I beg your pardon

[GKW]

Is it old-fashioned to say "I beg your pardon"?

[SeaJayPea]

No, just polite.

[bookbinder]

I wish more people would speak in that manner.

[sandyRoe]

Come again?

[Motoko2501]

I just say " Pardon " or " Excuse Me "

[JonnyBoy12]

No, not at all. It shows that you have good manners and I say it all the time. It is also not old-fashioned to say "Pleased to meet you" when meeting someone for the first time.

[Brinjal]

I only say "I beg your pardon!!!!" when someone has said something inappropriate

[vallaw]

Whatever!

[Quizmonster]

Saying, "Pleased to meet you" on being introduced to someone always USED to be seen as very non-U...ie lower-class. That was in the days when only, "How do you do?" was supposedly acceptable in 'polite society'.

(Please note, I am not criticising anyone or saying I agree with either idea above!)

"Sorry" when apologising or "Sorry?" when indicating you have not heard what was said are probably more common nowadays than "I beg your pardon", though the last is not yet quite old-fashioned.

[craft1948]

When I say "I beg your pardon" it's usually the precursor to a row.........

[heathfield]

And in Glasgow, ''I'm sorry?'' can be a threat of violence to follow!!

[Eddie-R]

It's very polite, I don't hear it being said all that often anymore though.

[ClareA]

I agree it's polite. However, when I've thought I haven't heard someone properly, I find myself saying: 'Say again'. No-one's ever objected.

[boxtops]

We could do with a bit more oldfashionedness, now and again. Civility costs nothing!

[Ann]

I agree boxtops - many people do not even say "please" and "thank you" these days - those words should never go out of fashion!

[nungate]

Manners maketh a man or something like that. Good manners and civility cost nothing and can get you a long way. We need much more of those