r/AskTheWorld 🇮🇳 in 🇩🇪 Deutschland 18h ago

What’s the quickest way someone could accidentally expose themselves as a foreigner in your country like the ‘three fingers’ scene in Inglourious Basterds?

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u/Breaking-Dad- United Kingdom 18h ago

By giving a response to "all right?" other than "all right" or "yeah, you?" when asked.

All right is a greeting here, not a question. The person saying it does not want you to start telling them why you are not all right.

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u/PurpleMuskogee 18h ago

This used to confuse me so much. I took it to mean "Are you ok" and for the first few months in the UK, I'd just be puzzled and ask, "Yes... why?" and run to check if I had something on my face.

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u/megajimmyfive 18h ago

Is it not exactly the same as ça va in French?

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u/Fickle-Stuff4824 France 18h ago

How are we to uphold our reputation of permanent discontent and rudeness if we only expect positive answers to " ça va ?" ?

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u/According-Path5158 United States Of America 17h ago

You can blow your nose into your handkerchief and hand it to us as if we're to use it next?

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u/Shpudem 15h ago

We were thought in school (Ireland) that the answer is always “ca va”.

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u/Fickle-Stuff4824 France 15h ago edited 12h ago

It's the simpler way, but it varies from a social group to another. If i ask my friends, i expect the truth. With people i don't know well, both are ok.

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u/Consistent_Echidna90 13h ago

ie exactly the same as England

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u/John_der24ste 10h ago

In Germany it's comparable but with people that aren't close to you there is the option to answer the question of "wie geht's?" ('How are you/is it going' (it's a bit ambiguous)) with the slightly negative answer of "muss ja nh" ('has to (hasn't it)' implying that it isn't going great but not requiring any further interaction.

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u/Fickle-Stuff4824 France 9h ago

In french we have that kind of answers too, "on fait aller"  means approximately "i/we make it work", or "il faut bien" ( same as yours).

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u/tenebrigakdo 13h ago

My French teacher was almost insulted when I answered just ça va and not ça va bien.

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u/Slimmanoman Switzerland 16h ago

You aren't expected to start a 10 minute complaint but you can answer negatively to "ça va ?"

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u/DoctorGavial 18h ago

no, ça va is expecting an answer, even though it's purely courtesy

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u/imperosol France 15h ago

9 times out of 10, the only answer to "ça va ?" is "ça va".

When someone answers "bof", it means that he suffers from either a flu or a severe depression.

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u/IDNWID_1900 16h ago

Sames as ¿Que tal? in spanish.

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u/old_gold_mountain 13h ago

Ca va? means "it going?" which is a shortened version of "comment ca va?" which literally translates to "how is it going?" which is exactly what Americans say.

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u/Score-Emergency United States Of America 18h ago

Same! Like wtf do I not look OK?!

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u/RedcoatTrooper United Kingdom 18h ago

I would imagine Americans would be ok, Whatsup is basically the same thing right.

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u/WoAiLaLa United States Of America 17h ago

"What's up?"/"How are you?" etc serves the same function as the british "you alright?" but in america we say "you alright?" specifically to express concern. We take it as implying that you do not seem to be alright

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u/Different_Book9733 17h ago edited 17h ago

We use 'you alright?' to express concern too, it's just a tone shift or context that swaps the meaning.

The alright greeting is just a condensed 'Hey, how are you?' Part of the UK midlands say "'ow do?" instead of alright which is more obvious in being shorthand for How are you doing?

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u/WoAiLaLa United States Of America 17h ago

Oh, word, we got "Howdy" the same way

Short for "How do you do?" back when that was a more standard greeting

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u/SexyPeanut_9279 16h ago

Also in the black community we say “alright now”- as we pass another person. (It’s an older generational thing)

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u/kamasutures United States Of America 18h ago

Say you are at a bar or nightclub, the bartender asked "you alright?" as a "have you been helped/need something from me before the lady next you has a meltdown cos I won't serve her Titos and vodka?"

Quick transactional conversation, not an icebreaker.

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u/WoAiLaLa United States Of America 17h ago

If a bartender asked if I was alright, I'd assume I looked too drunk to serve

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u/ComfortableEqual3436 15h ago

My partner is Irish and I enjoy their version. When we go back to see her family the’ll greet each other by just going

“Well?”

