When did people start saying "Say again" when they wanted ...

It's been introduced from standard radio communications procedures in the armed forces and Air Traffic Control. the words Mayday, Roger and a few others have ... Skiptomaincontent News Sport Comment Culture Business Money Life&style Travel Environment TV Video Data Mobile Offers Jobs News Guardian Home Recent queries Send a query Crossword Lucky dip Any answers? About Notes and Queries Sudoku Categories Nooksandcrannies Yesteryear Semanticenigmas Thebodybeautiful Redtape,whitelies Speculativescience Thissceptredisle Rootofallevil Ethicalconundrums Thissportinglife Stageandscreen Birdsandthebees SEMANTICENIGMASWhendidpeoplestartsaying"Sayagain"whentheywantedsomethingrepeating,insteadofthe"Begyourpardon"or"Sorry"Iwasbroughtupwith?Andwheredidthephrasecomefrom? PaulSteeples,LondonUK haha,yeahIhearthatseldomlymosttimesIhear...saywhat?!soundsrude...soIcomebackwiththis...'saywhatahuh?'nicelysaidandcatchesattention,begurpardonistotallyfortheoleschool,Ialsosay..Imsorry,whatdidusayorIdidnthearthatorcouldyourepeatthatplease?seeImcordial,IgotmannersLina,lasvegasusa` It'sbeenintroducedfromstandardradiocommunicationsproceduresinthearmedforcesandAirTrafficControl.thewordsMayday,RogerandafewothershaveallmadetheirwayintotheEnglishlanguagefromthismedium.Interestinglytheword'affirmative'hasbeendroppedduetosomeverbalmisunderstandingsandnowismerely'affirm'-noneofwhichareparticularlypolite,merelyexpedient.Iunderstandyourireinthistendencytowardsalackofpoliteidiomsbutourworldisincreasinglyfullofexpedienceoverpoliteness. Let'sstartatrendandusethepolitevernacularwheneverwecan. Chris,BrigtonUK Catchphraseoriginallyquotedinthe1994AmericancrimefilmPulpFiction.Inthefilm,contractkillerJulesWinnfield(playedbySamuelJackson)confrontsaguywhokeepsrespondingtohisquestionswith“what?”anddareshimtosayagain.Itc8ameintoEnglishviamedievalFrench.1865,LewisCarroll,Alice'sAdventuresinWonderland“Notlikecats!”criedtheMouseinashrill,passionatevoice.“Wouldyoulikecats,ifyouwereme?”“Well,perhapsnot,”saidAliceinasoothingtone:“don’tbeangryaboutit.AndyetIwishIcouldshowyouourcatDinah.Ithinkyou’dtakeafancytocats,ifyoucouldonlyseeher.Sheissuchadearquietthing,”Alicewenton,halftoherself,assheswamlazilyaboutinthepool,“andshesitspurringsonicelybythefire,lickingherpawsandwashingherface—andsheissuchanicesoftthingtonurse—andshe’ssuchacapitaloneforcatchingmiceoh,Ibegyourpardon!”criedAliceagain,forthistimetheMousewasbristlingallover,andshefeltcertainitmustbereallyoffended.“Wewo’n’ttalkaboutheranymoreifyou’drathernot.” GOTETIMVSRKRISHNA,TADEAPLLIGUDEM,ANDHRAPRADESHINDIA Addyouranswer Privacypolicy  | Terms&conditions  | Advertisingguide  | A-Zindex  | Insideguardian.co.uk  | AboutthissiteJoinourdatingsitetodayguardian.co.uk©GuardianNewsandMediaLimited2013