# Say that again?



## Kimaunz

Hi,

When you did not understand what someone said and ask them to repeat what they said, you could say politely "I didn't really get what you said. Would you say that again?" But sometimes you might say "Say that again?" Is the expression "Say that again?" informal?


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## idialegre

Yes. It's fine to use with friends, but I wouldn't use it in a formal setting like a job interview, for example.


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## Kimaunz

Okay. Thank you, idialegre.


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## cidertree

I generally shorten it to "Say again!".


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## Kimaunz

cidertree said:


> I generally shorten it to "Say again!".


I guess "Say again." might not be acceptable in different parts of the world.


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## cidertree

Acceptable in what sense? 
I'd guess it would be understood anywhere.


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## Le Gallois bilingue

“Sorry?” works for me(BritE).


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## cidertree

For me too, and let's not forget the ever popular "What?".


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## Kimaunz

cidertree said:


> Acceptable in what sense?
> I'd guess it would be understood anywhere.


What I mean by "acceptable" is that, in some English-speaking parts of the world, people use "Say that again?" or "Say it again?" even though they may understand the meaning of "Say again."


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## cidertree

Kimaunz said:


> What I mean by "acceptable" is that, in some English-speaking parts of the world, people use "Say that again?" or "Say it again?" even though they may understand the meaning of "Say again."


Where, for example?

You may be confusing acceptable with idiomatic.


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## Kimaunz

cidertree said:


> For me too, and let's not forget the ever popular "What?".


Just saying "What?" or "You what?" would be used to a friend, not used to a stranger.


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## Kimaunz

cidertree said:


> Where, for example?
> 
> You may be confusing acceptable with idiomatic.


I don't know where "Say again?" Is not used. I have heard "Say that again?", but not "Say again?"


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## cidertree

Kimaunz said:


> Just saying "What?" or "You what?" would be used to a friend, not used to a stranger.


It really would depend on the circumstances, wouldn't it? I definitely wouldn't use this as a guideline. Whether it's polite to use it, in the circumstances, is another question.


Kimaunz said:


> I don't know where "Say again?" Is not used. I have heard "Say that again?", but not "Say again?"


You have now.


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## Kimaunz

Is "Say again?" as much used as "Say that again?" or "Say it again?"


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## Kimaunz

cidertree said:


> It really would depend on the circumstances, wouldn't it? I definitely wouldn't use this as a guideline. Whether it's polite to use it, in the circumstances, is another question.


Yes, you're right.


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## lingobingo

“Say that again” comes across as a command rather than a request. It can easily sound rude.


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## Kimaunz

I'd like to know if "Say again?" Is as frequently used as "Say that again?"


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## cidertree

Kimaunz said:


> Is "Say again?" as much used as "Say that again?" or "Say it again?"


I don't know. Ngram may be of some use to you in answering that. 

Do be aware that "say again!" is not only common in everyday conversation, it is also used as a procedure word in military communications - used instead of "repeat" (an artillery procedural word).


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## Le Gallois bilingue

Kimaunz said:


> I'd like to know if "Say again?" Is as frequently used as "Say that again?"


It’s not (BritE), and if said I would assume it was a foreigner speaking.


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## Kimaunz

lingobingo said:


> “Say that again” comes across as a command rather than a request. It can easily sound rude.


I meant "Say that again?" with a rising intonation at the end of the sentence, not "Say that again!"


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## cidertree

Le Gallois bilingue said:


> It’s not (BritE), and if said I would assume it was a foreigner speaking.


Coincidentally, I've just (unconsciously) said "Say again" to my daughter - who insists on talking to me from upstairs.


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## Kimaunz

What about "Pardon?" or "Pardon me?"? Do these sound old-fashioned these days? Someone said these are old-fashioned, but I guess there are many places in the world where these are still used quite a lot.


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## cidertree

Have a read through this thread: excuse me = sorry = pardon. It should answer your questions.


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## Roxxxannne

"Say again?" sounds okay to me although I think it's less common in the US than "Say that again?".


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## ewie

Le Gallois bilingue said:


> It’s not (BritE), and if said I would assume it was a foreigner speaking.


