Originally Posted by
AlecM
Hmm... I'll admit I've used that more out of common usage than out of really thinking of its implications when refusing a request. The points brought up are interesting - I will probably avoid its usage in the future under those circumstances.
My favorite usage peeve, however, is "no problem" instead of "you're welcome". In my mind it both:
- Unnecessarily implies that the favor granted could have been an imposition (a "problem) . If it really was, there are other ways to express it "("well, it was a challenge, but ...)- if it wasn't, why even bring up the possibility?
- Diminishes the actual favor done, to the disadvantage of the one who did it - instead of "it was a pleasure to have been able to help" it says "it wasn't a problem for me to do it." - to me, the latter seems somewhat less "points-worthy" than the former.
Just thoughts. YMMV.
Alec in PVD
Good thought, Alec. I admit being guilty of that in informal settings but none of my friends was ever tough enough to correct me.
In French, German, Italian and Spanish this same problem might present itself, too. Interestingly, the French, Spanish and Italians respond to a "thank you" with a "for nothing!" De rien, de nada or di niente, which also diminishes the original request but the favor granted as well. The German language has several correct answers. There is a simple "Bitte schoen" that is rarely used and a bit old-fashioned. There is a "Gern geschehen" which is the standard and means "I gladly helped you". And, particularly, in the north, there is the more familiar"Dafuer nicht." That is the equivalent of "No need to thank me for that". Kind of like "de nada" or "don't mention it" but I think it is the most diminishing answer and I always found it a strange way to reply when living in Hamburg.