WingColors

Hah. This actually really bothers me, but I see it all the time. I switched to saying "good morning/afternoon/evening." It makes me sound a bit old fashioned or formal, but at least I'm making sense!

You can see what people say Ozone? :P

I've stopped doing it but my friends and I used to say "What's up?" followed by "What's up!?" all the time...

You can see what people say Ozone? :P

Dude, I see speech bubbles all the time. What, you don't?

When I was in my teens the in-phrase/greeting was "Alright?", which always responded with "Alright?". That was it. Although most grown-ups here in Blighty will ask something like "Morning, you okay?/Hey [name]. How are you?" Which is followed with "I'm cool, yourself? So generally, we do answer the question before asking one of our own. It's just not proper to answer a question with another? ;-P

Some take the annoyance further, I think, in that when one asks "What's up?" and doesn't pause to hear the answer it means that he/she doesn't really care. I figure not everyone has the time (especially in passing) and well, I've done the same thing numerous times so who am I to pass judgment? :)

So in essence "What's up?/How's it going?/How are you?" has become synonymous with G'dday and other, non-inquisitive greetings. It's an extension of a faster-paced lifestyle and the age of convenience...

That's curious, Ollie. There was this one girl whom I couldn't stand and have since stopped hanging out with because to be honest, she was a bit of a Debbie Downer and always depressed so I felt it was a drag to be around her. But her common greeting was, "Are you okay?" She did it in person but it was especially annoying online. Come to think of it, it's pretty similar to your "Alright?" and "You okay?" I think what adds to it is it's pretty uncommon around here and in combination with her depressing aura it made me want to respond, "Yes everything's okay, why wouldn't everything be okay?? Sheesh."

I guess I'm a bit touchy. ;)

/speech bubble

I'm a big fan of synesthesia.

@Ozone42:

I had to look that one up.

It doesnt happen over here. But what we do have is mismatched questions and answers.
Example (translated):

"What's up?"
"Fine"

I think it all breaks down to programing. People expect to hear something and cue up a response to go with it.

Even as I was writing this someone came in and I asked how I could help them. They then asked me how I was doing. It just makes no sense and I'm tempted to take it one step further.

Next time someone comes in I'll smile and say "Subliminal Message." with a nod and a smile.

Anyone bet they'll ask me how I'm doing?

I got an email not too long ago which started out, "How's life?"

;)

I can remember back in high school (eons ago) it was common practice that every time you saw someone you had to say "hi". It didn't matter if you saw this person in the hallway between classes all day long, just as long as you verbally acknowledged them, each and every time.

I try to break myself of the awkward greeting by consciously deciding to provide or respond with a "howdy" instead.

I use 'howdy' also.

randomkay I love that "Subliminal Message"...

I find that people just respond out of habit and that is why sentences/responses don't make sense.

When I first learnt English - about when I was 11 - I was taught that the English say: "How do you do?" and that this had to be answered with the same phrase. "Peculiar", I thought.

And: "How do I do what?"

As for greetings over here: we pretty much answer the question, but in a standardized way. Actually we say: "Ça va?" and reply "Ça va" ... in French - which is weird b/c we speak Dutch.

Crazy Europeans.

Yeah I do the same

"Hey man what's up?"
"How do?"

I quite often answer the question:

"whats up?"
"nothing, how are you?"

whether it's true or not, it stops it being so annoying.

I just leave it with a succint "Mornin" or "Hey" none of this assessing one's state of being, just recognizing they're a being at all.

This happens to me all the time at work, where I'm a reference assistant at the university library. Someone will walk close by my desk, I'll nod towards them or say "Hi", and they'll respond with "How are you?", "How's it going?", "What's up?". Before I've half a moment to respond, they've walked on.

If I have time to do so, I generally say "I'm doing alright" (even if I'm not), then ask the person how they're doing. They'll then respond that they're very well or whatever - even if they're not.

Brief social encounters that follow entrenched questions and answers can be pretty weird.

I often find myself saying to people I really like and am happy to see, "how are you?" and then wish I hadn't because I don't actually want an answer to that question yet. More I want to say, I'm so glad to see you, because in a little while we're going to have a great conversation and then I can find out how you are. It's a small, silly thing, but something I'm going to get rid of in my conversational habits.

Regardless of if something "is up" or not, I always respond with "not much" after someone asks me what is up.

Hey what's up?

Not much, just right in the middle of something that's super important. Not much at all.

Thanks fray, I said it a few times yesterday, but nobody caught on.

I will normally respond to the question by saying, 'I am fine, thank you' and end the phrase with 'How are you then?'.

"Heya"

"Morning"

"Afternoon"

"Waddup Bru?"

"Wotcher mate"

A time and place for everything. Although I get really awkward when someone asks me "How you doing?" I have this sudden urge to tell the truth which in retrospect is always a bad idea when that's done to a random stranger on a street.

Im from UK and its here to - I think its the worst when someone asks you how things are with you and you tell them but there isn't enough time to do the same to them (e.g your walking past them) and so feel a tad awkward like you shouldn't have said what was asked - 'thinking' I should have responded with another question dammit!