Do you use a “napkin” or a “serviette”?
Are you nipping to the “loo” or the “toilet”?
Does your conversation reveal you as being NOCD (Not Our Class, Dear)?
Find out what your vocabulary says about you, in this searchable, sortable table of U (upper class) and Non-U (middle class) words and phrases:
| U | Non-U |
|---|---|
| Bike or bicycle | Cycle |
| Dinner jacket | Dress suit |
| Knave | Jack (cards) |
| Vegetables | Greens |
| Ice | Ice cream |
| Scent | Perfume |
| They've a very nice house. | They have (got) a lovely home. |
| Ill (in bed) | Sick (in bed) |
| I was sick on the boat. | I was ill on the boat. |
| Looking-glass | Mirror |
| Chimneypiece | Mantelpiece |
| Graveyard | Cemetery |
| Spectacles | Glasses |
| False teeth | Dentures |
| Die | Pass on |
| Mad | Mental |
| Jam | Preserve |
| Napkin | Serviette |
| Sofa | Settee or couch |
| Lavatory or loo | Toilet |
| Rich | Wealthy |
| What? | Pardon? |
| Good health | Cheers |
| Lunch or luncheon | Dinner (for midday meal) |
| Dinner | Tea (for evening meal) |
| Pudding | Sweet |
| Drawing-room or sitting-room | Lounge |
| Writing-paper | Note-paper |
| How d'you do? | Pleased to meet you |
| Wireless | Radio |
| (School)master, mistress | Teacher |
| Riding | Horse-riding |
| Granny | Nana |
| Breakfast / luncheon / dinner | Meal |
| Telephone | Phone |
| Daily | Cleaner (as in the person) |
| Smart | Posh |
| House | Mansion |
| Pregnant | Expecting |
| Racing | Horse-racing |
| Decent | Civil (behaviour) |
| Wireless | Radio |
| It was jolly nice | It was very nice |
| To have one's bath | To take a bath |
| He's working for an exam | He's studying for an exam |
| How d'you do? | Good, thank you (reply) |
| Saturday and/or Sunday | Weekend |
| Step this way | Come this way |
| Assist | Help |
| Ale | Beer |