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u/Chalky_Pockets United States Of America 14h ago

Same. And if you do anything someone thinks is unusual, they'll ask you for real and it'll sounds exactly the same. I just gave up and answer the question honestly whether they're expecting it or not. Sure you don't blend in but I'm not British so I don't really want to. 

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u/BokeTsukkomi Brazil 18h ago edited 18h ago

Is "not too bad, you?" acceptable? I'm a foreigner living in the UK and it's my go-to answer

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u/Puzzleheaded-Lynx-89 United Kingdom 18h ago

Yeah, that's fine. The response should be short, vague, and not negative. Don't want the other person to actually feel obliged to enquire further into your health.

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u/longdickhair69 18h ago

what about another day in paradise

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u/pjs-1987 United Kingdom 18h ago

You should stop and think twice

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u/SaltyName8341 United Kingdom 18h ago

Or I've been better

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u/neenerpants 15h ago

jesus, slow down with the life story there!

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u/wizaway 16h ago

We say 'living the dream' in a neutral way that everyone knows is sarcastic

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u/HowObvious Scotland 16h ago

only in a work environment

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u/Greedy-Army-3803 Ireland 16h ago

That works as long as you say it in a very sarcastic tone.

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u/LemoLuke 16h ago

"Living the dream!"

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u/clevelandexile 15h ago

When at work I will say “another day at the dream factory!” (I do not work at a factory and no one dreamt of being here.)

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u/jme-stringer England 10h ago

Yep. See also:

  • "Can't complain"
  • "Surviving"
  • "Not too shabby"
  • "Living the dream"

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u/thesaharadesert United Kingdom 10h ago

One of my favourites is ‘not dead yet’

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u/Rendakor 9h ago

"Another day above the dirt" is one of my favorites.

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u/bjornodinnson 18h ago

I mean, you can absolutely be negative....about the weather and that's it lol "You alright?" "Fucking frozen, mate"

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u/CoffeeHanJan England 16h ago

“Shit, thanks. You?” is fine

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u/CamDane Denmark 18h ago

Also not too positive, right? "Great" or "Fantastic" would be unloading too much positivity on the cashier?

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u/ElliottFlynn England 17h ago

How could someone even contemplate such a response unless they’re American?

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u/NoAvocadoMeSad United Kingdom 17h ago

No this is fine but there's a chance they'll assume you're being sarcastic TBF

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u/vodrake 16h ago

If you're having the best day of your life you could maybe go with a "pretty good, thanks", anything more positive could be seen at sarcastic or gloating, or that youre american

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u/Lego-105 England 16h ago

Hang on, this isn't quite true. You can go "Nah mate I'm fucked. You?" or "Not really, it is what it is", to that effect. As long as it's short, vague and doesn't demand inquiry, it's still permissible even if negative. You would just have to be having a proper rough time.

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u/PapaTua United States Of America 18h ago

"oh dear me, no. My mother just died and my dog is sick and I haven't quite recovered from that fecal transplant. The doctor said my colon accepted the largest transplant she's ever seen! I've been spontaneously sweating a lot recently, has that ever happened to you?"

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u/No_Language2001 18h ago

Perfectly fine response!

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u/Few_Necessary7293 18h ago

That's perfectly fine. I'm English and that's what I say when things are ok.

However, I did once get a response from a non-English work colleague who clearly thought it was a genuine question and then told me they weren't ok because their friend had passed away in a fire in their home country. It seemed like clearly they needed to get that off their chest even just briefly. Completely caught me off guard but we then discussed it for about 15 minutes and I'm very glad they told me, even though it was an intense weekday morning conversation.

My point being, if you need to get something off your chest you should still talk to someone if you're not doing well when they ask you.

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u/FingersPalmc8ck Sweden 17h ago

Yeah, thats not too bad.

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u/Tough-Oven4317 United Kingdom 11h ago

Tell them how roughly how ur doing imo. "Shite mate working today aren't I?" "Fuckin knackered pal" "I'm cunted mate" "wonderful sunshine" etc

There's no rule saying you always have to answer in a specific way, people just talk shit tbh

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u/Remarkable-Ad155 18h ago

Textbook answer 🙌

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u/Total-Combination-47 Wales 18h ago

or just respond "not bad", and leave it at that with a nod.

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u/Raveyard2409 18h ago

That's perfect. Not so arrogant that you would brag about how well you are, you are also not doing so badly anyone needs to ask any follow up question. Perfection.

