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"The ''ton''" is a term commonly used to refer to Britain's high society during the late Regency and the reign of George IV, and later. It is a French word meaning (in this sense) "manners" or "style" and is pronounced as in French ((:tɔ̃)). The full phrase is ''le bon ton'' meaning "good manners" or "good form" – characteristics held as ideal by the British ''beau monde''. The term ''le beau monde'' (pronounced (:bo mɔ̃d)), literally meaning "the beautiful world" (but here meaning "fashionable people," or "fashionable society"), was similar to ''le bon ton'' during the nineteenth century. "The ''ton''" has also been used to refer to the Upper Ten Thousand of later 19th-century society, including most of the peerage, aristocracy and wealthy merchants or bankers of the City (of London). == The social ladder == ''Ton'' society was intensely class-conscious and the social hierarchy was incredibly rigid. Birth, wealth, titles, and other factors determined class standing: *Monarch *Royalty *Peers and their families *Gentry *Middle Classes *Artisans & Trades people *Servants *Laboring Poor *Paupers Members of the ''ton'' came from the aristocracy, the gentry, and of course, royalty and monarch(s). Though some wealthier members of the middle classes might possibly have married into the lower ranks of the gentry, such unions would not have been completely accepted by the elite ''ton''. Social positions could be altered or determined by income, houses, speech, clothing, or even manners. Climbing the social ladder could take generations, particularly into the aristocracy, who did not readily accept those perceived to be of inferior birth into their ranks. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ton (le bon ton)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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