# What does "Charmed, I'm sure" mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 24, 2015, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-charmed-im-sure-mean/728711 "2015-08-24T12:34:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-charmed-im-sure-mean/728711/21 "2015-08-26T23:07:41Z")
“Pleased to meet you.” or “_Pleesedtameetcha_” is considered vulgar, and rather ingratiating. “How do you do ?” is the only safe bet. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2015, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-charmed-im-sure-mean/728711/22 "2015-08-27T02:06:12Z")
> [@Schnauzer](#): > > Incidentally, the correct response to “How do you do?” is “How do you do?”. That certainly used to be the case, but I think most people now are unfamiliar with the rule and would consider it insufferably rude. Do modern etiquette guides still teach that? ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-charmed-im-sure-mean/728711/23 "2015-08-28T10:57:48Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > IOW, “I’m charmed. At least I think that’s what I’m supposed to say here. This fancy living is all so unfamiliar and exciting to me!” > > The part of the introduction ritual I’ve never understood is the use of the word “this”. E.g. > > Me: “Sam, this is Jane.” > Sam" “Nice to meet you Jane.” > Me: “And Jane, this is Sam.” > Jane: “It’s likewise a pleasure Sam.” > > When else would we ever use a pronoun like “this” to refer to a person, and one standing right there to boot! It’d be like referring to someone as “it” rather than “he” or “she”. > > e.g. “This is a table; that is a lamp; she over there with the martini is Jane Jones, the famous football player.” Try putting “this” or “that” in the third clause and it’s a real off-putting / disrespectful / distancing way to refer to Jane. If it’s obvious that Jane is female there’s no need to add that fact, the same as if someone says “Oh, it’s warm today, isn’t it?” in that everyone knows they’re speaking about the weather and not their cup of coffee. It’s generally considered more polite to add some extra, positive info, such as “This is Jane, my dear friend, who’s a great designer” … “and this is Sam, who’s a wonderful chef” as this will give Sam and Jane something to talk about, plus your attention to their hobbies makes you look good ;). > [@Alan\_Smithee](#): > > That certainly used to be the case, but I think most people now are unfamiliar with the rule and would consider it insufferably rude. Do modern etiquette guides still teach that? I don’t know if it’s still taught but it is practised, although only in small circles. If someone says ‘How do you do?’ I return the phrase to them to avoid any social faux pas, but this happens very rarely. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-charmed-im-sure-mean/728711/24 "2015-08-28T13:00:53Z")
Hmmm, I always assumed it was the Americanization of the French, “Enchante”, which, when delivered with a lovely French accent sounds oh so lovely. Whereas the American version, with the added, “I’m sure!”, is somewhat literal and crass by comparison. So whenever I encountered it I thought it was illustrating an American poser aspiring to European manners, and missing by a mile. That’s why it’s in cartoons, I thought! This has been an interesting discussion! ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-charmed-im-sure-mean/728711/25 "2015-08-28T13:51:23Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Hmmm, I always assumed it was the Americanization of the French, “Enchante”, which, when delivered with a lovely French accent sounds oh so lovely. Whereas the American version, with the added, “I’m sure!”, is somewhat literal and crass by comparison. So whenever I encountered it I thought it was illustrating an American poser aspiring to European manners, and missing by a mile. That’s why it’s in cartoons, I thought! This has been an interesting discussion! The “I’m sure” ending is attached to many introductions and can be found in Dickens. It’s almost certainly English in origin. ---
**Author:** ![C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C.Montgomery_Burns)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-charmed-im-sure-mean/728711/26 "2015-08-29T20:37:23Z")
All I can think of when I see this is on the old Fibber McGee & Molly radio show, where Molly would say, “How do you do, I’m sure?” when introduced to someone. I never could figure that one out… ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-charmed-im-sure-mean/728711/27 "2015-08-29T21:42:13Z")
I think on that show the incoherence of that phrase was played for humorous effect. Like someone trying a little too hard to say the “classy” thing. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-charmed-im-sure-mean/728711/28 "2015-08-29T22:23:23Z")
> [@JustinC](#): > > I don’t know if it’s still taught but it is practised, although only in small circles. If someone says ‘How do you do?’ I return the phrase to them to avoid any social faux pas, but this happens very rarely. One thing I’ve never been clear on is whether the rule applies to equivalent phrases like “How are you?” ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-charmed-im-sure-mean/728711/29 "2015-08-30T01:29:57Z")
> [@Alan\_Smithee](#): > > One thing I’ve never been clear on is whether the rule applies to equivalent phrases like “How are you?” I cannot look at someone who says that without replying, “Good, how are you?” ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-charmed-im-sure-mean/728711/30 "2015-08-30T16:06:47Z")
For some reason this phrase brings to mind Thurston Howell from Gilligan’s Island. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-charmed-im-sure-mean/728711/31 "2015-08-30T16:23:50Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I cannot look at someone who says that without replying, “Good, how are you?” I’m worse. I’ll start telling them how I am. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-charmed-im-sure-mean/728711.md?page=1)