别人说thank you时该怎么回_时事_双语阅读-查字典英语网

别人说thank you时该怎么回

Young people tend to respond to being thanked with “no problem, which older people find rude. So it’s a generational problem, yes. But also a linguistic one. Why is this? Here’s where it gets technical…

当你道谢时，年轻人通常会回一句“no problem。这在老年人看来，实在太不礼貌了。所以，这算个代沟问题，没错。不过这也是个语言学问题。至于原因嘛，就得涉及专业知识了……

Both “you’re welcome and “no problem are phatic expressions, an expression whose sole function is to perform a social role. We use phatic expressions all the time. For example when we respond to “how are you? by saying “good, you? Or by responding to “what’s up? with “what’s up?.

“You’re welcome和“no problem都是客套用语，仅仅用作应酬。我们时时都会说这样的客套话，比如有人向你问好“how are you?(“你好吗?)，你就会说“good, you?(“我很好，你呢?)。有人和你打招呼“what’s up?(“嘿呦!)，你便回答“what’s up(“嘿呦!)

Often we use a phatic response when we don’t know what else to say. Saying “I’m OK, for example, even when we’re not. Or to simply acknowledge someone, or something, when there is no need to convey actual information. We know people aren’t (usually) actively asking how we are, so we respond phatically. But because “thank you is a sincere expression, many common phatic responses sound empty in comparison. The emptiness of the response is why some people tend to find “no problem or “you’re welcome dismissive.