For example, ‘I’m afraid it’s not that simple’.Ĭhallenging somebody else’s point of view or trying to persuade them to agree to your request: here the ‘sorry’ helps smooth the challenge and reduce the conflict, or in persuasion situations indicates you are approaching the request sensitively. Similarly, in this type of situation we also can say ‘I’m afraid’.
For example, ‘Sorry, but I am not sure I agree with you’. For example, ‘Sorry, but it looks like there might be a delay’.ĭisagreement: this critical way to disagree is definitely not apologising! The word is used to soften the disagreement and make it less personal and confrontational. It is delivered in a definite, strong and punctuated tone. It is not an apology, but a word to indicate that there this is challenging communication.
CUPPA MEANING HOW TO
‘Sorry’ is used as a linguistic flag to cover a range of situations, so here I share how to interpret and use the word ‘sorry’ effectively when communicating with the British in key situations when you need to be diplomatic, especially when you do not know the other people well, in formal situations and when the stakes are high.Īwkward situation or delivering a negative message: this is the most common use of ‘sorry’ in a business situation. It is not just a way to apologise, and the meaning can depend on context, the relationship with the people we are speaking to, and the tone of voice.
One of the fascinating things about the word ‘sorry’ is that it has many shades of meaning in British English. Is ‘sorry’ a word used just as an apology for when you have done something wrong?
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