Friday's unscientific poll: Things I have done this week.

[nanila]

Poll #16994

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 46

View Respondents

Which of these is the biggest #VeryBritishProblem?

View Answers

Apologising to the delivery person who arrives with your groceries 45 minutes late.
20 (43.5%)

Using the phrase "a bit put out" to describe your feelings when you're experiencing face-melting fury.
26 (56.5%)

Comments

[fred_mouse]

because to me, b) is not a problem, because even if the recipient of the comment doesn't work it out, someone else around will have worked out that something is wrong. Although that might be because I'm an Anglo Australian?

[nanila]

I think that probably gives you a certain edge in the interpretation stakes, yep. :) But also you're right, it's evident that something is wrong even if the scale of the emotional upset isn't clear.

[fred_mouse]

Indeed. But I was also thinking that it is used euphemistically here, such that in certain circumstances, saying 'a bit put out' means that the friends around are reaching for the fire-extinguishers.