Posted on 08/05/2008 11:24:53 AM PDT by reaganaut1
Service workers, such as waiters and waitresses, often reply "no problem" to my "thank you". I think that's silly. A "you're welcome" or just a smile would be better. Any other silly phrases you'd like to gripe about?
I'm aware that if I am time to gripe about this, my life is pretty good :). I'm not saying it's a big deal, but I'd prefer that my children not pick up this verbal tic.
Nice touch (in addition to good food).
“Have a good one...” drives me nuts!
Me too. Actually, “me too” drives me nuts too! Have a good what?
This has bugged the heck out of me too. “It better damn well NOT be a problem, because I just gave you my money.”
Look at it this way - “No problem” is better than the “Up yours” you’ll often get NE of the Schuylkill....
Saying “no problem” is a condescending way of avoiding saying “You are welcome.”
In fact, they mean you are NOT welcome. They are saying that by terms of their employment, they are FORCED to provide the service. And in order to keep their job, it is not a problem for them to do what they don’t like doing.
Ask them to count back your change properly or suggest 22 year old bank tellers not address your 90 year old mother by her first name without permission . They will not say no problem . If you need any more advice being a grouchy old bastard , I will be happy to help .
“No problem” is a variation of, “it was nothing, really.” But I agree it’s rather crude. Nonetheless, there is an element of humility there that something such as “my pleasure” does not suggest.
“That’s my daughter!”
Boy, I hate to hear that one!
This is a huge pet peeve of mine. IMO, the only proper response to “Thank you” is “You're welcome”, not “No problem”.
If it was a problem, I wouldn't have thanked you for it. I call people on it all the time.
The other one is “You have a nice one”. I usually either tell them “Yeah, I sure do. Thanks for noticing”, or ask “A nice what”.
Just another example of the permeation of Slacker culture in America.
Yeah, I had to train myself out of the “no problem” line, it is too easy to say. People like it better when you say ‘you’re welcome’ or ‘my pleasure.’ (although, I don’t always say ‘my pleasure,’ because I like to be honest, and sometimes it’s NOT a pleasure to serve some ay-holes). Okay, blathering now.
Just command them to not pick up that verbal tic.
Hispanic influence? por nada...
Any little verbal tic can become annoying after a while and some people are more prone to picking them up than others, “you know”. “Right?” “Right!” “Exactly!”
We know a woman we call “ole exactly” and when we see her coming we say “here comes ole exactly, let's leave”.
Instead of ending casual phone conversations with “later, man” or “bye”, my son says “peace”.
I so want to bust out in “far-out” or “groovy” when he does that.
Perhaps, but consider that the French and Germans often say the equivalent of, “It’s nothing” (de rien; macht’s nichts). So far as I know, these replies are considered perfectly polite. *shrug*
But English language Nazi that I am, the next time I hear it I'll respond, "I'm sorry did I suggest there was?"
LOL--reminds me of my brother, who always responds to "you want fries with that?" with "are they free?"
I’m actually fond of saying “no problemo” among my friends and trusted co-workers.
I don’t use the Ah-nold accent either.
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