NationStates Jolt Archive

... "are you alright?" and don't actually give a toss about the answer?

I don't think I've ever been asked that by someone who doesn't care...is that weird?

"Alright?" is a standard getting here. Even if you walk past something in the street a brief "alright?" is all you need. All you ever expect back is the same thing. If you want to take the conversation further, go ahead, but there's no need or obligation to answer the orignal question...it's just a greeting.

Might work differently elsewhere, I don't know.

I'm more annoyed by "How are you?". I've been speaking English for years and years now, and I still can't get over it. I always answer using some sort of adjective describing how I feel, and probably half the time people immediately think I'm a weirdo, because "How are you?" obviously means "Hello." and not "I am enquiring as to how you are feeling right now, because I would like to know."

... "are you alright?" and don't actually give a toss about the answer?

Not at all, seeing as "hur mår du?" ("How are you feeling?") is a very common Swedish conversation starting phrase. Sort of like "How do you do?"

The thing is, you are supposed to answer "Jag mår bra" ("I'm feeling fine") or "så där" ("so so") even if you feel like crap. If a Swede says something like "inte så bra" ("not so good"), you better start paying attention...

Saying "Alright?" is like saying hello around me, although technically it sounds more like 'reet?'

God loves Northerners, mainly because no fucker else will.

"Alright?" is a standard getting here. Even if you walk past something in the street a brief "alright?" is all you need. All you ever expect back is the same thing. If you want to take the conversation further, go ahead, but there's no need or obligation to answer the orignal question...it's just a greeting.

Might work differently elsewhere, I don't know.

Looks like you're talking about England. Yep, "alright" is used as a weird greeting, in the same way "hey" is used as a weird greeting in the US. But I was referring specifically to the question "ARE YOU alright?"

Incidentally, as far as I'm aware, "how are you?" means exactly that, and I usually answer it with "good", "crap", or something else, but not a repeat of the question.

I'm more annoyed by "How are you?". I've been speaking English for years and years now, and I still can't get over it. I always answer using some sort of adjective describing how I feel, and probably half the time people immediately think I'm a weirdo, because "How are you?" obviously means "Hello." and not "I am enquiring as to how you are feeling right now, because I would like to know."

If someone says to me "hows it going?" just as a greeting I nearly always answer properly anyway, without thinking, and then ask the other person how they are. Most people brush past the question and get to their point, not having expected the question to actually be answered....

And I'm a 20 year old native English speaker...maybe I'm too nice or something, or too bothered about actualy conversation instead of the usual rushing to the point, getting it discussed quickly, and ending the conversation.

If someone says to me "hows it going?" just as a greeting I nearly always answer properly anyway, without thinking, and then ask the other person how they are. Most people brush past the question and get to their point, not having expected the question to actually be answered....

And I'm a 20 year old native English speaker...maybe I'm too nice or something, or too bothered about actualy conversation instead of the usual rushing to the point, getting it discussed quickly, and ending the conversation.

I love conversation. Give us yer moby number :D

I don't think I've ever been asked that by someone who doesn't care...is that weird?

Me either. In fact every time Ive been asked "Are you alright?" there has been good reason for the person asking to wonder.

I'm more annoyed by "How are you?". I've been speaking English for years and years now, and I still can't get over it. I always answer using some sort of adjective describing how I feel, and probably half the time people immediately think I'm a weirdo, because "How are you?" obviously means "Hello." and not "I am enquiring as to how you are feeling right now, because I would like to know."
Yeah. I can deal with "Hi, how are you?" from a salesperson or something in the US and answer with the obligatory "Fine, thanks." We have that in German, too - as long as it's just used as a casual expression and not concernedly asked by a friend, nobody wants to hear how you really feel.

What I do have a problem with (and that seems to be what you're talking about) is the use of "How are you?" as a stand-alone greeting. I remember sitting on the campus of my US university the day after break and left and right people were crossing paths and, nodding, saying "How are you?" to each other, which was without fail answered with "How are you?". That was it. That was the complete extent of the conversation. Not only did they not expect an answer, they didn't even stop to chat. It was just an acknowledgment that they'd recognized the other person as someone they knew. WTF?