Living with a mumbler as I do, I say _Say again?_ at least six times a day


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## Rover_KE

I always say ‘Pardon’ (without a question mark), and I’m surprised the thread got to post 22 before somebody mentioned that.


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## lingobingo

I seriously can’t remember the last time I heard anyone use “pardon” to mean they didn’t hear what was said, but it was certainly decades ago.


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## RM1(SS)

cidertree said:


> Do be aware that "say again!" is not only common in everyday conversation, it is also used as a procedure word in military communications - used instead of "repeat" (an artillery procedural word).


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## pachanga7

I'm sorry? I'm sorry--I didn't catch that, and Sorry--I didn't hear you, are what I typically use in polite situations.


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## elroy

Kimaunz said:


> "You what?"


I’ve never heard this.  Did you mean “Say what?”


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## pachanga7

You what? is slightly different from the more general responses being proposed here. It only applies when the first speaker has just said that they did something, and often expresses incredulity rather than just not hearing. 

I just found an elephant in my soda. 
You what??!


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## ewie

elroy said:


> I’ve never heard this.  Did you mean “Say what?”


_You what?_ is common in this neck of the woods, El. There are those who would mark it 'extremely common', if you see what I mean. Only _Eh?_ is commoner

EDIT, after Pachanga: 'Our' _You what?_ is simply a question.


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## elroy

pachanga7 said:


> You what? is slightly different from the more general responses being proposed here. It only applies when the first speaker has just said that they did something, and often expresses incredulity rather than just not hearing.
> 
> I just found an elephant in my soda.
> You what??!


That’s not slightly different, that’s totally different.  

I assumed we were only discussing expressions used when you didn’t (fully) make out what the other person said.



ewie said:


> _You what?_ is common in this neck of the woods, El. There are those who would mark it 'extremely common', if you see what I mean. Only _Eh?_ is commoner


Is it used when you didn’t (fully) make out what the other person said? 

As in:

- It’s raining outside.
- You what?


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## ewie

elroy said:


> Is it used when you didn’t (fully) make out what the other person said?
> 
> As in:
> 
> - It’s raining outside.
> - You what?


 (I added that to my previous post ~ you were too quick for me.)


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## elroy

Sounds like a US/UK difference then.  The US equivalent would be “Say what?”  Is that used in the UK too?


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## pachanga7

elroy said:


> Is it used when you didn’t (fully) make out what the other person said?
> 
> As in:
> 
> - It’s raining outside.
> - You what?


From what ewie says I suppose it's used in BE this way. If someone said this to me in AmE I'd think it was kind of screwy, maybe a bit aggressive.


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## ewie

_Say what?_ has always felt exclusively AmE to me.


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## Le Gallois bilingue

elroy said:


> Sounds like a US/UK difference then.  The US equivalent would be “Say what?”  Is that used in the UK too?


In BritE _“Say what?” is not a term used to ask someone to repeat something that’s been said. _However,_”You what!”, _even among friends, sounds rude and common but is a particular way of making it known you _want_ something repeated.


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## ewie

Le Gallois bilingue said:


> However,_”You what!”, _even among friends, sounds rude and common but is a particular way of making it known you _want_ something repeated.


It would help if we could all make it very clear when we're talking about _You what_ whether we mean _You what*?*_ or _You what*!*_ or _You *what*?! _(or something else). Perhaps.
I wouldn't call _You what?_ 'rude' ~ as a straightforward question it's no ruder than _What did you say?_ or AmE _Say what?_ etc.


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## Le Gallois bilingue

ewie said:


> It would help if we could all make it very clear when we're talking about _You what_ whether we mean _You what*?*_ or _You what*!*_ or _You *what*?! _(or something else). Perhaps.
> I wouldn't call _You what?_ 'rude' ~ as a straightforward question it's no ruder than _What did you say?_ or AmE _Say what?_ etc.


Disagree profoundly. Your are not comparing like with like - “What did you say?” does not have the uncouth tenor that “You what?” does.


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## ewie

I didn't say 'uncouth': I (quoting you) said 'rude', which I took to mean 'impolite' rather than 'rough-mannered'.


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## Kimaunz

cidertree said:


> Have a read through this thread: excuse me = sorry = pardon. It should answer your questions.


