Are You Proper Posh? Trivia Quiz

Answer: What?

The use of "Pardon" is the single greatest linguistic sin for the upper and upper-middle classes. It is considered far worse to say "pardon" than to be heard uttering a four-letter word.

Lower middle and middle middle classes will use pardon. Upper-middle say "Sorry?". Upper and working classes tend to say "What?"

Answer: Lavatory

The correct upper class term is "loo" or "lavatory". Other euphemisms are sometimes used but are only considered acceptable when delivered with a sarcastic tone ("bog" for example). Working class, lower and middle are more likely to use toilet and also bog (though without the sarcasm).

Answer: Napkin

Napkin is the correct term. Serviette is a middle and lower class attempt to sound classier by using a French word. Apparently the word napkin was too close to nappy (the British English word for a diaper) for middle class sensibilities.

Answer: Lunch in the day, dinner in the evening

Dinner is the right word - but only if you are referring to the evening meal. The midday meal should be lunch. Dinner for the midday meal is irredeemably working class (although in my experience there is also a North/South divide with this). The upper classes may sometimes refer to the evening meal as supper though never tea, which is a late afternoon diversion served with scones.

Answer: Pudding

It's pudding for the upper and upper middle classes. Dessert is sometimes used by upper middles but afters and sweet very clearly put you "below stairs".

To an upper class person, dessert is a selection of fresh fruit served after the pudding.

Answer: Sofa

If you call it a settee or a couch you are at most middle middle class. It is deemed as accurate a class indicator as "pardon". Couch is becoming more acceptable higher up the class ladder thanks to American media influences but the accepted term for the uppers is sofa.

Answer: Drawing Room

The uppers call it a drawing room (short for withdrawing room) but if they have a smaller house than Blenheim Palace then this often seems overblown, so sitting room is often used instead. If you are not of the upper classes and call your item of furniture a settee, then you would place it in what you call your living room or lounge. Such a place would not exist in an upper class home.

Answer: Rich

Whilst many of the upper classes would now plead poverty, if they do have money then they are very definitely rich. Wealthy is how an aspirational middle class person would describe themselves.

Answer: True

The English upper classes would consider the correct word to use as "smart". Not even upper middles would deign to use the word "posh" - it is considered an irredeemably low class word.

The opposite of "smart" is the derisory "common" which is used to refer to people of lower classes.

Answer: Nancy Mitford

The concept of "U and non-U" English, with U standing for upper class, and non-U representing the aspiring middle classes, was introduced by Mitford in her essay "Noblesse oblige" in the magazine "Encounter" in 1955. The article caused a certain degree of uproar although Mitford meant it very much tongue in cheek.

The essay did not include working class usage because as we have seen, it can often match that of the upper class, only differing in terms of pronounciation.