To me, that's really weird. And even though I know it's just a friendly greeting and just "what you say", it still doesn't feel right that the inquiry into another person's well-being has become that devoid of actual meaning.

Looks like you're talking about England.

*Looks at location*


*Looks out window*


Nope, not England :p

*Looks at location*


*Looks out window*


Nope, not England :p

*Reads writing under your name*

*Slaps head*

*Discovers something new about Ireland*

We generally go "hiyas!", wave, and then "oo shiny..." as we scurry off after something nobody else has noticed(or something that doesn't exist...)

kind of eliminates the problem,hehe

... "are you alright?" and don't actually give a toss about the answer?
No, but it annoys the living shit out of me when people ask, "Are you alright?" when you very conspicuously are not alright.

Example: I am at work, and I need to move a very heavy tank two rooms down the hall. As I am doing so, the tank slips in my grasp and the nozzle at the top cuts into my arm.

I am bleeding. I am cursing. I am gripping my arm very tightly, and blood is oozing out between my fingers, and I am cursing more.

Enter Man With Tie, stage left.

Man With Tie: "Hey, are you alright?"

Bottle: "Please drop dead. I could then loot your corpse and use that tie as a tourniquet."

Annoys the fuck out of me.

No, but it annoys the living shit out of me when people ask, "Are you alright?" when you very conspicuously are not alright.

Example: I am at work, and I need to move a very heavy tank two rooms down the hall. As I am doing so, the tank slips in my grasp and the nozzle at the top cuts into my arm.

I am bleeding. I am cursing. I am gripping my arm very tightly, and blood is oozing out between my fingers, and I am cursing more.

Enter Man With Tie, stage left.

Man With Tie: "Hey, are you alright?"

Bottle: "Please drop dead. I could then loot your corpse and use that tie as a tourniquet."


Agreed.

I'm riding my bike on a mountainy path and have slipped. My bike is bent every which way; the front tire is missing. I am rolling around in a pool of my own blood, and my arm is broken backwards.

*Enter, monkey*
"Durrr....are you alright?"

Grumble...

LoL, I waitress, and i always great diners with "Hi! How are you tonight" usually I get "Good" or "fine." Sometimes, though, they ask, "and you." And I'm always relatively honest, which surprises and amuses a lot of people. For instance, I might say "I'm really tired, but I'm okay, thanks." or "i'm really great, actually!" I think it is a matter of basic decency to ask someone how they are and care about the answer. I HATE when people say "fine." WTF is fine?! You are thin?? Say good, or bad, or tired, or happy, there are plenty of one-word answers that do your emotions at least SOME justice. I wouldn't've asked if I didn't care. So please give me a real answer. [/rant]

I hate it when one has imbibed a large amount of alcohol within a short space of time and, as a result, is in the process of expelling said alcohol violently through the osphagus. Along with the entire contents of one's stomach, including the stomach lining.
Then, whilst one is lying face-down in a big steaming pile of detritus, sobbing uncotrollably with tears pouring down ones face and absolutely petrified that one is about to lose control on ones bowels, one hears those fateful, irritating words:
"Are you alright?"

Well of course. This is how I show great pleasure at things.

I hate it when one has imbibed a large amount of alcohol within a short space of time and, as a result, is in the process of expelling said alcohol violently through the osphagus. Along with the entire contents of one's stomach, including the stomach lining.
Then, whilst one is lying face-down in a big steaming pile of detritus, sobbing uncotrollably with tears pouring down ones face and absolutely petrified that one is about to lose control on ones bowels, one hears those fateful, irritating words:
"Are you alright?"

Well of course. This is how I show great pleasure at things.

You're more likely to hear me say, "you had better not puke in my house..."

You're more likely to hear me say, "you had better not puke in my house..."

party pooper.

party pooper.
It's why I have a deck out back. So people can puke into the backyard.

If you think you're going to crap yourself, walk further out into the yard. A whole half acre to crap in.