Okay. Thank you, cidertree for taking the trouble to find the thread.


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## RM1(SS)

When I was in high school we often said "Your what hurts?"


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## Kimaunz

What does "Your what hurts?" mean?


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## RM1(SS)

What have we been discussing?


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## Language Hound

I often used to hear and say "Come again?"
From the _Farlex Dictionary of Idioms:_


> come again?​Could you please repeat what you just said? The phrase can be used in a straightforward way, or by the speaker to indicate that they think what has just been said is unreasonable, ridiculous, or absurd in some way.
> _Sorry, Mike, come again? The connection is bad and I couldn't hear you.
> A: "I just quit my job to join the circus as a netless trapeze artist!" B: "Come again?"_


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## Kimaunz

RM1(SS) said:


> What have we been discussing?


Are you saying that "Your what hurts?" means "What have been discussing?"?


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## Kimaunz

Language Hound said:


> I often used to hear and say "Come again?"
> From the _Farlex Dictionary of Idioms:_


Thank you, Language Hound. I already know "Come again?" is another informal exptession used to say hello.


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## elroy

Kimaunz said:


> I already know "Come again?" is another informal exptession used to say hello.


It doesn’t mean hello.


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## Kimaunz

elroy said:


> It doesn’t mean hello.


Oh sorry. It means "Can you say that again?"


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## Kimaunz

I saw in a book "Would you run that by me again?" Is this still used?


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## elroy

Kimaunz said:


> Oh sorry. It means "Can you say that again?"


Yes.  That’s what this thread is about.


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## Kimaunz

elroy said:


> Yes.  That’s what this thread is about.


Thank you for letting me know.


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## sound shift

Kimaunz said:


> I saw in a book "Would you run that by me again?" Is this still used?


Yes, but in a different context.

The speaker would not use it if he/she simply wanted the other person to repeat what they had just said.


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## Kimaunz

sound shift said:


> Yes, but in a different context.
> 
> The speaker would not use it if he/she simply wanted the other person to repeat what they had just said.


Thank you, sound shift. Can you please explain when you use it?


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## sound shift

In my experience, it's used when someone wants to hear a repeat of a lengthy proposal or some lengthy instructions, or something of that sort, Kimaunz.

I don't use it myself. It sounds like office-speak to me.


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## Kimaunz

Okay, sound shift. I won't use it. Thank you.


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## a little edgy

Everything in this very interesting thread depends on tone. If we assume that all these expressions are said in a polite, pleasant, rising tone and not as a command, than almost any of the options are acceptable because most people are not looking for reasons to be offended by sincere requests to repeat something. The one exception might an unadorned "what?", which - at least AE - sounds a bit abrupt no matter how nicely it's said. 

"I'm sorry?" or just "sorry?" is common in AE, but it must be clearly said as a question. It can also be used to soften "what?" or "what did you say?"

_I'm sorry ... what did you say? 
I'm sorry ... could you repeat that? 
I'm sorry ... say again? _


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## Kimaunz

a little edgy said:


> Everything in this very interesting thread depends on tone. If we assume that all these expressions are said in a polite, pleasant, rising tone and not as a command, than almost any of the options are acceptable because most people are not looking for reasons to be offended by sincere requests to repeat something. The one exception might an unadorned "what?", which - at least AE - sounds a bit abrupt no matter how nicely it's said.
> 
> "I'm sorry?" or just "sorry?" is common in AE, but it must be clearly said as a question. It can also be used to soften "what?" or "what did you say?"
> 
> _I'm sorry ... what did you say?
> I'm sorry ... could you repeat that?
> I'm sorry ... say again? _


Thank you, a little edgy.


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## RM1(SS)

Kimaunz said:


> Are you saying that "Your what hurts?" means "What have been discussing?"?


No.  It has the same meaning as what we've been discussing.


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## Evie Yang

'I beg you pardon?'
Is it natural in formal occasion?


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## natkretep

It's possible, but bear in mind 'I beg your pardon?' can also be used sarcastically. I think the formulas involving 'sorry' (given by edgy in Post 58) work well in formal situations too (especially the first two).


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