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U and non-U English

U and non-U English usage, where "U" stands for upper class and "non-U" represents the aspiring middle classes, was part of the terminology of popular discourse of social dialects (sociolects) in Britain in the 1950s.[1] The different vocabularies can often appear quite counter-intuitive: the middle classes prefer "fancy" or fashionable words, even neologisms and often euphemisms, in attempts to make themselves sound more refined ("posher than posh"), while the upper classes in many cases stick to the same plain and traditional words that the working classes also use, as, confident in the security of their social position, they have no need to seek to display refinement.[2]

History edit

The discussion was set in motion in 1954 by the British linguist Alan S. C. Ross, professor of linguistics in the University of Birmingham. He coined the terms "U" and "non-U" in an article on the differences social class makes in English language usage, published in a Finnish professional linguistics journal.[2] Though his article included differences in pronunciation and writing styles, it was his remark about differences of vocabulary that received the most attention.

The upper class English author Nancy Mitford was alerted and immediately took up the usage in an essay, "The English Aristocracy", which Stephen Spender published in his magazine Encounter in 1954. Mitford provided a glossary of terms used by the upper classes (some appear in the table), unleashing an anxious national debate about English class-consciousness and snobbery, which involved a good deal of soul-searching that itself provided fuel for the fires. The essay was reprinted, with contributions by Evelyn Waugh, John Betjeman, and others, as well as a "condensed and simplified version"[3] of Ross's original article, as Noblesse Oblige: an Enquiry into the Identifiable Characteristics of the English Aristocracy[4] in 1956. Betjeman's poem "How to Get On in Society" concluded the collection.

The issue of U and non-U could have been taken lightheartedly, but at the time many took it very seriously. This was a reflection of the anxieties of the middle class in Britain of the 1950s, recently emerged from post-war austerities. In particular the media used it as a launch pad for many stories, making much more out of it than was first intended. In the meantime, the idea that one might "improve oneself" by adopting the culture and manner of one's "betters", instinctively assented to before World War II, was now greeted with resentment.[5]

Some of the terms and the ideas behind them were largely obsolete by the late 20th century, when, in the United Kingdom, reverse snobbery led younger members of the British upper and middle classes to adopt elements of working class speech, such as Estuary English or Mockney. However, many, if not most, of the differences remain very much current, and can therefore continue to be used as class indicators.[6]

American usage edit

A study in 1940 on the speaking differences between the American upper and middle classes revealed a strong similarity with the results of Ross's research. For instance, the American upper class said 'curtains', whilst the middle class used 'drapes'. Notably, the well-heeled would use 'toilet' whereas the less well-heeled would say 'lavatory', an inversion of the British usage.[7]

Examples edit

U Non-U
Bike or bicycle Cycle[8]
Dinner jacket Dress suit
Knave Jack (cards)
Vegetables Greens[8]
Ice Ice cream
Scent Perfume[8]
They've a very nice house They've a lovely home[8]
I was sick on the boat I was ill on the boat[8]
Looking-glass Mirror
Chimneypiece Mantelpiece
Graveyard Cemetery
Spectacles Glasses
False teeth Dentures
Die Pass on
Mad Mental[8]
Jam Preserve
Napkin Serviette[8]
Sofa Settee or couch
Lavatory or loo Toilet[8]
Rich Wealthy[8]
Good health Cheers
Lunch Dinner (for midday meal)[8]
Pudding Sweet
Dining-room Lounge
Writing-paper Note-paper
What? Pardon?[8]
How d'you do? Pleased to meet you[8]
Wireless Radio[8]
(School)master, mistress Teacher[8]
Sea Ocean (as a general term)

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Admin. "U or non-U". Performance in English. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b Ross, Alan S. C., "Linguistic class-indicators in present-day English" , Neuphilologische Mitteilungen (Helsinki), vol. 55(1) (1954), 20–56. JSTOR 43341716
  3. ^ Mitford, Nancy (ed.). 1956. Noblesse oblige. London, Hamish Hamilton, 'Note'.
  4. ^ Mitford, Nancy (ed.). 1956. Noblesse oblige. London, Hamish Hamilton.
  5. ^ Buckle, Richard (ed.). 1978. U and Non-U Revisited. London: Debrett.
  6. ^ Fox, Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour, pp. 75–76: "Terminology Rules – U and Non-U Revisited".
  7. ^ Baltzell, E. Digby (1958). The Philadelphia Gentlemen (1989 ed.). New Brunswick: Large Print Transaction. pp. 50–51. ISBN 9781412830751.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "A U and non-U exchange: In 1956, Alan Ross defined the language that marked a man above or below stairs. Today, can one still tell?". The Independent. 4 June 1994. Retrieved 10 April 2024.