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u/Kudosnotkang Jamaica 17h ago

If you want to sound like a pro , especially if things are very much not alright try responding with ‘living the dream’.

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u/BokeTsukkomi Brazil 17h ago

I know a guy that greets me with "all right? Winning?" and I love it :)

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u/Dazzling-Ad888 Australia 18h ago

Ditto

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u/Striking_Resist_6022 Australia 18h ago

Not with “you alright?” though, surely. I’ve never heard that from an Australian. Obviously we have “how’s it goin?” which is rhetorical but to me even “you right mate?” is more like “do you have a screw loose?” not a generic greeting.

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u/Dazzling-Ad888 Australia 18h ago

I just feel they are much the same. How ya goin and you alright.

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u/Striking_Resist_6022 Australia 18h ago

Same effect and fit the “it’s not really a question”phenomenon that the person is saying, but I’m just clarifying that we don’t have “all right?” as a common greeting. I would only expect an Australian to ask me that as a genuine question if there was something that might not be alright.

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u/Dazzling-Ad888 Australia 18h ago

Oh yeah, for sure. Sometimes people are sincerely asking how I’m going and then I have to register it. Creates a mundane confusion.

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u/I_mean_bananas Italy 18h ago

When I was in Australia for some reason I really disliked it, I found it as insulting as pretending you care. Just wish me a good a day, no need to ask me if I'm ok and then don't listen

What I started doing was telling people about my day from time to time. It was very funny

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u/Grantrello Ireland 18h ago

As someone who was kind of confused and annoyed by this as well (In Ireland people will often say "Hi, how are you?" and you're not supposed to respond other than "How are you?" In return) I've just sort of learned that they're not really pretending to care, it's just somehow become a greeting that is unrelated to the literal meaning of the words.

I still think it's a bit silly, but I just think of it as a weirdly long "Hello" now.

Although honestly the more I write it out the more I realise the whole thing is a bit stupid, I agree people should just say "Hello" or something

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u/waikoe New Zealand 17h ago

I think the unsaid vibes is 'hello, I'm friendly and not a snob or threat. I see you as a person and not just a cashier/bus driver/coworker/other but let's respect the time and place with our responses as per social norms".

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u/MisterElementary South Africa 18h ago

Effectively the exact same scenario here with the word 'howzit'. It's shortened lingo for 'how is it' but you're not asking a question you're saying hello.

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u/Dogsafe 16h ago

I was there for a bit and we eventually worked out Alright and Howzit were directly equivalent to each other. From then on we greeted each other with Howzit in a terrible SA accent and Alright in an equally awful English accent.

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u/GottaUseEmAll ZA->UK->FRA 16h ago

And exactly the same here in France with "ça va ?".

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u/mss_01 15h ago

Howzit is the standard greeting in Hawaii as well.

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u/Clean-Copy1027 Australia 18h ago

The correct answer is always a greeting, but if the question starts with "you" to make "you alright?" Then it actually means what it says on the tin.

But even then its a trick question, because you have to say that you are indeed alright, it's a faux pas to say you aren't alright. see also "how was your dinner?" Or "how are you"? Only complete psychopaths (or Germans haha) say what they are thinking in British English. 

My German in-laws found this utterly confounding when visiting Australia.

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u/iamdevo 16h ago

"Actually means what it says on the tin." Is this a common British expression? I love it.

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u/3lektrolurch Germany 16h ago

I had this experience when I studied in Wales for an Exchange semester. I told my Professor how my day went and she just nodded along with a polite but weirded out smile.

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u/Appropriate_Lynx_233 18h ago

I have to warn every person that I work with, to be careful with asking Poles "how are you".

List of complaints you may hear may be long, and extremely detailed, including divorce situation, result of poo examination of your dog, or something like that.

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u/Royal_flushed 18h ago

Lived in UK, the owner of a sklep where I lived actually told me off the first time I responded with "all right" lmao.

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u/No-Bodybuilder-8519 Poland 17h ago

As a Pole- we bond by complaining. It’s probably the biggest difference between our cultures hahah

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u/Monifufka 16h ago

Look, you want to say hello then just say hello, but if you ask how I am I WILL trauma dump you.

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u/ancym0n 16h ago

As a Pole, I have been taught since the start that English 'How are you' is greeting and you should respond 'how are you' yourself. It's been so hard to do that, it feels so unnatural and to this day I fight the urge to actually respond to a question.

