Do Irish people say 'sorry' too much?

Fat Christy

I was listening to the radio today and they were talking about it. I definitely overuse the word 'sorry' and have noticed I'm not the only one.

Times when you are likely to hear someone say sorry:

• If you bump into someone on the street both you and other person: 'sorry about that'

• If you are in a meeting: 'sorry, can I just say....'

• If you don't hear someone correctly: 'Sorry, I didn't hear you, can you repeat that?'.

I say it all the time. I think it's actually lost it's meaning at this stage. Are we the most apologetic country in the world?

Sunnyisland

Sorry I don't know what you mean

FortuneChip

Fat Christy wrote: »

I was listening to the radio today and they were talking about it. I definitely overuse the word 'sorry' and have noticed I'm not the only one.

Times when you are likely to hear someone say sorry:

• If you bump into someone on the street both you and other person: 'sorry about that'

• If you are in a meeting: 'sorry, can I just say....'

• If you don't hear someone correctly: 'Sorry, I didn't hear you, can you repeat that?'.

I say it all the time. I think it's actually lost it's meaning at this stage. Are we the most apologetic country in the world?

Sorry, but you lost me here.

Fat Christy

realies wrote: »

Sorry I don't know what you mean

:rolleyes: I was waiting for all the smart arse replies. That was quick. :pac:

wazky

Fat Christy wrote: »

:rolleyes: I was waiting for all the smart arse replies. That was quick. :pac:

We're sorry.

Snowpavlova

Fat Christy wrote: »

I was listening to the radio today and they were talking about it. I definitely overuse the word 'sorry' and have noticed I'm not the only one.

Times when you are likely to hear someone say sorry:

• If you bump into someone on the street both you and other person: 'sorry about that'

• If you are in a meeting: 'sorry, can I just say....'

• If you don't hear someone correctly: 'Sorry, I didn't hear you, can you repeat that?'.

I say it all the time. I think it's actually lost it's meaning at this stage. Are we the most apologetic country in the world?

Yes, they do, I find it's due to high levels of insecurity in Irish society. Irish people (tm) are people pleasers around strangers

mikemac1

Excuse me sounds a bit formal

Sorry will do grand

Fat Christy

Snowpavlova wrote: »

Yes, they do, I find it's due to high levels of insecurity in Irish society. Irish people (tm) are people pleasers around strangers

Yeah I would agree with that statement. We're also very self-depreciating in general, we just cannot take a compliment atal.

Ruu

Pardon me, I am just passing through this post.

Wacker The Attacker

I'm sorry but f**k you

pjmn

sorry - what's this thread all about?

Pumpkinseeds

We tend to say 'sorry' instead of 'excuse me'. If anything we're overly polite.

Fat Christy

Wacker The Attacker wrote: »

I'm sorry but f**k you

Fcuk you right back in the bumhole.

p.s. I'm not even sorry.

Micky Dolenz

I'm not sorry.

FortuneChip

Don't say "sorry".
It's not your fault.

Fat Christy

FortuneChip wrote: »

Don't say "sorry".
It's not your fault.

I think it's totally lost it's meaning here. I'm going to try and stop saying sorry.

gugleguy

Christy I’m sooooo sorry for putting you on my ignore list that time. Pleeeeeese forgive me. Pleeeeeeeeeese!

Fat Christy

gugleguy wrote: »

Christy I’m sooooo sorry for putting you on my ignore list that time. Pleeeeeese forgive me. Pleeeeeeeeeese!

Okay Gugleguy, I've got the message.

You can stop saying sorry now.

gugleguy

I think Czarcasm should say sorry in this thread as well. Deadly serious. :pac: He knows how to say it properly that's all.

Fat Christy

gugleguy wrote: »

I think Czarcasm should say sorry in this thread as well. Deadly serious. :pac: He knows how to say it properly that's all.

To me? Or to you? :pac:

Saipanne

Worst is when someone says it as they barge through you. Fcuk off would be more appropriate there.

Pat Mustard

I like to say mi scusi.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivSMNbaXRSE

Boskowski

And sometimes its just 'sorry, sorry'. I think, yes, its a bit too much, but people are probably not really sorry anyway. It just has become some sort of phrase in certain situations, for example when people are a little in each others way.

What Irish people definitely say too often is 'are you ok?' Again I know its just one of those phrases, but these days its all I hear in shops. 'Are you ok there?' I find it a little irritating, yes I'm fine thank you. Whats wrong with 'can I help you' or 'next please'?

wp_rathead

Fat Christy

Boskowski wrote: »

And sometimes its just 'sorry, sorry'. I think, yes, its a bit too much, but people are probably not really sorry anyway. It just has become some sort of phrase in certain situations, for example when people are a little in each others way.

What Irish people definitely say too often is 'are you ok?' Again I know its just one of those phrases, but these days its all I hear in shops. 'Are you ok there?' I find it a little irritating, yes I'm fine thank you. Whats wrong with 'can I help you' or 'next please'?

Or when you're obviously not okay and they ask you 'Are you okay?'.

Do I look okay to you? I'm sitting naked in the corner crying and you're asking me 'Are you okay?' :mad: Also, people who ask you 'Are you asleep?'. If I'm asleep, I'm not going to answer, if I look like I'm asleep, I'm probably trying to go to sleep.....:mad:

Adamantium

Boskowski wrote: »

What Irish people definitely say too often is 'are you ok?' Again I know its just one of those phrases, but these days its all I hear in shops. 'Are you ok there?' I find it a little irritating, yes I'm fine thank you. Whats wrong with 'can I help you' or 'next please'?

