i beg your pardon

when someone corrects you, sometimes in reponse you say "i beg your pardon"
question is it like saying pardon me, but why are you begging for their pardon?

Its disbelief of what you are saying, the pardon bit, is incase they misheard you. I wonder which came first "You What!!!" or " I beg your pardon!"..hmmm puzzler.

Yes, Jim, you are right, but, as far as I know, it is also used when you are indignant at something, or when you realise that you have made a mistake. Besides, nowadays "Pardon" is more common than "I beg your pardon". Well, the thing you mentioned is a real puzzler, as you say. :)Interesting... It depends on the situation. Of course, you are supposed to say "(I beg your) pardon" in front of your (social) superiors. But it would be rather funny to use this expression when talking to your friends. Then, of course, "You what!?" is more appropriate than the above mentioned one. Mixing up styles that way, I mean using these expressions inappropriately, is a perfect means of making people laugh in sitcoms, for example. Well, what do you think?