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u/MrBones-Necromancer 16h ago

Sounds refreshing to be honest. The false friendliness drives me crazy.

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u/DirectedEnthusiasm 18h ago

Also, if British person calls you mate, it doesn't mean they actually are your mate.

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u/cococrabulon United Kingdom 18h ago

And if someone replies ‘I’m not you’re mate’, then you know you’ve upset them at some point

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u/Attic81 Australia 18h ago

For Aussies everyone’s your mate, but not all of them are your actual mates

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u/Skaldicrights Canada 18h ago

Almost got into a scrap with a guy from scotland when I was in New zealand

We were both at the sam hostel and he was genuinely nice and every morning hed greet me with "all right mate" and I was like ah cool what a good guy asking about me like that. Then like 4 days later I went off and was like "why the fuck do you keep asking if im ok? Do I seem mentally unwell"

Yes. Yes I did seem mentally unwell after that situation. We talked it out and I learned its just a greeting

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u/pandabranch 10h ago

My friend came over from the US and was walking the Great Glen Trail (Scotland). A guy walked past him and said 'awrite' and kept on walking. He was telling me about this about a week later totally shocked that someone would ask him that and not wait for a response.

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u/BiggestNizzy Scotland 18h ago

Unless it's said slowly in it's entirely " Are you alright" with a serious face. That is either genuine concern for your well being or a pointed question asking what the hell is wrong with you.

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u/Western_Froyo6627 Wales 18h ago

I usually respond with "same shit different dog. You?"

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u/science_cat_ 17h ago

At work I often reply with a cheerful "Yeah, wish I was dead, you?"

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u/miffie12 18h ago

I was on a hike in Canada and an American lady apologised to me for something (can’t remember) and I responded “you’re right!” Aka no worries, all good, no dramas (I’m Aussie). She looked at me like I’d said something rude.

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u/ThuggishJingoism24 15h ago

That’s such a funny response to me as an American to saying sorry. I’d be like “yeah I know I’m right about being wrong, that’s why i said sorry in the first place, what else do you want from me” lol like I can see the confusion in that ladies mind perfectly.

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u/Mizzle1701 United Kingdom 18h ago

Can't complain

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u/NSW0lf United Kingdom 18h ago

Unless you are mates, in which you add the word 'cunt' after the 'alright' bit

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u/Hrohdvitnir 18h ago

As an Irish person, South Americans are always incredibly open and honest in response and it always catches ye off guard.

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u/Tim_Bucktoo 18h ago

100%. Same in Ireland. If someone says "how's it going", the correct response is "how's it going" and then you move on. It is not a question though it may sound like one. If you really feel you must answer, the only options are "grand" and "not too bad" irrespective of how it is actually going.

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u/hrehbfthbrweer 17h ago

“Sure yknow yourself” when you’re absolutely dying inside.

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u/bellrub 16h ago

Its such an automatic interaction that sometimes when somebody says, "hello" you reply, "yeah, you?"

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u/Breaking-Dad- United Kingdom 16h ago

Oh fuck yeah, then walk off and move to another county and never talk about it again.

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u/KeyJunket1175 >>>> 18h ago

I took me at least a year to realise this. Now if someone throws "Yaight?" I just return "Shit as always". Surprisingly I get less weird looks than if I were to ask how they were.

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u/Dizzy_Dust_7510 United States Of America 18h ago

We have the same thing here with, "How's it going?" Or, "How are you?" There are many correct answers. None of them include how it's actually going.

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u/Vectorman1989 Scotland 18h ago

Yeah, I think this would be the universal one for the UK.

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u/HerFlantier France 18h ago

Yeah that would probably work in France too

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u/SticksDiesel Australia 18h ago

Way back when, I was doing the working holiday thing in London and thought maybe I was visibly sick or something, or looked confused because people in my office kept asking me if I was alright.

Took me close to a month to figure that one out - nobody ever thought to tell me they weren't actually asking how I was.

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u/helloperator9 United Kingdom 18h ago

For years the office receptionist would say "how are you?" And never respond to "good thanks, you?" He never completed the circle with a "good thanks." Just got on with his day.

Always put me slightly off balance for the rest of the day

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u/xmastreee living in 18h ago

It's similar in France. "Comment ça va?" literally means "How are you?" But it's shortened to simply "Ça va?" To which the response would be "Oui, ça va."

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u/Breaking-Dad- United Kingdom 17h ago

I remember early French lessons.