The bolded part, so much

This one always irks and surprises me, even though I should well used to it now.
I'm thinking "I'm standing in line, I've business to do with you, I've been standing in the queue"

"Are you ok?"

Well I just want to buy this stuff (puts on counter)..."

I'm thinking "No I'm just ok standing here cos your gorgeous, what do you think"

It all ways comes across as defensive and a tone "why are you bothering me" even though its not intended as much.....most of the time

y0ssar1an22

Is there a less formal way to say 'excuse me' or 'pardon me' that does not involve sorry?

darkpagandeath

y0ssar1an22 wrote: »

Is there a less formal way to say 'excuse me' or 'pardon me' that does not involve sorry?

Story Bud ? Here Mr ? in Junkie accents :pac:

Fat Christy

y0ssar1an22 wrote: »

Is there a less formal way to say 'excuse me' or 'pardon me' that does not involve sorry?

takamichinoku

I'm really bad for apologising, annoys a lot of people and I can totally see why, holding yourself to much higher standards than everyone else, very defensive, etc


Also have a bad tendency to say "no problem" and things like it when I really should say "you're welcome", there's definitely a difference. Feel like it takes a bit of a dump on some good deeds I do

Frank Lee Midere

Sorry can be agressive. As in.

Sorry, can you stop standing in the middle of the street you Spanish plonkers.

Etc.

Fat Christy

Frank Lee Midere wrote: »

Sorry can be agressive. As in.

Sorry, can you stop standing in the middle of the street you Spanish plonkers.

Etc.

Yes, but should it be is the question?

Surely not?

Tarzana

Fat Christy wrote: »

I was listening to the radio today and they were talking about it. I definitely overuse the word 'sorry' and have noticed I'm not the only one.

Times when you are likely to hear someone say sorry:

• If you bump into someone on the street both you and other person: 'sorry about that'

• If you are in a meeting: 'sorry, can I just say....'

• If you don't hear someone correctly: 'Sorry, I didn't hear you, can you repeat that?'.

I say it all the time. I think it's actually lost it's meaning at this stage. Are we the most apologetic country in the world?

Yes, we say it way too much. I try to say 'excuse me' instead. Still polite but not needlessly apologetic.

LizzieJones

gugleguy wrote: »

I think Czarcasm should say sorry in this thread as well. Deadly serious. :pac: He knows how to say it properly that's all.

He? I thought Czarcasm was female.

Sorry.

Fat Christy

LizzieJones wrote: »

He? I thought Czarcasm was female.

Sorry.

You didn't get a sexy PM? :eek:

Macavity.

How could you think Czarcasm was female? :eek: :P

LizzieJones

Fat Christy wrote: »

You didn't get a sexy PM? :eek:

No. Should I have?

MS.ing

Im sorry but youll have to speak up Im wearing a towel

gugleguy

Czarina - casm I would imagine for the feminine gender, no? Czarcasm I’ m reallllly sorry about allof this.

Adamantium

The Irish are ridiculously like Canadians in a lot of ways. We both thank bus drivers as well.
People from Newfoundland and Donegal sound similar too, the humour all over Canada is the same, dry as hell.

The Canadian accent has a sing-songy rhythm to it as well, anyway sort of off topic.

Fat Christy

Adamantium wrote: »

The Irish are ridiculously like Canadians in a lot of ways. We both thank bus drivers as well.

That's what they were saying on the radio. :P

Why do we thank bus drivers? I do it myself....

WilyCoyote

This is the only way to do it. Especially on a busy pavement ......... or in the check out isle at Tescos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ws60MDF7OY

Fat Christy

LizzieJones wrote: »

No. Should I have?

Probably. :pac: You're in Canada though, so maybe not worth putting in the graft. :P

I'll send you one instead.

Tarzana

Adamantium wrote: »

The Irish are ridiculously like Canadians in a lot of ways. We both thank bus drivers as well.

Canadians are more polite than us. Ditto Americans. More formally polite at least.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Someone spent the morning kicking me and apologising every time. People are odd.

Pidge96

I think we just use sorry as an unambiguous catch all- sure I'm so used to using sorry that if someone asked me "can I help you" I'd initially think I was being told to get lost.

Santa Cruz

Sorry I didn't mean to come in your mouth

Frank Lee Midere

Tarzana wrote: »

Canadians are more polite than us. Ditto Americans. More formally polite at least.

Ireland has two groups of people. Most are polite and apologise when you bump into them. Others say ah heyor, levee it ou', I'll fookin kill ya when they bump into you.

Pablodreamsofnew

'Someone runs you over' I'm sorry it was my fault, no really sorry sorry sorry.

Sorry but do you have the time.

I hate the word 'sorry' because everyone uses it too much that and bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye byeee byeee now you byeee after every phone call with an Irish person. I've taking to just hanging up before the 'byes' begin..

NZ_2014

y0ssar1an22 wrote: »

Is there a less formal way to say 'excuse me' or 'pardon me' that does not involve sorry?

C'mere...
Oi....
Listen here...
Hold on...
Stop..
Wait...
Hang on a second...
Pfftttt...