Years ago, I had to do customer service training for a job, and one thing they said is to always say "you're welcome" instead of "no problem", because some people think "no problem" is rude. But I think it's a generational thing, and it's kind of the opposite with younger folks.
No worries.
All good
You got it.
My pleasure.
Anything for you 😉
Cup my balls!
Sorry, that might be regional...
Anytime!
As you wish
I have a friend who loses his mind when anyone uses this (who isn’t Australian.) He is also not Australian, not sure what his burden is
Hit him with a "No wukkas mate" that will sort him right out
explanation I got long ago was that “No worries” was reserved when the situation was so bad, nothing you did would change things – sit back, “No worries”, crack a beer, and enjoy the spectacle
I think we collectively decided that “you’re welcome” doesn’t make sense. Welcome to what??
“You’re welcome to my help” is basically the point. You are welcome to my generosity/assistance.
Implying that it was an effort, but you are welcome to it. Whereas “no problem” denotes that the effort is was not a problem for me to do. I use them interchangeably - “you’re welcome” as a response to a complement, or something where there was moderate effort put into the task; “no problem” when the task was low effort (“Thanks for responding to that email so quickly”) or I feel my effort was obliged (helping pick up after a meeting).
to impose on me duh
you're whale cum
Nothing is worse than other options though like Chic fil a's mandated "my pleasure"
When a chic-fil-a worker hits you with that, you gotta one-up them with "No! The pleasure is all mine!" and then hit the gas, peeling out cackling because you stole that pleasure motherfuckaaaaah.
(Or better, don't go to chic-fil-a)
I had to do one communucation trainung where the trainer saud that saying "no problem" should not be used, because it implies there might've been a problem. I was not convinced though.
Then "your welcome" implies you might not be welcome. Seems like either both work or both are problematic, he can't have it both ways.
Wow. facepalm The words literally say there's no problem, and yet it somehow implies there is a problem? Talk about overthinking what someone is saying.
This is why I often hate neurotypical communication styles. The world would be a lot more straightforward if people just said what they meant. Jesus fucking Christ on a motorbike...
Languages change over time. As long as the intent is clear, don't get hung up on what is and isn't "correct". "You're welcome" probably was seen as extreme at some point itself.
I mean, I'm fully on board with not getting hung up on what's "correct", but these are words that do have a specific meaning and I do find it interesting that the preferred choice of words shifts (even if it is only caused by relatively few people, that actually think about their word choice there).
Specifically, "no problem" is kind of like saying "there's nothing to thank me for". And ultimately, it kind of says "I don't expect something in return".
Whereas "you're welcome" acknowledges that yes, I did help you, you are right to thank me for that, and also kind of "I would appreciate you returning the favor".
My personal theory is that the change in language happens, because we have a lot more contacts with strangers, either in big/foreign cities or online.
When you help a stranger, you know upfront that they won't be able to return the favor, simply because you won't stay in contact. So, not only should it definitely not be a personal sacrifice for you to help them, it also feels right to communicate that they don't owe you anything, so that they can go on in their life.
I kind of disagree with you, in that when I think about the standalone meanings of the words in each phrase, I think they do say the same thing.
The meaning of the words "You are welcome [to the help I gave you]" implies, to me, that there wasn't actually anything to offer thanks over. You're acknowledging their thanks, but telling them that they are welcome to take/use whatever it is you're talking about. [EDIT: normally when someone tells me I'm welcome to something, I feel less compelled to ask and thank in the future. "You're welcome to anything in the fridge", for example.]
It does not imply, to me, that I would appreciate them returning the favour. That might be implied meaning in the phrase, but it's definitely not what those words mean by themselves.
In any case, "You're welcome", "no problem", "no worries", etc... are all idioms that mean something different than what their individual words mean. The phrases as a whole carry a different meaning than the words themselves suggest.
Wow -- I think you're right this makes a lot of sense
Disclaimer: These are just my dumb thoughts with zero scientific evidence. Consider the opinion accordingly.
I think it's tied to how overwhelmed everyone is at all times now. Part of it is often "thanks" is said while someone is beelining out the door, so you don't often have an opportunity to even say "you're welcome." Further, "no problem" is far more indicative of "actually, you didn't inconvenience me at all by getting my help" in a society where everyone is absolutely time-starved due to overwork/underpay. It's saying to the person saying "thank you" that "it's okay to have minorly inconvenienced me, it was worth doing anyway."
Because yes, I am more likely to say "no problem" at this point than "you're welcome" because most of the time I am dispensing technical information and advice that people usually have to pay to get. That's the other aspect of it too, we've normalized that you have to pay to get anything decent (service or product) and so people offering technical skills and advice outside of a payment plan is definitely viewed differently.
"You're welcome" is valid but just doesn't play well in a fast-paced society where everyone expects to have to pay through the nose for decent help and generally doesn't have the time to give out those kind of favors themselves.
in a society where everyone is absolutely time-starved due to overwork/underpay
“You’re welcome” can almost appear condescending or stuck up in those situations whereas “No problem” comes across as an attempt to be a little more genuine
It's funny you say that because some older people see no problem as rude. Like I know it wasn't a problem haha
that’s when you hit them with “okay, boomer”
I read somewhere a few years ago that the decline of "you're welcome" is due to a shifting in definitions or whatever- "you're welcome" has come to mean "you are always welcome to my free labor" whereas "no problem" says something more like "I don't have an issue spending my time on you."
"You're welcome" was always taught to me as the proper thing, but sounds slightly stilted. They express the same sentiment, roughly, but "[it was] no problem" is arguably clearer about it. I personally just think it's a slightly "nicer" nuance.
Of course, sometimes maybe it actually was a problem, and then I'd only say it if going out of my way to be nice about it.
“You’re welcome” is a silly colonial affectation. In British English you just shut up and smile.
Stiff upper lip and all that.
The appropriate response is that the debt must be repaid in kind, within the fortnight, lest their house fall into disrepute
Because the customer has become an entitled piece of shit and you don't tell an abuser "you're welcome."
Interestingly, Tom Scott did a video about this a few years ago https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGnH0KAXhCw
Interesting and mercifully short, just the way I like my explanatory videos. Thanks for sharing it!
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It's just a phatic expression. It's largely a generational difference which one is considered the more polite one.
I'm a fan of the local nae bother from my country.
Fifteen years ago when I was traveling around California and Nevada, I was weirded out at how sales people responded to "thank you". They either said "yup", "ok", or stayed silent. I assumed it was a regional thing.
In central and eastern Canada, we say it.
Where I am from, saying thank you doesn't warrant a response. It's certainly something I heard when I took a trip to New York though.
It's too bad Apple don't think all the thoughts I want to think for me anymore. Oh well. 8GB of RAM is all I need, and I have removed "You're welcome" from my lexicon.
I have just recently chosen to revive it. I'm not really sure why. I presume it's a matter of arbitrary fashion either way.
What happened to "You're welcome!" as a response to "Thank You"? It's not even included the one canned answers on an apple watch. Have we as a society abandoned it? I hear “No problem” far more often.
I've used both equally. "Thank you!" when I'm more appreciative about what was gifted/helped, and "No problem" when I just wish to be courteous and acknowledge, or I'm indifferent to, the aid that was given me.
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