# People who make no effort to speak clearly after "I'm sorry" (or similar response) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 4, 2004, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-make-no-effort-to-speak-clearly-after-im-sorry-or-similar-response/222681 "2004-01-04T18:53:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-make-no-effort-to-speak-clearly-after-im-sorry-or-similar-response/222681/21 "2004-01-05T09:21:51Z")
I get the exact opposite. Someone will be talking and to give an indication that I’m listening I’ll say something bland like “Oh,really?” and the person will repeat what I just heard perfectly well. I have never bothered asking what the speaker thought I said that prompted the repetition. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-make-no-effort-to-speak-clearly-after-im-sorry-or-similar-response/222681/22 "2004-01-05T10:59:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by county \* > \*\*Or, “Hey, speak the fuck up” said loudly will almost always get their attention and a immediate response. \*\* You should try these ones: “Speak the fuck up, dear”. “Speak the fuck up, mom.” “Speak the fuck up, officer.” “Speak the fuck up, judge/your honor”. All bound to get immediate responses. Maybe not the ones you intended. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![curly\_chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@curly\_chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curly_chick)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-make-no-effort-to-speak-clearly-after-im-sorry-or-similar-response/222681/23 "2004-01-05T11:22:52Z")
Whenever you don’t hear what someone has said, just reply “Stanley Baker, I think it was” This has the excellent effect of stopping the mumbler dead in his tracks and saying “What did you just say? I asked you what time the train was” Confuse the buggers - that’s my advice. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-make-no-effort-to-speak-clearly-after-im-sorry-or-similar-response/222681/24 "2004-01-05T12:08:29Z")
Mmmemru muble, a mummer mmemoble nabbuffble bumbbermmen? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-make-no-effort-to-speak-clearly-after-im-sorry-or-similar-response/222681/25 "2004-01-05T12:44:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by county \* > \*\*“I’m sorry” doesn’t tell me anything about a hearing problem. It just means the person was distracted for whatever reason. That is also how I use the phrase, I don’t think I have ever said “I’m sorry” to indicate I couldn’t hear someone, but plenty of time when I was distracted/not paying attention. > > For that I say, I can’t hear you. You might try that. \*\* “I am sorry” In britain is accepted to mean “I couldn’t hear you” Actually saying “I can’t hear you” is slightly impolite (only slightly) ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-make-no-effort-to-speak-clearly-after-im-sorry-or-similar-response/222681/26 "2004-01-05T12:47:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Futile Gesture \* > \*\*Mmmemru muble, a mummer mmemoble nabbuffble bumbbermmen? \*\* WHAT?! HUH? SAY AGAIN! ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-make-no-effort-to-speak-clearly-after-im-sorry-or-similar-response/222681/27 "2004-01-05T14:21:26Z")
My favorite is this: > [@](#): > > Fool: mumblemumblemumblemumblemumblemumblemumbleJerry Springer? > Me: I’m sorry, what’d you say? > Fool: Jerry Springer? Why in heaven do you assume that I heard everything you said except the last two words? If I ask you to repeat yourself, **repeat yourself** , dammit! You’re not a canyon, from which echoes only the final part of a phrase; you can repeat the whole thing. Daniel [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-make-no-effort-to-speak-clearly-after-im-sorry-or-similar-response/222681.md?page=1)