Don't funk up my house, man.

the other line you're likely to hear from me when you're about to puke up the night's entertainment

"So glad to know you can handle your high."

It's why I have a deck out back. So people can puke into the backyard.

If you think you're going to crap yourself, walk further out into the yard. A whole half acre to crap in.

Don't funk up my house, man.

Since you lay on facilities fair enough I suppose.

... "are you alright?" and don't actually give a toss about the answer?

Actually, people care very much about the answer. It's not so much a question as a request, the more precise wording being "Please tell me that I can ignore your pain and suffering and go about my business."

I hate it when one has imbibed a large amount of alcohol within a short space of time and, as a result, is in the process of expelling said alcohol violently through the osphagus. Along with the entire contents of one's stomach, including the stomach lining.
Then, whilst one is lying face-down in a big steaming pile of detritus, sobbing uncotrollably with tears pouring down ones face and absolutely petrified that one is about to lose control on ones bowels, one hears those fateful, irritating words:
"Are you alright?"

Well of course. This is how I show great pleasure at things.

You'd be more likely to hear me say something like

"Quick everyone, come & have a look. Demented Hamsters is having a spew. Has anyone got a camera?".

You'd be more likely to hear me say something like

"Quick everyone, come & have a look. Demented Hamsters is having a spew. Has anyone got a camera?".
Yeah, I've heard that one before.
Also, "Hey, let's shave his eyebrows!"

Actually from you, I'd have thought a, "pfft. Boonie could've drunken twice that and still be well enough to score a 1/2 century against NZ." would be more forthcoming.

It annoys me more when people reply 'yeah' and they're not. I ask because I care!

If someone says to me "hows it going?" just as a greeting I nearly always answer properly anyway, without thinking, and then ask the other person how they are. Most people brush past the question and get to their point, not having expected the question to actually be answered....

And I'm a 20 year old native English speaker...maybe I'm too nice or something, or too bothered about actualy conversation instead of the usual rushing to the point, getting it discussed quickly, and ending the conversation.
Aw..my thoughts already written down :) I agree with all of the above!

Yeah, I've heard that one before.
Also, "Hey, let's shave his eyebrows!"

Actually from you, I'd have thought a, "pfft. Boonie could've drunken twice that and still be well enough to score a 1/2 century against NZ." would be more forthcoming.

:eek: You befoul his name!

A century's more like it. ;)

I don't think I've ever been asked that by someone who doesn't care...is that weird?


Me too. Though I suppose some people use it as a greeting. I know in Ireland people when they greet each other say 'Hi, how are ya?' and don';t actually expect for an answer!

... "are you alright?" and don't actually give a toss about the answer?

Not really, but it does annoy me when people ask, "what the hell is wrong with you?" and leave before I can read off the whole list. :p

It's a bit like the end of a cats tail I reckon.

If this is really Angry Fruit Salad http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/daria319/2066.jpg , she's fit :D

I find the "How are you?" more obnoxious, they don't care, and if they do it'll start up a conversation I don't care to take part in because I find them obnoxious.

Hence I just grunt in reponse.

No it annoys me when someone asks me if I've heard of someone/something and I sya no then they ask "OMG! You've really never heard of [someone/something]?"

No.

I find the "How are you?" more obnoxious, they don't care, and if they do it'll start up a conversation I don't care to take part in because I find them obnoxious.

Hence I just grunt in reponse.

When I'm doing open carry of my pistol (which is completely legal here), I sometimes get a person asking, "is that a real gun?"

And I usually answer, "no, it's a waffle iron".

I'd think most people wouldn't care even to ask.

I'd think most people wouldn't care even to ask.
Most don't. It's usually the stupid people who ask.

im assuming you mean when they ask and you are obviously NOT alright, not as a substitute for "hi".

someone asking is your cue to have them help you out. thats what it means. "if you are absolutely unable to proceed i am volunteering to give you the minimum of help possible". that can be nice.

if they really want to discuss whats wrong, i hate it. i dont normally want to discuss what just went wrong with a stranger.