[ExI] Honesty and Passion

[Damien Broderick]

At 08:43 PM 11/27/2007 -0800, Anne wrote:

>Lee Corbin said: "I *still* have to suppress myself from giving a 
>general description of my current health whenever someone says "How are you?"
>
>You mean there's a "right" way to answer that, that ISN'T a 
>description of one's general health?

The English upper middle class (I gather) solve this by making the 
phrase entirely phatic. Person A extends a hand and says politely, 
without stress, "How do you do." Person B lightly shakes the 
proffered hand and replies "How do you do." No question marks or 
rising intonation, and certainly no medical or financial disclosures.

In the States it seems to go like this:

"How are you?"

"Fine, how are you?"

"Good, thank you. Now, you're probably wondering why I've gathered 
all of you here together today." (Pause for effect) "One of you is... 
a Bush supporter!"

(Gasps of incredulous horror; one man faints)

Damien Broderick