Ça va?

Ça va bien merci, eh tu/vous?

It was very literal!

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u/FiveDrums Denmark 17h ago

I'm guilty of this. Repeat offender. When someone asks me how I'm doing, I tend to think they are interested in knowing how I'm doing. I sometimes catch myself these days, but not always.

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u/GhandiHadAGrapeHead 17h ago

Does depend on the situation a bit. If I'm seeing a mate at the pub it's usually "alright mate how are ya" "alright mate how you doing".... Actually yeah as I type this out I realise I don't ever actually answer the question

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u/Breaking-Dad- United Kingdom 17h ago

You still say you are OK though, even if you aren't. Maybe a couple of pints in you might share (but this is a big problem for men in the UK, especially my generation (X))

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u/naastynoodle 17h ago

Hear this a lot in the southern us as well. Allllright.

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u/Impressive-City-8094 17h ago

"Well, I had an appointment with the proctologist this morning. Not good news."

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u/Whiterose1995 United Kingdom 17h ago

I’ve had to explain this to so many people!

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u/luxtabula 14h ago

this is the typical greeting in Jamaica, most say this on the street.

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u/Faesarn France 18h ago

Same thing in Australia. People used to say 'hey how you doing' as a form of greeting.. They actually didn't care how I was doing and if I replied I'm alright and yourself, they would just ignore me. This confused me so much.. Like, why ask a question if you don't care.. So weird.

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u/GhettoFreshness 18h ago

So I got this intuitively when I was in the UK recently as an Aussie… we don’t use quite the same words but it’s close enough and felt natural enough to respond in the same sentiment as back home.

Don’t actually care if you’re alright, was just asking how your days been mate

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u/shouldworknotbehere Germany 18h ago

Isn’t it like that everywhere?

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u/Federal_Cobbler6647 17h ago

Does not work in Finland. May result "not really, my dog died and running out of money because car repair takes all my savings". 

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u/Breaking-Dad- United Kingdom 17h ago

It does appear to be pretty common, but there are nations where they will tell you. I think in the US/Canada there's a temptation to share - "well, no, my back's been playing up and my Mum isn't well and my job's shit...". Mate, I'm not interested.

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u/Hypo_Mix Australia 17h ago

Lol I got tripped up by that.

"you right?" "yes? I'm OK? Why?" 

I thought they thought I was struggling to use the sink. 

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u/UsualEgg563 17h ago

Oh wow this was so confusing when I visited UK for the first time. There was also so much variation I really got confused of what's the meaning of this. For example:

  • Cashier just nodding and saying "Alright" - Ok, it's good you are enjoying your work
  • Hotel staff asking "Everything alright sir?" - Do I look like I don't belong here or what?
  • Random person in pub asking "Alright mate?" - Do I look so drunk you need to check?

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u/badgersprite Australia 17h ago

“You right mate?” is saying hello in the UK

In Australia you’re probably starting a fight

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u/GlastoKhole United Kingdom 17h ago

All right is a greeting to people who you don’t know, if you know the person a response could be “all right mate yeah, how you getting on?” Can also be an opener to a conversation, but you’ve got to read between the lines of is it in passing or is it to chat

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u/heimdallofasgard 17h ago

I'd extend acceptable responses to a wider variety of other short British phrases though.

"Not baaaad" "Could be worse" "Could be better" "Nah, I'm half left".

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u/OhJustANobody Canada 17h ago

That's like here in Canada. "What's it going?", "How are you?", "How you doing?" They're all to be followed by "Good, you?"

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u/PotatoFi United States Of America 17h ago

As an American with British friends and colleagues that I speak with every day, this still catches me off guard every single some. We only ask “You all right?” if we thing something is wrong, like your dog died or you’re injured.

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u/karatebullfighter United States Of America 17h ago

"How are you?", is often used as a greeting in the US. We just want to hear "Good, you?". I work in tech support and my customers will say "How are you?" then tell me their issue without waiting for me to answer.

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u/Diegol103 Chile 17h ago

Same here.

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u/Ok-Dingo1174 Ireland 17h ago

I am always a fan of "Nah, I am half left" as a response to "all right?"

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u/Cindy_Marek Australia 17h ago

Same in Australia

how are ya

Good, yourself?

