Etiquette

Ok - here is one of my own personal pet peves - -

Person A - "Hello!  How are you today?"

Person B - "I'm good!"


ARGH!!!!  No - you are not "good"!!!  You are well, or you are fine, or even just ok.  But you are not "good"!!!! 

Ok - climbing off soapbox now.   

~Liza

I've found 'cheers' is akin to 'prego' in Italian.  Meaning, it can be used for 'heya,' 'thanks,' 'hi,' 'cool,' 'right,' or any such terms.  Very interchangeable.
Sadly, I've also come to realise that 'Are you alright?' or 'You alright?' means the same thing as 'Hey how's it goin'?' in the U.S., or at least where I come from:  it really just means 'hi,' they don't really want to know how you're doing  .  Found out the hard way when I noticed a pattern of eyes glazing over when I'd actually start to answer the question, same as when my ex landed in LA and started giving specifics when people said to him 'Hey, how's it going?'
Oh well.

Kyper is right, "cheers" is " thanks", "see ya", "okay" etc.

 "alright" = your "What's Up" or Whasssupppp (HATE "alright?" even though I say it!)

I don't think British people normally say "you're welcome".

I'm not normal .......spent a few years in the States and think it's appropriate & polite to acknowledge someone thanking you for something without any "thank you ", "no, thank YOU" !

I'm not normal .......spent a few years in the States and think it's appropriate & polite to acknowledge someone thanking you for something without any "thank you ", "no, thank YOU" !

It's appropriate and polite to say "You're welcome" in the States.  "You're welcome" isn't a part of British culture, so saying it isn't necessary.  You can't accuse a British person of being impolite because he doesn't say "You're welcome."

I do say "You're welcome" sometimes out of habit, but when I remember, I try not to say it.  I don't think it bothers anybody, but it does brand me as a foreigner.  I usually  respond to someone saying "thank you" or "cheers" with "thank you." The conversation doesn't endlessly repeat itself:

"Here's your change."
"Thank you."
"Thank you."
"Bye."

It's appropriate and polite to say "You're welcome" in the States. "You're welcome" isn't a part of British culture, so saying it isn't necessary.

NewDawn is in fact British.  So I guess she feels it's necessary.   

No; in fact, I've been told it's a tell-tale indication that one is an American.

There are alot of tell tale signs that we're Americans.     If you want to say 'you're welcome' or 'bless you' then go ahead.  You're certainly not going to fool anyone by not saying them.   

Prego in Italian  stands in as  "you're welcome"...

and how do you all feel about  people NOT asking you.. how you are?  even after you have asked..

Cheers at the  end of a conversation or transaction sounds  silly  to me.. as if  we  are ready for a  New Year's Toast..CHEERS!!     but I'll take that over noting any day..  

what i notice is awkward for the English and other parts of Europe is that when we Don't want something we still say  thank you.. which sometimes  sounds to them  that  we want it...

Prego in Italian  stands in as  "you're welcome"...

 
Right, I meant to say that as opposed to 'thank you'

It's appropriate and polite to say "You're welcome" in the States.  "You're welcome" isn't a part of British culture, so saying it isn't necessary.  You can't accuse a British person of being impolite because he doesn't say "You're welcome."

I do say "You're welcome" sometimes out of habit, but when I remember, I try not to say it.  I don't think it bothers anybody, but it does brand me as a foreigner.  I usually  respond to someone saying "thank you" or "cheers" with "thank you." The conversation doesn't endlessly repeat itself:

"Here's your change."
"Thank you."
"Thank you."
"Bye."

Actually, thank you for telling a Brit what is and what isn't necessary in her own country, but really, to me it is necessary to acknowledge a thank you with a very sincere, "you're welcome". Who says it is not part of British Culture, if I say it, regularly, in Britain to British people, it's part of British culture.

This would be akin to me being in America and telling YOU what is appropriate! Maybe you didn't mean it that way, but this is how it came across. I will give you the benefit of the doubt that you do not come across this way in person

Also, you ARE an American, what is wrong with saying "you're welcome" over here? What's wrong with marking yourself as a "foreigner" - you are! and there is nothing wrong with it!

I know that there are many tell-tale signs that we're American. I didn't say that there was anything wrong with saying "you're welcome",  just that it sounds American.

New-Dawn, if you, speaking as a Brit, like "you're welcome", and you think it would be nice for other Brits to say "you're welcome" that's fine. I just don't think you should criticize other British people for not saying it when, according to the culture they are exposed to, they aren't expected to say it.


Are children in Britain taught to say "you're welcome" when they learn manners from their parents or teachers?  If they are, then if they don't say it as adults, they're being lazy. But if they're not taught to say it, how can they, as adults, be criticized for not saying it?

I don't think British people normally say "you're welcome".

My husband says 'you're welcome' and he is most certainly teaching our son to say it as well.

Every Brit I've ever met says "You're welcome."  Granted it isn't a huge amount, just assorted family and friends, but they all say it.

 Hmmm, my fiancee and all of his family say " You're Welcome", but then again he is from NI.   When visiting him in Ipswich his friends say a varitey of things, Cheers, Ta and You're Welcome.    I think it just depends on where/how you were raised.

New-Dawn, if you, speaking as a Brit, like "you're welcome", and you think it would be nice for other Brits to say "you're welcome" that's fine. I just don't think you should criticize other British people for not saying it when, according to the culture they are exposed to, they aren't expected to say it.

Sorry - where have I criticized British people for NOT saying it?

I have said it is not "normal " over here (but also not unusual) and I have indicated that I believe it is only appropriate and polite to acknowledge someone who has thanked one for something, but beyond that I cannot see any criticism I have made.

Please provide the quote/link.

Thank you.

New-Dawn
Your avatar is making me crave a Dairy Milk!