Why do Americans say "You're welcome" in response to "Thank you" whereas Brits don't

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is it because we Brits are ruder?

― MarkH (MarkH), Saturday, 1 February 2003 13:30 (twenty-two years ago)

and what do Canadians do?

― MarkH (MarkH), Saturday, 1 February 2003 13:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I find myself saying "no probs dude" in response to "thank you" quite often.

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 1 February 2003 13:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Brits are less fawning and kowtowing. Oh, and ruder.

― Ed (dali), Saturday, 1 February 2003 13:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I can imagine that "you're welcome" may have been invented to give English the equivalent of saying "bitte" in response to "danke" in german.

― MarkH (MarkH), Saturday, 1 February 2003 13:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Ed, that really depends - I think you'll find the whole forelock-grabbing trend started on the Sceptred Isle.

― suzy (suzy), Saturday, 1 February 2003 13:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I do say 'no problem' or smile sweetly quite a lot.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 1 February 2003 13:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I say "no wukkas" for some reason. IT'S GOT TO STOP.

― Mark C (Mark C), Saturday, 1 February 2003 14:09 (twenty-two years ago)

That's even worse that Mark's 'ta muchly'!!

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 1 February 2003 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

that = than

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 1 February 2003 14:12 (twenty-two years ago)

wukkas? Doesn't score highly on the lucid-o-meter.

― MarkH (MarkH), Saturday, 1 February 2003 14:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I hate saying "You're welcome," though I do it fairly often (when thanked). A lot of the time I just say, "okay" or make some sort of grunt.

― Rockist Scientist, Saturday, 1 February 2003 15:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I say 'that's alright', when someone says thank you.

― Cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 1 February 2003 15:09 (twenty-two years ago)

An Australian will be able to set me straight, I'm sure, but I hear it's short for "no wukking furries".

― Mark C (Mark C), Saturday, 1 February 2003 15:20 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't say "you're welcome". I do seem to say "Thanks" when other people are saying "Thanks". Often, it's appropriate, but not always.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Saturday, 1 February 2003 15:28 (twenty-two years ago)

oh, i like "no wukking furries". that sounds like a cool response.

i do say "you're welcome" sometimes. or just "sure", or "of course, no problem" or something like that.

― JuliaA (j_bdules), Saturday, 1 February 2003 16:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I got in trouble for saying "no problem" in response to "thank you" at work, apparently it's really rude. But why? I don't think it sounds horrible. So now I have to try and catch myself and say "you're welcome".

― Nicole (Nicole), Saturday, 1 February 2003 17:23 (twenty-two years ago)

"I say "you're welcome" or "listen don't worry about it, no no no, no no no no, DON'T WORRY AB-HEY! HEY! NO NO NO PUT YOUR MONEY AWAY, I WON'T, IF YOU, NO NO NO IT'S OK, IT'S OK, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, HEY HEY NO WAY THIS IS, YEAH NO NO NO NO NO FORGET ABOUT IT IT'S OK".

― Ronan (Ronan), Saturday, 1 February 2003 17:26 (twenty-two years ago)

speaking of which does anyone else remember their parents doing this little war with uncles when you and gang of kid cousins wanted ice cream or something.

― Ronan (Ronan), Saturday, 1 February 2003 17:26 (twenty-two years ago)

I often say 'No worries' as I picked it up when I lived in Australia for a couple of years. I am an idiot.

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 1 February 2003 17:28 (twenty-two years ago)

re: responding to thanks with thanks - i heard someone complaining that this can be seen as somewhat ungracious. as if you are not accepting the thank you. i can sort of see the point, but in many cases, it just makes sense - like after business transactions, which in theory benefit both parties.

― ron (ron), Saturday, 1 February 2003 17:42 (twenty-two years ago)

well, when the person thanking you is your superior, your thanks might be interpreted as leveling the relationship

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Saturday, 1 February 2003 17:45 (twenty-two years ago)

i think "no problem" is seen as rude b/c it implies that the person wouldn't merit something that presented any problems.

― That Girl (thatgirl), Saturday, 1 February 2003 18:46 (twenty-two years ago)

i say 'no worries' so they think i'm austrarlian

― stevem (blueski), Saturday, 1 February 2003 18:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe Sam is right but that's just silly. You're saying 'no problem' is implying that the other person might worry if you had to go to too much trouble, and you're trying to put their mind at rest. You're basically absolving them of guilt.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 1 February 2003 18:52 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, "no problem" means it wasn't a problem, I like helping you. It's quite a modest response, really.

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 1 February 2003 18:54 (twenty-two years ago)

You're = You

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 1 February 2003 18:58 (twenty-two years ago)

The first one, I mean.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 1 February 2003 18:58 (twenty-two years ago)

but, I guess the flipside is that some might see it as dismissive. However, I don't think Nicole should have gotten grief for using the term at work.

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 1 February 2003 18:58 (twenty-two years ago)

yikes, i say "thank you" back to my boss all the time! but i'm not trying to level the relationship.

i think "no problem" is a good response.

― sand.y, Saturday, 1 February 2003 19:01 (twenty-two years ago)

If someone views 'No problem' as being dismissive - they have serious issues.

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 1 February 2003 19:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Level the relationship with more 'thank you's! Bring down the capitalist pig hierarchy!

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 1 February 2003 19:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm just gonna start saying "safe" you can't go wrong with safe.

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 1 February 2003 19:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I tend to say thanks back, I don't quite no why. Before I went to Italy I would have said nothing but after a year of saying prego after grazie I feel as if I must say something. I don't like 'your welcome' though. I some times say no worries but that seems to be a bit australian.

