm in the way as I often am
#11
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Joined: Jul 2008
Location: Indiana, USA
Posts: 381
Re: Excuse me
They definitely use it differently. Well out here in the Midwest they do. It's kind of a replacement for a grunt of 'sorry mate' but they say it very clearly. They use it for way more than just for asking politely for someone to move.
It's not a bad thing (they don't mean any harm - far from it) but I still can't stop myself from thinking 'why - what have you done...'
It's not a bad thing (they don't mean any harm - far from it) but I still can't stop myself from thinking 'why - what have you done...'
#13
Re: Excuse me
They definitely use it differently. Well out here in the Midwest they do. It's kind of a replacement for a grunt of 'sorry mate' but they say it very clearly. They use it for way more than just for asking politely for someone to move.
It's not a bad thing (they don't mean any harm - far from it) but I still can't stop myself from thinking 'why - what have you done...'
It's not a bad thing (they don't mean any harm - far from it) but I still can't stop myself from thinking 'why - what have you done...'
#15
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Joined: Oct 2007
Location: Charlotte,NC
Posts: 1,717
Re: Excuse me
They definitely use it differently. Well out here in the Midwest they do. It's kind of a replacement for a grunt of 'sorry mate' but they say it very clearly. They use it for way more than just for asking politely for someone to move.
It's not a bad thing (they don't mean any harm - far from it) but I still can't stop myself from thinking 'why - what have you done...'
It's not a bad thing (they don't mean any harm - far from it) but I still can't stop myself from thinking 'why - what have you done...'