Not "you're Welcome" But "no Problem." What's

[Sarah147]

Hello,

So, what's up with saying "no problem"? Why can't they say "you're welcome"?


God bless you.

[Seven77]

"you're welcome" to what?

[sixpence]

what is wrong with "no problem" ... or "oh, it's nothing" or "de nada" (its nothing) or "con mucho gusto" (with much pleasure) or whatever?

I really don't think it matters what you say as long as it is sincere... I've heard many people say "you're welcome" in a very unfriendly tone...

[Sarah147]

Interesting point.

It just seems unkind to say "no problem."

You say "thank you" for something, and they just say "no problem." It leaves something to be desired...

[Vincent Vega]

I don't know. Why don't you ask them?

[Sarah147]

Maybe they don't think you are welcome? It makes me wonder.

[Seven77]

i have problems with the thankee saying "no need to say thank you."

Edited August 11, 2011 by Seven77

[Maximilianus]

Just take it mean that you caused them no inconvenience and they are happy to help out. It's better than getting a sarcastic reply

[Sarah147]

True.

What about when someone apologizes and you say "it's alright." Ellen had a funny joke where she said, "do you really mean it? If someone walks into your bathroom stall and apologizes and you say it's alright, is it really? Can they come back in?"


I feel uncomfortable saying "you're forgiven." I don't hear it much.

Edited August 11, 2011 by JoyfulLife

[Lil Red]

a sense of false modesty or humility?

[Vincent Vega]

What exactly does the phrase mean? That's an interesting question. I guess one could interpret it as a truncated version of "you're welcome [to use this service again/to ask me for more favors in the future/etc]", but as a stand alone, it really is fairly nonsensical in this context. The phrase itself as a polite response to "thank you" only dates back to 1907. ([url="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=welcome"]http://www.etymonlin...hp?term=welcome[/url])
Let's look at some of our cultural relatives' responses to "thank you":
Spanish/Portuguese: De nada (lit: of nothing, "it's nothing, don't mention it")
French: De rien (ditto)
Dutch: Graag gedaan (lit: Done with pleasure, "my pleasure, happy to do it" - with a bit of extrapolation, it was no trouble/no problem)

To me, "no problem/my pleasure/etc" makes more sense.

Edited August 11, 2011 by USAirwaysIHS

[tinytherese]

[quote name='Seven77' timestamp='1313101842' post='2286164']
i have problems with the thankee saying "no need to say thank you."
[/quote]

I have a problem with people responding to an apology with, "There was nothing to forgive." I don't mean people saying that they weren't offended by something that a person does, but as a response to a sincere apology to something that truly did wrong that person.


I remember coming up with a silly idea of making and sending you're welcome cards.

[Adrestia]

The meaning can't be interpreted on an Internet forum. People that have had different experiences will use different expressions to say the same thing. One local friend always says "no worries" instead of "you're welcome." It's just as genuine.

When I was in college, one of my coworkers took offense to a student saying, "My bad," when she stopped him from entering the dorm without his ID showing. I had to explain to her that "my bad" was his way of expressing his personal responsibility for forgetting to have his ID out. She thought he was being snarky.

[MissScripture]

[quote name='USAirwaysIHS' timestamp='1313102186' post='2286171']
What exactly does the phrase mean? That's an interesting question. I guess one could interpret it as a truncated version of "you're welcome [to use this service again/to ask me for more favors in the future/etc]", but as a stand alone, it really is fairly nonsensical in this context. The phrase itself as a polite response to "thank you" only dates back to 1907. ([url="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=welcome"]http://www.etymonlin...hp?term=welcome[/url])
Let's look at some of our cultural relatives' responses to "thank you":
Spanish/Portuguese: De nada (lit: of nothing, "it's nothing, don't mention it")
French: De rien (ditto)
Dutch: Graag gedaan (lit: Done with pleasure, "my pleasure, happy to do it" - with a bit of extrapolation, it was no trouble/no problem)

To me, "no problem/my pleasure/etc" makes more sense.
[/quote]
I was kind of thinking the same thing. "No problem" actually seems to make more sense.
And in German, I think the response to "thank you" is the same as "Please," if I remember correctly, but I could be totally wrong, since that was from high school.

I do think "It's alright" is a dumb response to "I'm sorry," unless it's something that actually IS alright. Like, if someone apologizes for something that really WASN'T a problem, saying "It's alright" makes sense. But when you punch someone in the face, and say, "I'm sorry," their saying, "It's alright" would imply that there isn't a problem with me punching them again.

[Lil Red]

[quote name='Adrestia' timestamp='1313102640' post='2286176']
The meaning can't be interpreted on an Internet forum. People that have had different experiences will use different expressions to say the same thing. One local friend always says "no worries" instead of "you're welcome." It's just as genuine.

When I was in college, one of my coworkers took offense to a student saying, "My bad," when she stopped him from entering the dorm without his ID showing. I had to explain to her that "my bad" was his way of expressing his personal responsibility for forgetting to have his ID out. She thought he was being snarky.
[/quote]
fyi, nice signature.