# Snappy Answers to the Question "How Are You"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 22, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011 "2010-01-22T17:42:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/61 "2010-01-25T03:32:05Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > As are “Hello”, “Hey”, and “Howdy” (short for “How do you do?”, let us note). There’s nothing preventing the language from having more than one ritual greeting. My point was that you don’t usually hear “how are you?” by itself. It’s always “Hi. How are you?” If both are greetings, then one is superfluous, unless there’s extra meaning besides the greeting in one of them. Ergo it’s not **just** a greeting. ---
**Author:** ![ElectricZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58f4c7/32.png) [@ElectricZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElectricZ)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/62 "2010-01-25T20:44:09Z")
> [@Shade](#): > > I’m in the UK, and I often try to give a basic response embellished with a bit of information as an opening to conversation if the other person wants. Something like: > > Hi! How are you? > I’m good! I just [interesting fact] > > But then I visited America, and discovered that what everyone said is true. “How are you?” is more like “How do you do”, and replying to “how are you” literally is nearly as weird as to “how do you do”? (“I don’t know, how do you do what?” :)) If I tried the above, it’d be more like: > > How are you? > I’m good! I– > I’m fine. What can I do for you today? > > So in short, I’d think about giving up on snappy and settling on maybe “great” 🙂 Here are a couple instructional videos to help you out, Shade. 🙂 [Part 1](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_elUqZtHdzw) [Part 2](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffUDDYYIX04) ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/63 "2010-01-25T20:46:59Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > My point was that you don’t usually hear “how are you?” by itself. It’s always “Hi. How are you?” If both are greetings, then one is superfluous, unless there’s extra meaning besides the greeting in one of them. Ergo it’s not **just** a greeting. Sure, it still could be. The social ritual could be to say something like “Hi, how are you?” as a greeting and then for the other person to invariably respond something like “I’m fine, how are you?” in acnkowledgement, with “Fine. So, …” completing the greeting handshake and entering the conversation proper. Or maybe not; it’s a question of whatever the custom is. But there’s no linguistic rule saying that if an initial segment of a phrase is a greeting, then the phrase as a whole cannot be merely a greeting itself. The language game works however it works. ---
**Author:** ![joemama24\_98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce7236/32.png) [@joemama24\_98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joemama24_98)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/64 "2010-01-25T21:33:14Z")
“Busier than a three-legged cat trying to cover shit” or “busier than a one-legged man in an ass kicking contest” ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/65 "2010-01-26T04:25:30Z")
“How are you?/How ya doin’?” “Yes.” ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/66 "2010-01-26T04:45:40Z")
I sooooo miss Carlin. I shall use ‘moderately neato’ tomorrow in honor of the dead guy. \<3 ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/67 "2010-01-26T04:48:03Z")
> [@joemama24\_98](#): > > “Busier than a three-legged cat trying to cover shit” I need to use this at work as well, as most folks greeting me do so at such times when I’m trying frantically to grow 3 extra arms, an extra head and a couple of legs in the attempt to do the 6 things at once often required. The looks on their faces \ will be priceless, but I will savor the possibilities. When I have time. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/68 "2010-01-27T01:42:27Z")
How am I … what? ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/69 "2010-01-27T01:44:43Z")
_Long, psychotic gaze_ ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/70 "2010-01-27T03:50:48Z")
Two from dad (sorry if they’re repeats): Better than most! I’m not as good as I once was, but I’m as good once as I ever was! ---
**Author:** ![melodyharmonius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/melodyharmonius/32/21310_2.png) [@melodyharmonius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melodyharmonius)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/71 "2010-01-27T13:47:21Z")
Here’s how one of my former co-workers used to greet people: What’s the dill, pickle? Everything kosher? or I’m blessed by the best, I must confess! Course, it’s not the same without his intonations and so forth. ---
**Author:** ![JFLuvly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac91a4/32.png) [@JFLuvly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JFLuvly)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/72 "2010-01-27T14:42:44Z")
Them: How are you? Me: Just Fucking Lovely! ---
**Author:** ![Kiber](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiber/32/317_2.png) [@Kiber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiber)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/73 "2010-01-27T15:48:37Z")
Still Breathin’. (I like to start with the basics.) ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/74 "2010-01-27T15:50:33Z")
My favorite is “Livin’ the dream” accompanied by a rueful look. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/75 "2010-01-27T15:55:00Z")
I used to work with a guy who always responded with a cheery “Just Peachy!” One particularly grumpy day, I said “So, Peachy in April, that would be, small, green and bitter?” From that day forward he was “Mandarin Orangey.” ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/76 "2010-01-27T20:10:38Z")
“I’ve been worse.” _Usually_ it’s true. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/77 "2010-01-27T20:58:04Z")
I used to know a classy old gentleman who always had the same reply to “How are you:” “Very well, thank you. I hope you are.” ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/78 "2010-01-27T22:23:15Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > Sure, it still could be. The social ritual could be to say something like “Hi, how are you?” as a greeting and then for the other person to invariably respond something like “I’m fine, how are you?” in acnkowledgement, with “Fine. So, …” completing the greeting handshake and entering the conversation proper. Or maybe not; it’s a question of whatever the custom is. But there’s no linguistic rule saying that if an initial segment of a phrase is a greeting, then the phrase as a whole cannot be merely a greeting itself. The language game works however it works. Of course there’s no rule. But there is generally a sort of logic to how these things develop. It may eventually become a pure greeting, but I don’t think it really has yet, as it still has some meaning beyond other greetings such as Hi or hello. To me, it seems to be less of a greeting than a transition from a greeting into normal conversation. Greetings such as “hi”, “hello”, or “hey” are often used by themselves as merely acknowledging the existence of the other person. “Hi, how are you?” seems more often to be used as a way to start a conversation, while giving both sides an easy way to decline. You know, I guess my confusion is because I wouldn’t call what you described above as merely a greeting. The whole thing may be my misunderstanding of a term. ---
**Author:** ![JoWright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoWright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoWright)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2017, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/79 "2017-10-13T17:59:53Z")
My response is"it could go either way" ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2017, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011/80 "2017-10-13T18:21:38Z")
AI usually say “Above ground and working. Anything else is a bonus.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snappy-answers-to-the-question-how-are-you/526011.md?page=5)