# How the Class System Work In England in an Everday Sense? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 30, 2006, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785 "2006-09-30T23:36:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/41 "2006-10-02T21:21:56Z")
[QUOTE=Steve Wright] Look at Cardinal Wolsey, if you can stand it. [/QUOTE] I beg your parden. Ipswich has to have _something_ to be proud of 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/42 "2006-10-03T19:42:50Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] I beg your parden. Ipswich has to have _something_ to be proud of 😉 [/QUOTE] Well, how about that it’s not Felixstowe? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/43 "2006-10-03T19:54:35Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] Well, how about that it’s not Felixstowe? [/QUOTE] ‘Proud of’ != ‘thankful for’ ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/44 "2006-10-04T14:27:30Z")
[QUOTE=Antonius Block] **Una** , are **Fierra** ’s relatives members of the British nobility? If not, IMHO it’s _bizarre_ that they would refer to other people as “commoners” in a derogatory manner. AFAIK its _only_ usage is in phrases such as “[Princess Anne](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Anne) married a [commoner](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Phillips)”. [/QUOTE] Well perhaps the bizarreness is why it seems offensive to me when I hear it used. It’s typically in the context of “Oh well, he married a commoner so he got what he deserved” or “Well, they’re just commoners anyhow, so who cares?” Fierra herself would never use the term, and never has used the term. As to the status of her family, the only thing I will say is none of them are titled nobility. As I said before, I’m not English, I have no English experience, and the only English I have on me is what rubs off of Fierra onto me. The term as I hear it used sounds like a filthy derrogatory word straight from a movie, like how someone would use to dismiss “all those dirty savages in the colonies”. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/45 "2006-10-04T15:09:23Z")
[QUOTE=Una Persson] Well perhaps the bizarreness is why it seems offensive to me when I hear it used. It’s typically in the context of “Oh well, he married a commoner so he got what he deserved” or “Well, they’re just commoners anyhow, so who cares?” Fierra herself would never use the term, and never has used the term. As to the status of her family, the only thing I will say is none of them are titled nobility. [/QUOTE] This sounds very odd usage, considering Fiera’s parents sound like they’re ‘commoners’ themselves. Blimey, even Lady Di herself was considered a ‘commoner’ when compared with the Royal family. Her parents aren’t some dusty old expats living in a plantation house on some south pacific island are they? Otherwise, the only thing I can think of is that they’re making a joke with their tongues firmly in their cheeks. I know a few ‘forreigners’ who find British humour sometimes difficult to spot, and think we’re being rude when we’re just having a laugh. [QUOTE=Una Persson] the only English I have on me is what rubs off of Fierra onto me. [/QUOTE] Fierra doesn’t sound like a very English name ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/46 "2006-10-04T15:24:17Z")
[QUOTE=SanVito] Fierra doesn’t sound like a very English name [/QUOTE] Nor does **SanVito**. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/47 "2006-10-04T15:30:52Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] I beg your parden. Ipswich has to have _something_ to be proud of 😉 [/QUOTE] Well it sure aint the football team old cock 😃 Me? common as muck matey and damn proud of it, you’ll 'ave to excuse me now coz it’s my turn up the chimney. Could be worse, could be the barrel :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/48 "2006-10-04T16:23:42Z")
[QUOTE=SanVito] Fierra doesn’t sound like a very English name [/QUOTE] It’s her SDMB Board name, not her real name. I doubt more than 1% of the people on here post under their own name. Her real name is as English as Sloane Street. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/49 "2006-10-04T16:35:38Z")
hmmm, got me there ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/50 "2006-10-07T12:22:56Z")
[QUOTE=glee] Getting into Oxbridge (Oxford + Cambridge, our top two Universities) is far easier if you have money for private education. [/QUOTE] True, but that’s because the private education system provides a far better education than the state system, not because of any bias by the universities in favour of privately educated pupils. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/51 "2006-10-07T13:57:48Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] True, but that’s because the private education system provides a far better education than the state system, not because of any bias by the universities in favour of privately educated pupils. [/QUOTE] But if private education is expensive, the net effect is that rich kids have a better chance of getting into Oxford or Cambridge. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/52 "2006-10-07T15:41:20Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] True, but that’s because the private education system provides a far better education than the state system, not because of any bias by the universities in favour of privately educated pupils. [/QUOTE] In itself, it’s proof of neither assertion. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/53 "2006-10-07T16:06:41Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] True, but that’s because the private education system provides a far better education than the state system, not because of any bias by the universities in favour of privately educated pupils. [/QUOTE] If this is so, all the other universities should be full of privately-educated pupils too, as they spill over from Oxbridge. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/54 "2006-10-08T18:35:05Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] If this is so, all the other universities should be full of privately-educated pupils too, as they spill over from Oxbridge. [/QUOTE] I understand that certain universities on the South Coast are favoured, as is St Andrews. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/55 "2006-10-08T18:37:28Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] I understand that certain universities on the South Coast are favoured, as is St Andrews. [/QUOTE] That seems to contradict your assertion that Oxbridge candidates are only getting there on merit… ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/56 "2006-10-08T18:38:30Z")
[QUOTE=ultrafilter] But if private education is expensive, the net effect is that rich kids have a better chance of getting into Oxford or Cambridge. [/QUOTE] Kids with successful parents have a better chance of succeeding in life anyway. But you’ve still got to have the intelligence. For the record, my brother (a genius)went to Oxford, I went to Manchester. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/57 "2006-10-08T19:11:11Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] If this is so, all the other universities should be full of privately-educated pupils too, as they spill over from Oxbridge. [/QUOTE] Edinburgh is (I think around 40% of our student population came from private schooling, the highest in Scotland). Durham is traditionally the Oxbridge reject university, St. Andrews and Bristol are also full of privately educated students, I hear. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/58 "2006-10-08T19:17:48Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] That seems to contradict your assertion that Oxbridge candidates are only getting there on merit… [/QUOTE] ?? Lots of privately educated people simply aren’t clever enough to go to Oxbridge. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785/59 "2006-10-08T19:21:36Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Lots of privately educated people simply aren’t clever enough to go to Oxbridge. Sorry, I’m having problems matching the statement above with the previous exchange: [QUOTE=Quartz] > [@glee](#): > > Getting into Oxbridge (Oxford + Cambridge, our top two Universities) is far easier if you have money for private education. True, but that’s because the private education system provides a far better education than the state system, not because of any bias by the universities in favour of privately educated pupils. [/QUOTE] Perhaps it’s because I only have the benefit of a state education… 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-class-system-work-in-england-in-an-everday-sense/374785.md?page=2)