Is it an English thing ?

I have long conversations with inanimate object and often Co-pilot. my golf trolley is particularly familiar with my opinions of other people.

It's crazy in supermarkets when people say '"sorry" when they past near by even if it was me that moved. They are saying sorry for nothing at all.

Granniesunite

I see this very much as a human “thing” it’s normal behaviour in my opinion.

Just as smiling and saying goodmorning/goodevening is too.

I’ve experienced this in my many travels all over the world.

Agreed. Especially as we get older or maybe isolated? I bet it's truly international.

Not the "sorry" bit, but the talking to a wide range of objects, self, animals, and nature

Oh yes, all of the above

I get cross with myself when I apologise to someone who bumps into me and they don't even acknowledge me

I see this very much as a human “thing” it’s normal behaviour in my opinion.

Just as smiling and saying goodmorning/goodevening is too.

I’ve experienced this in my many travels all over the world.

Well I do that occasionally but I’m not English. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Ive never thought about this before, but am slightly embarrassed to realise that I only tend to speak to inanimate things when they are misbehaving, and I'm sometimes far from polite to them.

Oh, and I also try to motivate the more temperamental things, in a sort of "right, are you going to do what you're meant to do this time, or are are you going to play silly bu*****s again?".

I say sorry when someone bumps into me, have tried to check this, especially seeing as the bumper doesn’t always say sorry in return. I also say thanks to the bus driver. As for talking to things, I do this too, as well as talking to myself, was talking to a cake in the oven the other day, was a gluten free one and sometimes they don’t rise, so was looking at it through the oven door and saying ‘c’mon you’ve got to rise, just a bit more’, and it did rise, so there you go.
Of course I talk to plants, am always encouraging them and was apologising for the heat during the summer.

Oh my cod, yes! I always apologise to insects, snails, etc., even the dreaded 8-legged things, when I have to kill them off because I'm arachnophobic, and I tell them ''Sorry, nothing personal!'' Except flies; I kill them with NO apologies! And I talk to plants, flowers, trees and so on. And most insects.

But I'm always apologising to inanimate objects, like my mobile when it's being dead slow. ''HELLOOOO? Anybody there?!''

The till I use here at work got stuck; the drawer just wouldn't come out, so I used a large paperclip that I opened up to get into the lock to open it and was saying ''Hello drawer! Any such chance of you actually opening?!'' Then, when it did open, I realised a small piece of cardboard had caught a spring, I said ''Sorry about that, drawer, just a bit of cardboard!''

I'm forever apologising for banging into my washing machine, the lightbulb dying, when I drop my water bottle on the floor.... I'm not normal!

Nope. 🤷‍♀️

Well I’m Welsh, and have always said Diolch to the bus driver.

Yes. It's as English as 'having' to say 'thank you' to the bus driver!

I talk to my computer a lot. Usually in the vein of ‘ What are you doing now? . ‘. When I had a sewing machine I had similar conversations with that.

Talking to plants and a dishwasher, I am pleased I am normal!!! I live on my own so some days I haven't uttered a word.

Many years ago I had a SatNav which always said 'Please take next exit', etc. Loved that Cannot remember which make it was.

I always say 'Please' and 'Thank You' to Alexa!!!

Cossy

Yep! I think it’s just a “thing”, I think it’s always amusing to see people who are bumped into being the ones to apologise, I do this and I think this is an English or British trait.

I talk to all objects, insects, animals and myself. I’m clearly bonkers!

Then you are Not Alone.

I had to have Strong Words with the corner of a dishwasher whose lid was down this morning.

Wretched thing wasn't listening.

Yep! I think it’s just a “thing”, I think it’s always amusing to see people who are bumped into being the ones to apologise, I do this and I think this is an English or British trait.

I talk to all objects, insects, animals and myself. I’m clearly bonkers!

And plants, of course. Don’t we all talk to our plants?
Going past the church I always say, ‘Good morning, God,’ and, ‘Good morning, Day’ to the dawn.

I always apologise if I swat a wasp. I say “Sorry, wasp”.

I talk to insects too. I also say please when asking AI a question.

BlueBelle I am Scottish and thankfully not. I regard myself as normal!

I don’t talk to objects, 😄😄 but I do talk to all living things from the tiniest insect up.

Muscle memory 😂