Further reading edit

External links edit

    english, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, july, 2018, learn,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources U and non U English news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2018 Learn how and when to remove this message U and non U English usage where U stands for upper class and non U represents the aspiring middle classes was part of the terminology of popular discourse of social dialects sociolects in Britain in the 1950s 1 The different vocabularies can often appear quite counter intuitive the middle classes prefer fancy or fashionable words even neologisms and often euphemisms in attempts to make themselves sound more refined posher than posh while the upper classes in many cases stick to the same plain and traditional words that the working classes also use as confident in the security of their social position they have no need to seek to display refinement 2 Contents 1 History 1 1 American usage 2 Examples 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksHistory editThe discussion was set in motion in 1954 by the British linguist Alan S C Ross professor of linguistics in the University of Birmingham He coined the terms U and non U in an article on the differences social class makes in English language usage published in a Finnish professional linguistics journal 2 Though his article included differences in pronunciation and writing styles it was his remark about differences of vocabulary that received the most attention The upper class English author Nancy Mitford was alerted and immediately took up the usage in an essay The English Aristocracy which Stephen Spender published in his magazine Encounter in 1954 Mitford provided a glossary of terms used by the upper classes some appear in the table unleashing an anxious national debate about English class consciousness and snobbery which involved a good deal of soul searching that itself provided fuel for the fires The essay was reprinted with contributions by Evelyn Waugh John Betjeman and others as well as a condensed and simplified version 3 of Ross s original article as Noblesse Oblige an Enquiry into the Identifiable Characteristics of the English Aristocracy 4 in 1956 Betjeman s poem How to Get On in Society concluded the collection The issue of U and non U could have been taken lightheartedly but at the time many took it very seriously This was a reflection of the anxieties of the middle class in Britain of the 1950s recently emerged from post war austerities In particular the media used it as a launch pad for many stories making much more out of it than was first intended In the meantime the idea that one might improve oneself by adopting the culture and manner of one s betters instinctively assented to before World War II was now greeted with resentment 5 Some of the terms and the ideas behind them were largely obsolete by the late 20th century when in the United Kingdom reverse snobbery led younger members of the British upper and middle classes to adopt elements of working class speech such as Estuary English or Mockney However many if not most of the differences remain very much current and can therefore continue to be used as class indicators 6 American usage edit A study in 1940 on the speaking differences between the American upper and middle classes revealed a strong similarity with the results of Ross s research For instance the American upper class said curtains whilst the middle class used drapes Notably the well heeled would use toilet whereas the less well heeled would say lavatory an inversion of the British usage 7 Examples editU Non U Bike or bicycle Cycle 8 Dinner jacket Dress suit Knave Jack cards Vegetables Greens 8 Ice Ice cream Scent Perfume 8 They ve a very nice house They ve a lovely home 8 I was sick on the boat I was ill on the boat 8 Looking glass Mirror Chimneypiece Mantelpiece Graveyard Cemetery Spectacles Glasses False teeth Dentures Die Pass on Mad Mental 8 Jam Preserve Napkin Serviette 8 Sofa Settee or couch Lavatory or loo Toilet 8 Rich Wealthy 8 Good health Cheers Lunch Dinner for midday meal 8 Pudding Sweet Dining room Lounge Writing paper Note paper What Pardon 8 How d you do Pleased to meet you 8 Wireless Radio 8 School master mistress Teacher 8 Sea Ocean as a general term See also editShibboleth CountersignallingReferences edit Admin U or non U Performance in English Retrieved 22 April 2024 a b Ross Alan S C Linguistic class indicators in present day English Neuphilologische Mitteilungen Helsinki vol 55 1 1954 20 56 JSTOR 43341716 Mitford Nancy ed 1956 Noblesse oblige London Hamish Hamilton Note Mitford Nancy ed 1956 Noblesse oblige London Hamish Hamilton Buckle Richard ed 1978 U and Non U Revisited London Debrett Fox Watching the English The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour pp 75 76 Terminology Rules U and Non U Revisited Baltzell E Digby 1958 The Philadelphia Gentlemen 1989 ed New Brunswick Large Print Transaction pp 50 51 ISBN 9781412830751 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n A U and non U exchange In 1956 Alan Ross defined the language that marked a man above or below stairs Today can one still tell The Independent 4 June 1994 Retrieved 10 April 2024 Further reading editMitford Nancy ed Noblesse oblige Hamish Hamilton London 1956 Reprinted Oxford Oxford University Press 2002 ISBN 0 19 860520 X Fox Kate Watching the English The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour Hodder amp Stoughton London 2004 ISBN 0 340 81885 9 Cooper Jilly Class Corgi Adult 1999 ISBN 978 0 552 14662 3 Alan S C Ross How to pronounce it Hamish Hamilton London 1970 SBN 241 01967 2 Alan S C Ross Don t say it Hamish Hamilton 1973 ISBN 978 0241024263 Charlotte Mosley ed The Letters of Nancy Mitford and Evelyn Waugh Hodder London 1996 at pp 297 394 ISBN 0 340 63804 4External links editRoss Alan S C Linguistic class indicators in present day English 6 15 MB PDF Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title U and non U English amp oldid 1221646642, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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