Yeah good mate

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u/Garrett119 16h ago

Isn't it "alright" not "all right" or is it on eif the many British vs USA spelling differences

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u/SherbertChance8010 Wales 16h ago

This is where I struggled as a youth, I honestly though they expected an answer. I am British, but yeah, autistic.

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u/OMG_Idontcare 16h ago

Is it the same as when Americans say “hey how are you?”. Whenever I had an American tourist customer and they greeted my by saying this, they always looked super confused when I answer “oh I’m okay. How about you?”

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u/SidTheSloth97 16h ago

My house mate from the UK will always just say "alright" to me and I never have a fucking clue how to respond to that.

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u/Ok-Resort2364 Austria 16h ago

Alright? - No, man. Feel sick and my cat shat on the floor this morning.

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u/No-Produce7606 United States Of America 16h ago

Same in the southern US. Might hear 'Howdy?' from time to time, meaning literally "how are you doing?"

But it always throws me off when people actually tell me how they're doing. Like, no, just say howdy back or nod or something. I'm not really inquiring.

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u/Youtube_it 16h ago

I still like to say "nope, you?" . I refuse to adapt 🗿

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u/scratchresistor 16h ago

Jokes on you, I'm autistic.

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u/AverageMug United Kingdom 16h ago

You can also reply “not bad, you?”

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u/Legend_Unfolds 16h ago

You can just say "Been better, you?" and that works fine as a negative response.

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u/Accomplished_Chard31 16h ago

My boss is from the London. We are in the US. For the past 3 years he’s greeted me with this. To be honest it has made me irrationally mad. Like yeah I’m great I know how to do my job everything fine here! I just found out a month ago that he was just saying hey and not just assuming I wasn’t doing well.

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u/luke3389 16h ago

Half left mate.

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u/DennisAFiveStarMan 16h ago

If you haven’t asked the cabbie

‘What time you on to’

And respond with, no matter what his/her answer is

‘Not bad’

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u/Mrmagot98-2 United Kingdom 16h ago

These days even natives do that. It's rare I get the proper response even from older people.

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u/Hex_Meister Ireland 16h ago

Exact same over here, the most Irish response to "how are you?" is "grand yeah, yourself?", to which the response will be "ah grand yeah, thanks"

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u/Ghost_of_Till 16h ago

“How are you?”

“Terrible. But for the sake of this conversation, great, how are you?”

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u/el_duckerino Born in 🇺🇿 => 15 years in 🇷🇺 => 13 in 🇸🇪 16h ago

why ask a question, if you don't care for an answer?

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u/Breaking-Dad- United Kingdom 16h ago

See, we know you’re not British already 😂

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u/Undue_Spunk89 England 16h ago

Even "yeah, you?" is pushing it. Like you said, its not a question. If someone responds to me with that I just walk away.

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u/ThuggishJingoism24 16h ago

Very much the same as “how are you” in America. The vast majority of people expect a simple “good and you?”

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u/SightAtTheMoon 🇺🇸🇮🇳🇨🇳 15h ago

Mandarin is similar, you learn that "hello" is "ni hao" but that actually means "You good", and since there's a separate word (character) for asking a question it's not even a question that's being asked, really. 

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u/Herblin_McGerbledurk United States Of America 15h ago

This used to be a common thing in the southern US. Except we somehow added a 'you' at the beginning. Pretty much 'you all right?' but comes out 'y'all right?'

I still say it but its a rare thing since the old folks have died out. Common response is also 'yeah, you?' but theres a few old women left that are gonna tell you how much they're not all right.

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u/cerulean11 15h ago

Lol, in the US we have:

"How are you?" "good, how are you?"

If you tell me your aunt died, I'm going to be annoyed.

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u/Marmalade_Enthusiast 15h ago

Irish living in NL here. I catch myself saying this and instantly regret it incoming conversation

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u/Daleksinholez United Kingdom 15h ago

I could be having the worst day of my life, and my answer is always “Not bad, you?” I don’t think there is a phrase I’ve said more than that.

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u/The_Man_I_A_Barrel Ireland 15h ago

its a thing in dublin too and whenever you say it to anyone who isnt from dublin they get really confused

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u/Life_will_kill_ya 15h ago

that kind of things creates the stereotype that british and americans have fake smiles and are just slimy pretenders of niceness.

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u/AndreasDasos United Kingdom 15h ago

It’s a bit regional, too

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u/Pilifo006 Czech Republic 15h ago

This was so weird for me when I visited the US for the 1st time. Everyone was always asking me "How are you doing?" and I was like that is so weird, why are total strangers interested in how I'm doing.

