News
(Image: Getty)
It's becoming increasingly important for public figures to apologise after making a mistake. Neil and Beth discuss different ways to say sorry and teach you some useful vocabulary.
How many times a day does the average British person say 'sorry'?
a) four times per day?b) six times per day? or,c) eight times per day?
Listen to the programme to hear the answer.
sarcasticsaying or doing the opposite of what you really mean in order to mock or insult
public figurefamous person whose life and behaviour is often discussed in newspapers and on radio and television
faux passaying or doing something in a social situation that causes embarrassment or offence
finesum of money paid as a punishment for doing something illegal or breaking a rule
caveatwarning that something may not be completely true or is somehow limited
draw a line under (something)consider a bad situation to be over in order to move on and make a fresh start
TRANSCRIPT
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.
Neil Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I’m Neil.
BethAnd I’m Beth.
NeilThere are many ways of saying sorry in English, and they all have a slightly different meaning. If you tell me you’re ill, and I say, “Oh, I'm sorry”, that means: I sympathise, and I hope you get better soon.
BethIf you step on my toes by mistake, and say, “I’m so sorry”, you mean: oops that was my fault and I didn't mean to do it.
NeilAnd if you don’t really feel sorry, you might be sarcastic, “Oh, I’m soooo sorry!” meaning exactly the opposite – that you’re not sorry at all.
BethSaying sorry for something you’ve done in English can be quite confusing, and to make things worse, the British are world champions at apologising. In this programme we'll discuss ways of saying sorry, and as usual we'll be learning some useful new vocabulary as well.
NeilSorry! but I'm going to have to stop you there, Beth, because first I have a question to ask. We know that the British love to say sorry. In fact a recent survey found that some Brits apologise up to twenty times a day. So according to the same survey, how many times per day does the average Brit say sorry? Is it:
a) four times per day?
b) six times per day? or,
c) eight times per day?
BethI'm going to guess it’s six times a day.
NeilOK, Beth, I’ll reveal the answer later in the programme. Since the British are famous for apologising it’s no surprise that Louise Mullany started researching the language of apologising in Britain, at the University of Nottingham. Now a professor of sociolinguistics, Louise spoke with BBC Radio 4 programme, Word of Mouth:
Professor Louise MullanyAnd I was really interested in looking at how people apologise, particularly public figures so I did a lot of research in the workplace and looking at the media, and looking at politicians in particular, and one of the things that really interested me at the time was a lot of writers were talking entering an age of an apology, and there's a real sense that public figures in particular are called upon to apologise for multiple different things, and if they don't apologise then that's a big faux pas.
BethSaying sorry is especially important in politics, and Professor Mullany studied the apologies of public figures – famous people, including politicians, who are often discussed in newspapers and seen on radio and television. When politicians make mistakes they are expected to apologise, and failing to say sorry is a faux pas – a remark made in a social situation that causes embarrassment or offence.
NeilMost politicians hate apologising and with good reason. Saying sorry means taking responsibility, and the apology needs to be sincere. A good example of this is the apology Boris Johnson made to the House of Commons during the 'Partygate' scandal in the UK when he broke COVID lockdown rules and had to pay a fine - a sum of money paid as a punishment for breaking the rules. Here, Professor Louise Mullany, analyses the apology for BBC Radio 4 programme, Word of Mouth:
Professor Louise MullanyIt's very unusual in a political apology because he comes out and says, ‘I am responsible’, but there is the caveat that he wasn't certain that he was breaking the rules, he didn't realise which he continues to say in his apology that came out after the fine, so he repeats the apology, and he caveats it around other political events... and he uses humility when he was in the House the day after he paid his fine, and was very quick to say, ‘I've paid the fine, I’ve given the reparation, I’ve paid the money, let's draw a line under the whole business now’.
BethBoris Johnson claimed he didn’t know he was breaking the rules. His apology contained a caveat – a warning that what he said was limited, or not completely true. Eventually, Boris Johnson did apologise, but many people didn’t trust him and he couldn’t draw a line under the 'Partygate' scandal. If you draw a line under something, you try to move on from a bad situation and make a fresh start.
NeilApologising is hard work – the apology must be sincere, and often the person does something to show they mean it. Which reminds me that it’s time to reveal the answer to my question, Beth.
BethYes. You asked me how many times a day the average Brit says sorry, and I guessed it was six. Was I right?
NeilWell, I’m very sorry, but that was… the wrong answer. The average Brit says sorry around eight times a day, making it probably the most over-used word in the English language. Sorry about that!
BethRight, let's recap the vocabulary we've learned from this programme about saying sorry, starting with sarcastic, doing or saying the opposite of what you really mean, for example saying ‘I’m reeeally sorry!’, when you aren’t.
NeilA public figure is a famous person whose life and behaviour is often discussed in the media and in public.
BethA faux pas is a socially embarrassing remark or action.
NeilA fine is a sum of money paid as a punishment for doing something illegal or breaking a rule.
BethIf you say something with a caveat, it contains a warning that what you have said may not be completely true or is limited in some way.
NeilAnd finally, if you draw a line under something you consider it finished in order to move on and make a fresh start. I’m sorry to say that, once again, our six minutes are up and it’s time to draw a line under this programme! Goodbye for now!
BethBye!
How can female farmers beat rural sexism?
What can the Moon tell us about Earth?
Do we even want to live without plastic?
Could we eat invasive species?
Mozzarella, ricotta, cannolis and focaccia... Where are we? Little Italy of course!
What are the health risks of social media for teenagers?
Have you ever seen an alien?
How can you stop elephants eating your crops?
Is it OK to eat animals that can feel emotion?
How do people live to 100?
Do you know how your money is being invested?
Should we be using mushrooms as medicine?
How can dead languages be revived?
Are there any sounds you find upsetting?
What language do fans use?
Do men find it hard to make and keep friends?
How can we find space for more solar s?
What do our names reveal about our culture and family history?
Can we adapt to heatwaves?
Does work leave you feeling bored and exhausted?
What is eco-anxiety and do you have it?
Can natural disasters be prevented?
Different ways to say sorry.
Do you pick the fruit you eat from trees?
Can plants clean up our mess?
How human are chatbots?
Should we treat plants with the same consideration we treat animals with?
Does sound make food taste better?
Would being lazy have a purpose in life?
Hear how subtitles can help bring TV and movies to life
We discuss the growing popularity of ecotourism.
With warming temperatures, mosquitos are now spreading to new areas, including Europe.
Listen to an expert on the global food system.
BBC war correspondent Fergal Keane tells his story.
We talk about an essential element for life to thrive.
We discuss some of the reasons why women make up only 26% of the world's politicians.
We discuss the role of museums in the 21st century and the items taken from different countries.
What ways do you think culture can influence sadness?
Hear about a new kind of vegetable making an entrance in British kitchens
Let's talk about the ugly green-eyed monster
We discuss the role of crowds in modern life
We look at the link between what you eat and how you feel.
The dos and don'ts of trying to discuss science with someone who doesn't believe in it
Hear the story of a woman who replaced her native Czech for English.
Could 'an apple a day keep the doctor away'?
Do you leave your work until the last minute?
What is doomscrolling and why are we attracted to bad news? Listen to find out!
What's the least amount of exercise you should do to stay healthy?
Hear about the software engineer who became 'friends' with his computer
Does the size of your carbon footprint depend on where in the world you were born? Listen to find out!
Neil and Sam discuss buffet meals and the history behind them.
Writing a memorable song isn't easy. So is there an art to good songwriting?
For a better experience please enable Javascript in your browser