― Ed (dali), Saturday, 1 February 2003 19:06 (twenty-two years ago)

That's why 'no problem' is ideal.

Or 'my pleasure' if you want to be cloying and posh.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 1 February 2003 19:09 (twenty-two years ago)

'Prego' is great though.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 1 February 2003 19:09 (twenty-two years ago)

If in doubt: 'prego'.

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 1 February 2003 19:12 (twenty-two years ago)

'Any time' is ideal if you are at work, in earshot of your boss and it's review time.

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 1 February 2003 19:14 (twenty-two years ago)

"no problem" can be like the somewhat smug "no sweat", depending on how it's said, sort of like "you're welcome" with an extra dollop of self-big-upping (tip to avoid this interp: look into the other person's EYES for christ's sake). Nick with your sweet smile I'm sure you don't run into this problem (though the fact that you detect worry in someone's "thank you" is - strange?)

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 1 February 2003 19:15 (twenty-two years ago)

even more smug is "no, thank you," for the reasons Tracer, ron and gabbneb stated. Compared to that, saying nothing is comparatively gracious.

― felicity (felicity), Saturday, 1 February 2003 19:37 (twenty-two years ago)

I often find myself saying "thanks" to someone who's just bummed a cigarette off me.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 1 February 2003 19:40 (twenty-two years ago)

And then they look at me like I'm crazy, which I am I guess. Maybe I'm saying "thanks for asking for a cigarette instead of beating six types of shit out of me on this lonely street."

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 1 February 2003 19:48 (twenty-two years ago)

How about thumbs up and toothy grin?

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 1 February 2003 19:50 (twenty-two years ago)

That sounds too Paul McCartney.

― Nicole (Nicole), Saturday, 1 February 2003 19:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't quite know what the prego signifies. Literally it means I pray. It makes sense when you are offering someone a way through or a seat. But as a response to grazie, i don't really know. It was a great day the day I started saying prego automatically rather than having to think about it first.

― Ed (dali), Saturday, 1 February 2003 19:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Hmm.. withouut thinking about it, I just found out what I say quite often cause someone just thanked me. I said 'OK'. That's a little weak.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 1 February 2003 20:12 (twenty-two years ago)

oh, I've come up with a new one (this'll probably become law):

I am grateful for your gratitude.

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 1 February 2003 20:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Tracer, I do that too -- but I do it when they've given me my lighter back, so I suppose it's "thanks for not stealing my lighter while you were at it." I thank everyone for everything.

― nabisco (nabisco), Saturday, 1 February 2003 21:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I wondered why there was always a strange pause after I said 'thank you' to Gareth!

― Mary (Mary), Saturday, 1 February 2003 21:56 (twenty-two years ago)

so nobody says `no biggie`? im disapointed

― Chupa-Cabras (vicc13), Saturday, 1 February 2003 23:11 (twenty-two years ago)

but:

"And do you know, just changing the subject for a moment or two, that when you say "thank you" to americans they reply with not "you're welcome" but "uh-huh!" (exclamation included). And it makes me extremely uncomfortable like everyone's suddenly going to come bursting out of the cupboards and sing some swinging sisters hit or something."

― rainy (rainy), Saturday, 1 February 2003 23:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I have never said "uh-huh!" to thank you, but I will work into my repertoire. In Japan, do itashimashite means you're welcome, but it's much more common to just shake your head emphatically while saying, ie ie ie -- no, no, no -- ie, it was really nothing.

― Mary (Mary), Sunday, 2 February 2003 00:10 (twenty-two years ago)

and now i'm going to have the smiths in my head...

― JuliaA (j_bdules), Sunday, 2 February 2003 01:00 (twenty-two years ago)

You're welcome

― Mary (nickdastoor), Sunday, 2 February 2003 01:02 (twenty-two years ago)

be careful Tracer, your out of line thank you might bring someone to beating six types of shit out of you.

― That Girl (thatgirl), Sunday, 2 February 2003 01:13 (twenty-two years ago)

I just hit peole if they say thank you to me. My enthusiasm at beating them = directly proportional to how loud they thank me and with how much fervour.

― Guerillas On The Piss, Sunday, 2 February 2003 01:19 (twenty-two years ago)

I say "No Problem" when someone says thank you. In my head I'm saying. "You are cool, I quite like doing favours for you" I also tend to not help people I don't like. If anyone thinks the phrase is insulting to them, then that's their problem not mine.

― fractal (fractal), Sunday, 2 February 2003 01:31 (twenty-two years ago)

My English friends in NY tend to say "that's all right" in response to "thank you."

I have never considered this as anything but polite reciprocation before reading this thread but now literal reptile brain (and Amerasian don't-"lose-face"-brain) is making it sound like they are comforting me for my embarrasing situation of being obligated.

― felicity (felicity), Sunday, 2 February 2003 07:13 (twenty-two years ago)

that's okay = top brit response

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 2 February 2003 10:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Brits, by nature, are shit.

― Wise Monkey, Monday, 3 February 2003 02:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I always get told off for saying "no wukkas" (which is indeed an abbreviation of "no wucking furries"). i say "no worries" and "no probs" completely out of habit these days

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Monday, 3 February 2003 02:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I say "No Problem" when someone says thank you. In my head I'm saying. "You are cool, I quite like doing favours for you"

I know "no problem" is a perfectly legit comeback, but most times I interpret it as "eh, it was no skin off my ass."

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 3 February 2003 03:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Jody reads suggestions of skinless asses into everything! Whatta weirdo!

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 3 February 2003 03:17 (twenty-two years ago)

You skinless ass.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 3 February 2003 03:19 (twenty-two years ago)

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