“Pleased to meet you.” or “Pleesedtameetcha” is considered vulgar, and rather ingratiating.
“How do you do ?” is the only safe bet.
Seriously.
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?
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 ;).
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.
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.
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…
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.
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?”
For some reason this phrase brings to mind Thurston Howell from Gilligan’s Island.
I’m worse. I’ll start telling them how I am.