14 common words that are forbidden for us to use the members of the royal family
'10.06.2020'
Source: ADME
Being a member of the Windsor family is not easy. You must comply with the dress code, behave correctly in public and be able to restrain emotions. Moreover, people of royal blood also have to control their speech so that they do not inadvertently pronounce the “forbidden” word, writes ADME.
In his book “Watching the British. Hidden rules of conduct ”anthropologist Kate Fox said that according to the protocol members of the royal family cannot be told. It turned out that even the most innocent words were blacklisted.
On the subject: Who is Danny Collins: the names under which the British monarchs travel
Perfume
No one in the royal family uses perfume. Not because they are not in England, but because it is a French word. Relations between the UK and France have always been tense, which was reflected on court etiquette. Therefore, the Windsor does not hold Parisian “perfumes” on the dressing table, but British “scents” (scent).
I apologize? (Pardon?)
And this word has French roots, but the ban fell for another reason. The British nobility believes that phrases like “Sorry?” - This is an attempt by the middle class to look more refined. But the royal family is sophisticated by default, so its members ask, "What?" (What?) Or "Sorry, what?" (Sorry, what?).
Toilet
In Buckingham Palace, no one dares say that he is going to the “toilet”. The harmless word also fell under the ban due to French descent. Therefore, monarchs, people close to them, and even guests of the Windsor visit a purely British "restroom" (lavatory or loo).
Dessert
And again, the French word. Oh, these Frenchmen - how firmly entrenched in the British language! But at court they quickly found an English-language counterpart - “pudding”. It is curious that the pudding surrounded by Elizabeth II is called not only a traditional dish of dough, but also everything that can be designated with the forbidden word “dessert”.
Patio
With France finished, Spain is next in line. From this country the word "patio" came to English, which the British quickly picked up and fell in love with. But the royal protocol is strict: you can go out to breathe air only on the "terrace" (terrace).
Sofa (couch)
The word is widely used by the middle class, and its origin is not at all British. So the drafters of the royal protocol had two reasons at once to get rid of it. A replacement was found quickly - the synonymous word "sofa". It is curious that the latter has Turkish roots in general, and by definition, a sofa is a sofa with a back and armrests of the same height. But it seems that such details of the British do not bother.
Living room
A purely English phrase. The only catch: commoners say so. Therefore, the monarchs relax and meet guests in more sophisticated rooms - literally in the "drawing room" (drawing room) and the "room for sitting" (sitting room). Both phrases also translate as "living room", but only aristocrats use them.
Reception (function)
Only the middle class says so. In high society, it is customary to organize “parties”. Moreover, the party is both an official reception and family holidays.
Portion
In the common word “portion”, the protocol writers saw excessive simplicity and a hint of weight concerns. And they replaced it with helping size, which translates as “serving size,” but is considered very elegant in English. Unfortunately, due to the difficulties of translation, it is difficult for native Russian speakers to appreciate this elegance.
Tea as a meal between 17:00 and 19:00 (tea)
Many British people, in particular the representatives of the working class, call the evening meal the word tea. But when the word "tea" uses to know, it means a hot drink. To denote an evening meal there is the word supper.
Snacks and refreshments
They are quietly served to the table lower social classes. But the British monarchs are treated exclusively to "food and drink" (food and drink). In this regard, they decided to be simpler.
Chic (posh)
Pure slang word, which simply does not have a place in the vocabulary of monarchs. Although we found another possible option. By the word posh, the British playfully ironically denote the elite and cream of society. When members of the royal family want to call someone smart, they say “elegant” (smart).
Bonus: the cutest item on our list
“Mom” (mum) and “dad” (dad) are normal words from any point of view. But princesses and princes from childhood are taught to call their parents "mommy" (mummy) and "daddy" (daddy). In 2012, during the celebration of the diamond jubilee of the reign of Elizabeth II, Prince Charles turned to the Queen, calling her “mommy”. By the way, he was then 64 years old.