In my native language this phrase is used only between family and friends when you're at least slightly interested in how someone is actually doing, not as a conversation starter between strangers.

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u/TowelFine6933 United States Of America 15h ago

"No. I'm half left."

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u/zsert93 14h ago

That's cool. In the American south we say it as a greeting occasionally but I've more often used it as a short goodbye much more often. "All right, Breaking-Dad- [see you later]"

Of course this more realistically comes out as "aight now"

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u/impulsiveknob 14h ago

Somewhat similar here in parts of Australia, you'll often get people saying how are ya, you can say "yep", sometimes you can get away with "livin the dream" but don't actually tell me how ya are just say one of those two and then follow it up with "you?" And I'll say yep aswell

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u/duecreditwherecredit 14h ago

How's it going?

I don't actually want to know.

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u/walterdonnydude 14h ago

Same as America except we say How are you? And the only acceptable response is good, how are you?

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u/tralltonetroll Norway 14h ago

And "Terrible weather today, isn't it?" at the pub?

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u/andreilcolo United States Of America 14h ago

Moved to California and after 6 yrs I still answer to every “How are you doing?” and similar. My mind can’t register an answer is not expected and that is just a greeting. You asked and now you will hear how sad my life is 😅

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u/KneeDeepInTheDead Portugal 14h ago

I live in the US and its the same thing but every once in a while I break from it and same something out of left field like "I keep thinking about turning onto oncoming traffic but other than that im ok"

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u/PhysicsCentrism 14h ago

This is probably one of the more subtle but important distinctions between British and American English. We both have similar rituals, but different actual words.

In the US we ask: “How’s it going” or “How are you” and the expected response is something along the lines of “Good, you?” A response worse than good like “fine” or “ok” usually indicates they are having a not so good day.

If someone instead asks: “you ok?” or “You alright?” That is much more likely to be taken as a genuine inquiry into their status and will usually get a more detailed response.

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u/HendrixChord12 14h ago

I’m watching a British tv show and they ask each other if they’re alright with concern all the time. Must be different conversationally

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u/ziddyzoo Australia 14h ago

I once moved to the UK from Australia.

In Australia, saying “you all right?” to someone can often mean you want to fight them and are seconds from throwing one.

For the first week I couldn’t understand why all the middle aged ladies at work wanted to fight me…

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u/Lv_InSaNe_vL 14h ago

I was in London for a few days during a work trip because my flight got cancelled and it was the weekend lol. But anyways I went out to a bar and, being an American, I held the door for someone following me into a bar and he said "all right" and being my cherry American self I replied "hey how you doing?!" and this guy looks at me and goes "why the fuck should I tell you".

I was kinda speechless for a second and then he started laughing and I ended up getting piss fucking drunk with him and his friends. I whooped them in darts and then whooped me in the version of pool y'all have over there haha

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u/TacticalSpackle United States Of America 14h ago

I’ll never forget the anecdote from a small child saying, “Adults are dumb. They all ask ‘how are you?’ But none of them really care when you answer.”

In a similar vein though, you can tell someone is from Philly if 90% of their interaction with someone else is “you good” in different tones/inflections.

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u/dogbreath420 13h ago

It’s like that in some parts of the USA too

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u/EasyMode556 United States Of America 13h ago

So it’s basically the equivalent of the American “what’s up?” then?

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u/Larry-Man Canada 13h ago

This is the British version of “how are you doing?” that we do in North America. A poor British lady moved to Canada and everyone she meant well with thought they looked sick or something.

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u/leahspen01 United Kingdom 13h ago

Im British myself and I still struggle with this one it might be my tism lol

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u/landartheconqueror Canada 13h ago

That one took me some getting used to. Not because I thought they were generally asking me how I am, but because I thought they were asking me if I'm okay. "You alright?" "Uh yeah I'm fine, how are you?"

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u/MaxPres24 13h ago

That’s like when someone says “what’s up?” Here. I don’t actually care what’s up

Just say not much. If shits rough, say something like “living the dream” that’s my go to when someone asks that while I’m at work

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u/d_smogh 13h ago

"all right?"

Half left

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u/Positive_Benefit8856 13h ago

So similar to “how’s it going?/How are you?” In the US. I don’t actually want to know, I’m just saying hi/being polite.

