If you thought maintaining eye contact, asking interesting questions and laughing at bad jokes were the only secrets to having a successful conversation – you were mistaken.
For, according to Tatler, there are certain words you should always avoid while engaged in a discussion.
‘Hubby’, ‘panties’, ‘iconic’ and ‘other half’ are just some of the terms that are featured in the society magazine’s ‘Banned-word thesaurus’.
Tatler warns revellers to under no circumstances refer to drinks as ‘tipple’ or to use the word ‘quaff’ for hearty drinking
Other demonised words that should be ‘consigned to the dustbin of conversation’ are a number which refer to drinking and partying.
‘Quaff’ – which means to drink something heartily – and ‘tipple’ which means an alcoholic beverage are both deemed unacceptable by the publication.
And when discussing a party, the upper class should under no circumstances use the terms ‘do’, ‘shindig’ or ‘soiree’ to refer to the event.
Asking where the ‘nibbles’ are instead of canapes, or asking if there is anything you can ‘nibble on’ instead of snack on are also huge social faux pas.
And when discussing your partner, make sure you don’t describe them as your ‘other half’ or label your husband your ‘hubby’ – even if he is ‘seriously’ rich – says the society bible.
Another word vetoed by the magazine is ‘pooch’ – if you must mention your pet, call it your dog, hound, or canine.
‘Iconic’ and ‘legendary’ are also banned words and should be swapped for terms such as celebrated, famous or distinguished.
The Banned-words thesaurus warns readers never to refer to canapes as nibbles, deeming it similarly uncool for party-goers to ask if there’s anything they can ‘nibble on’
There are 171,476 words currently in use in the English language, according to Oxford Dictionaries.
New phrases and words are added every year, with 2017’s Oxford Dictionaries’ Word of the Year being ‘youthquake’- which means ‘a significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people’.
Other words introduced to the dictionary last year included ‘broflake’ to refer to a man who is readily offended by progressive attitudes and ‘newsjacking’ which means the practice of companies taking advantage of news stories to promote their brands.