What does it mean when someone says in a debate "with all due respect, if there is any due" and would it be considered a little disrespectful or very disrespectful? Also these days is the phrase "with due respect" used as a respectful way to disagree or a subtle disrespect?
Learn English – How disrespectful is it to say “with all due respect if there is any due” and is there another way of saying this
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Best Answer
That's very disrespectful.
The basic idiom here is "with all due respect." It is a polite tag that precedes some kind of disagreement. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the expression has been around since the 17th century. It is often preceded or followed by someone's name, formal title, and/or praise, as with this example from CBS News:
The phrase can be used sincerely or sarcastically, and I've encountered it regularly with either meaning. In any case, it acts as an indicator of politeness.
In your debate, someone has effectively short-circuited the idiom by raising the question of whether any respect is due. Rhetorically, it is a personal attack, suggesting that you don't have the ethos or standing to garner respect. It is a rude and clumsy rhetorical move.