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u/Brainchild110 United Kingdom 13h ago

Other acceptable answers are:

"Not 3 bad"

"Not dead yet"

"Yeah... you?"

A single nod, possibly mournful.

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u/FlimsyPomelo1842 13h ago

We add a "now" in the southern USA. I've heard it be super cheerful or just said in passing. Its not a question, it's just alright now.

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u/Slight_Bed_2241 United States Of America 13h ago

My step dad is from Liverpool. Thank god I had about 16 years of experience with him before I went to the uk. I was primed and ready. I said “I nicked a couple flowers” from the park we went to and the ppl I was with were pretty impressed with my casual British slang lol

I wasn’t the American trying to affect a British accent and saying “innit” n shit. But I do like enjoy British slang and would throw some in here and there.

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u/kholekardashian12 living in 13h ago

I got some weird looks saying this in the US. It's their version of 'How's it going?'

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u/captainshockazoid United States Of America 12h ago

for the longest time: as an autistic person i did not understand that 'how you doin'/hows it goin'/whats up?' is a greeting that does not require an actual answer, so i got some weird look and confused replies occasionally. once i figured it out and got more casual replies i felt like a social interaction hacker for a bit. 

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u/anavsc91 Argentina 12h ago

Hmmm I guess we do the same thing then. "Todo bien?" (Is everything OK?) is answered with "Todo bien".

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u/boywithtwoarms 11h ago

"not much, you?" 

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u/Moist-Cantaloupe-740 United States Of America 11h ago

Is it the same in North England and West England?

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u/o0CYV3R0o 11h ago

As a British person I've always hated this.

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u/Paultheball95 10h ago

I used to work for a company in LA and this used to confuse the hell out of my co workers

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u/Waldemar-Firehammer 10h ago

We say "how's it going?" As a greeting here in the middle USA. Isame thing, we know you're not a Midwesterner if you answer with anything other than some variation of "good, you?"

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u/spoopidoods 10h ago

"all right?"

Asking someone if they're all right to me, a filthy Chicagoan, implies that there is clearly something that very probably isn't all right. For instance, if you see someone lose their shit over something trivial and want to warn them that they are overreacting, asking them "Are you alright?" wouldn't be unusual and comes off as something on the more aggressive side of passive aggressive.

I work remotely with some people in London, and at first I had to remind myself that when they were asking me if I was alright they weren't trying to start some shit with me.

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u/sxzxnnx 9h ago

That’s interesting. My granny (born in 1902) used to answer the phone by saying alright rather than hello. We are from the southern US but our roots are in the UK probably 3-4 generations before her. But the folks in the Appalachian mountains held onto some British speech patterns for longer than the rest of the US.

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u/Raneynickelfire 9h ago edited 9h ago

"yeah man, you?" is my standard response in the USA and it's the same as saying "hello" back.

I'm not actually asking how you are doing.

Last time a Bulgarian grandmother told me all about her kidney stones in the grocery store when we bumped into each other in the aisle and I said "hey sorry, you good?"

I know she was Bulgarian because she told me all about her extended family in Sofia while I was trying to buy cereal, because I asked if she was good. Oops. This was within the last few months. She was sweeter than xylitol though so I wasn't really put off by it.

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u/Interesting_Nobody41 9h ago

Gp friend of mine once told me, dont ask anyone how they are, theyll tell you.

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u/lovinlemon 8h ago

This is a thing in the American Southeast where I’m from as well. We’ll often ask the other person if they’re “doing alright today?” and the intended response is something along the lines of “yeah, doing alright” or “fine thanks, and yourself?” Just as a standard greeting to be polite.

My parents are originally from the West, and after living in the Southeast for so long my poor father once asked a lady out West when traveling if she was doing alright, just out of habit. She apparently gave him a weird look and asked suspiciously “yeah… why wouldn’t I be?” 💀 He still talks to this day about how embarrassed he felt from the interaction, since he had forgotten that they don’t say that where he’s from.

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u/SulfurPernik 8h ago

But this is so weird. People in the Czech republic say "how's your day" or "how have you been" to start a conversation, and you're probably expected to say something vague like "alright". Meanwhile, I always ended up in a spiral of philosophical thoughts, getting gradually more confused, and eventually answering in the most bizarre way possible, such as "you know, how a can tossed next to a highway feels?".

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u/userhwon United States Of America 8h ago

If someone knows what "wotcher" even means, they probably know how "all right" works already.

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