What Brits Really Mean: The Polite Code Decoder
Decode polite British phrases that really mean the opposite.
With the greatest respect, I don't think that will work.
Computer voice · not a real clip
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All 14 phrases
Polite ways to disagree5
- With the greatest respectMeans: I think you're wrong, and maybe a bit daft.
- That's an interesting ideaUsually means: I don't like it and it won't happen.
- I'll bear it in mindPolite for: probably not.
- I hear what you're sayingI've heard you, I disagree, and I'm not changing my mind.
- Correct me if I'm wrong, butThey're fairly sure they're right and you're wrong.
Something's wrong4
Real praise2
Hidden requests3
Check yourself14 questions
Question 1 of 14
'With the greatest respect' usually means:
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About this pack
- Price
- Free
- Account
- Not needed, saved on this device
- Reviews
- 1, 3, 7, 14 and 30 days later
- Moments
- 6 of 14 phrases have a clip
- Sources
Picked by Talk, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Phrases
- Picked by Talk.
- How Talk picked them
- Part of Talk's themed British life packs. Talk wrote each phrase with what it really means, when to say it, what not to say instead and one quiz question. A phrase gets a moment only if Talk's spoken videos say it with the same meaning. One review picked each moment, and a second tried to reject it. This pack holds 14 phrases.
- Licence
- Talk shares this list under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Meanings and examples
- Written by Talk in plain English.
- Dictionary details
- From Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Princeton WordNet, used under the WordNet licence. WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
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