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Just A Little Experiment Thing
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TOPIC: Just A Little Experiment Thing

Just A Little Experiment Thing 5 years, 6 months ago #1

  • larry
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OK, I just want to try a little experiment inspired by a book I have been reading recently.

Essentially, I want to see which words people use for certain items/situations.

As you know, people judge each other based on their use of certain words to describe everyday objects and actions.  I am interested to see how many people on this forum use certain words.  There are seven "indicators of class", as they are known, and whilst one shouldn't take it too seriously, it is interesting to see how many people use these words.

So, what I'd like you to do is to look at the following list of seven things, and say what word you use when referring to each one in conversation.  I have tried to avoid mentioning the actual "indicator" words themselves, but each item has been described well enough for you to work out what I'm talking about.

So:

1) The room/place you go to relieve yourself (the one with the latrines and wash basin)
2) The course eaten at the end of a meal (Chocolate Fudge Cake, for example)
3) The name of the meal you eat in the evening, typically between six and nine pm
4) The cloth item you use to wipe your mouth during a meal
5) The main downstairs room in your house where you would find TV, bookcases, armchairs etc
6) The two or three-seater chair in the above room on which you sit to watch TV or read
7) The word you say to someone when you can't hear something they said to you, and want them to repeat it

Enjoy!
Be very very careful what you put into that head, because you will never ever get it out. Thomas Cardinal Wolsey (1471-1530)

Re: Just A Little Experiment Thing 5 years, 6 months ago #2

  • Diane
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1) The room/place you go to relieve yourself (the one with the latrines and wash basin) - LADIES
2) The course eaten at the end of a meal (Chocolate Fudge Cake, for example) - SWEET
3) The name of the meal you eat in the evening, typically between six and nine pm - TEA
4) The cloth item you use to wipe your mouth during a meal - SERVIETTE
5) The main downstairs room in your house where you would find TV, bookcases, armchairs etc - STUDY
6) The two or three-seater chair in the above room on which you sit to watch TV or read - SOFA
7) The word you say to someone when you can't hear something they said to you, and want them to repeat it - PARDON

;D
There Goes My Hero Watching Over Me

Re: Just A Little Experiment Thing 5 years, 6 months ago #3

1. bathroom
2. dessert
3. supper
4. napkin
5. family room
6. couch
7. what? (familar), I beg your pardon (formal)

does this book factor in cultural bias??? 
"The very existence of flame-throwers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, `You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, I'm just not close enough to get the job done.'"- George Carlin

Re: Just A Little Experiment Thing 5 years, 6 months ago #4

  • larry
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I should actually give my OWN answers, shouldn't I?

1) The room/place you go to relieve yourself (the one with the latrines and wash basin) - LOO
2) The course eaten at the end of a meal (Chocolate Fudge Cake, for example) - PUDDING
3) The name of the meal you eat in the evening, typically between six and nine pm - DINNER
4) The cloth item you use to wipe your mouth during a meal - NAPKIN
5) The main downstairs room in your house where you would find TV, bookcases, armchairs etc - SITTING ROOM
6) The two or three-seater chair in the above room on which you sit to watch TV or read - SOFA
7) The word you say to someone when you can't hear something they said to you, and want them to repeat it - SORRY?
Be very very careful what you put into that head, because you will never ever get it out. Thomas Cardinal Wolsey (1471-1530)

Re: Just A Little Experiment Thing 5 years, 6 months ago #5

  • larry
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does this book factor in cultural bias??? 


The book looks at how class distinctions are made based on the use of these words.  Americans might not be subject to all of them, as Americans have a different idea of "class".

The book is specifcally about English people though, so things like "Family Room" won't be a familiar term to many of us.
Be very very careful what you put into that head, because you will never ever get it out. Thomas Cardinal Wolsey (1471-1530)

Re: Just A Little Experiment Thing 5 years, 6 months ago #6

Intersting... how many samples need to be posted before you'll comment on what our answers reveal?

I've always found it interesting how different we all are in what we call the fizzy, sweet beverage.  I was raised to call it "pop", Americans tend to call it "soda", while others refer to it as a "soft drink".
"The very existence of flame-throwers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, `You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, I'm just not close enough to get the job done.'"- George Carlin
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