4. Asking questions in a conversation was bad manners.
19th century etiquette rules recommended for women to avoid asking any questions over the course of a conversation. They were not sure what could offend the other person, so all phrases were supposed to be statements, not questions.
So, instead of asking how someone’s brother was doing, women were supposed to say, “I hope your brother is doing alright.” And classic women’s conversation topics, like the weather and children, had to be avoided so they wouldn’t be called rude and unworthy of polite company.