What?

[castmemberb4]

I work for a dentist and just over heard an 11 year old respond to the Doctors question with "What?"
What happened to "Sir?"

 

[wvjules]

I work for a dentist and just over heard an 11 year old respond to the Doctors question with "What?"
What happened to "Sir?"

I would have said "what?" as well, or maybe even "huh?". Depending on what they were doing to me at the moment. lol

 

[castmemberb4]

I would have said "what?" as well, or maybe even "huh?". Depending on what they were doing to me at the moment. lol

But I'll bet you're not 11 either.
Nah this kid was just having sealants nothing big.

 

[kwelch10377]

What was the question asked? I can't imagine what question I would answer with "Sir".

 

[mumom95]

What question would have an answer of "Sir".

 

[castmemberb4]

What was the question asked? I can't imagine what question I would answer with "Sir".

The answer wasn't "what/Sir"
It was the kids response when he didn't understand what the Dr had said to him. Wheather it was a question the Dr was asking or he was just speaking to the child "what" is never the proper response for a child to use toward an adult, when they miss what ever the adult just said.
I was taught "Sir?" is correct.
I don't suppose anyone uses "I beg your pardon" anymore either.

 

[SaraJayne]

No one uses "sir' here.

And if you did, you'd get looked at funny.

I always say "excuse me", "what" or "pardon".

My kids say "what" or "I'm sorry, could you repeat that."

 

[piglet too]

OK, guess my kids (15,11,8) are rude then, as they all do that too. If I don't understand someone, I usually say "What?" or "What was that?" or even, "Huh?" I wear hearing aids, and have been doing that as long as I can recall.

 

[bgirldeb]

The only person I've ever answered with a 'Sir' was a police officer who was writing me a ticket I just sort of blurted it out, and it surprised me!

I believe it's a southern thing, although my southern DH was not raised that way and our children, although respectful, do not refer to us as ma'am or sir unless they are being silly. Not our 'thing'.

 

[JVL1018]

My kids would never say Sir? if they didn't hear a question-just not done around here.
They would say What? or Excuse me? or Sorry, I didn't hear you..
Vicki

 

[SaraJayne]

The answer wasn't "what/Sir"
It was the kids response when he didn't understand what the Dr had said to him. Wheather it was a question the Dr was asking or he was just speaking to the child "what" is never the proper response for a child to use toward an adult, when they miss what ever the adult just said.
I was taught "Sir?" is correct.
I don't suppose anyone uses "I beg your pardon" anymore either.

It is here.

 

[mumom95]

I've never heard the phrase "Sir" used when you didn't hear something.

Here in the Cincinnati area you may hear someone say "Please" if they want you to repeat something, but anyone not from Cincinnati usually looks at us funny when we do it.

I probably use "excuse me" if I didn't hear someone, and if I had to guess, my kids probably say "what?". I think the tone of how you use it says a lot more than the actual words used.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

We don't use "sir" here either. Oh except to my dh when he is telling me stuff I have to do (for fun).

 

[Buckalew11]

It wouldn't be "Sir". It would be "Sir?" Or "Ma'am?" with a question mark at the end--like the OP says in her OP.

Things like that are lost these days, OP. It is rare to hear kids ever say sir used in any way anymore.

 

[Handbag Lady]

The correct response in my circle is, "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you."

 

[kwelch10377]

I have never heard of someone using "Sir" ( and I would assume if it was a woman "Ma'am") when they did not understand a question. If someone didn't understand my question and responded with Ma'am, I would respond "What?"

I don't really see an issue with saying "What". "Excuse me" I think is the most proper response, but would in no way think they were rude if they say "What".

 

[diznygirl]

Darn juvenile delinquent. It's all downhill from here.

 

[doxdogy]

It was Sir or Ma'am in our house as it was with my husband, our daughter, our niece and our nephew. My mother's mantra was; "Yes ma'am, No ma'am, thank you ma'am, please. We were even taught to say I beg your pardon. Huh to an adult was a big no-no in our house. My mother was born and raised in Kentucky and my dad was in the military. I now work for the Army, so my day is filled with yes sir and no sir.

The answer wasn't "what/Sir"
It was the kids response when he didn't understand what the Dr had said to him. Wheather it was a question the Dr was asking or he was just speaking to the child "what" is never the proper response for a child to use toward an adult, when they miss what ever the adult just said.
I was taught "Sir?" is correct.
I don't suppose anyone uses "I beg your pardon" anymore either.

 

[okeydokey]

The OP is from GA and Sir is quite common in the South. However, I don't think an 11 year that doesn't say Sir is rude. He didn't hear what was being said and said What? I think that gets the point across that he didn't hear what was being said. Most of my friends here in the South are transplants (as I am) and Sir is not a common response for my group.

 

[mjkacmom]

I would've said "excuse me," and my kids would've said "what." I've never heard anyone say "sir" when they didn't hear what was said, not once in my entire life. Maybe it's a regional thing? Ds12 has the most annoying habit of saying "what," regarless of if he heard you or not. We've learned not to repeat ourselves for at least 5 seconds.