From Alex Massie's blog at the Spectator:

[randomness]

What We Say vs What We Mean vs What They Understand:
(achinhibitor's comment reminded me of this.)

Comments

[cerridwynn.livejournal.com]

So this makes me wonder, who are the "others" in "what others understand?" The table does does say Anglo-EU translation. I wonder how an Anglo-US translation guide would work -- because in many (but not ALL) of these cases the "What the British mean" is exactly how i would read it. Makes me wonder how much is a culture thing and how much is an English language thing...

[bedfull-o-books.livejournal.com]

I heard a story on NPR awhile ago about American etiquette, and how the lunch/dinner invitation is (almost) never serious.

The "with the greatest respect" is spot on too....

[gee-tar.livejournal.com]

Yup this is how I understand most these phrases, and God forgive me, use them too much of the time. Of course, I always have plausible deniability from my actual meaning.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

I think the chart uses the EU for "others", and means people who don't understand English well enough to know that the literal translation isn't what's meant.

You're clearly familiar enough with the British to know what they really mean. :)

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

Part of it is that US culture, particularly urban, educated culture, uses the British forms as a formal ("high register") variety, especially when there is a relationship of formal authority which one is avoiding invoking.

[emilymorgan.livejournal.com]

I had exactly the same reaction: guess I'm a Brit!

[apintrix.livejournal.com]

ditto.