Right replay: :How are You?"

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Zurikela - 30 Jan 2009 01:07 GMT

What are the usual, right, or wrong answers to the question "How are
You?":
1}"well"
2}"fine"
3)"How are You?"
4)"All right"
5)""OK"
6)"As usually"
or any other possible right replays. Thank You in advance.

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Andrew Heenan - 30 Jan 2009 01:18 GMT

> What are the usual, right, or wrong answers to the question "How are
> You?":
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> 6)"As usually" - NO - 'as usual' is possible, but I don't recall hearing
> it

A lot depends who's asking - customer, friend, stranger, boss, doctor,
girlfriend's husband, mother, parrot

In general, in England, you'd be vague (I'm fine! / I'm OK / The bee's
knees, thanks / Don't ask!) and you'd return the question (and you? / how
about you? / and how are you?)

The one thing you DON'T do, is to tell them how you *really* are; unless
it's the doctor, they DON'T WANT TO KNOW!

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Andrew
http://www.wordskit.com/
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"If A is success in life, then A = x + y + z.
Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut." ~ Albert Einstein

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Glenn Knickerbocker - 30 Jan 2009 13:51 GMT

>What are the usual, right, or wrong answers to the question "How are
>You?":

Plenty of native speakers like myself still have no idea. The first five
choices you list are common, but I've never managed to use one of them,
or any other response, without experiencing an awkward pause afterward.
I have absolutely no clue what someone who greets me that way expects to
happen next.

¬R http://users.bestweb.net/~notr You are already too educated stupid to
understand the truth of nature's harmonic simultaneous 4-liter wine cube

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georgeh@ankerstein.org - 30 Jan 2009 13:57 GMT

> What are the usual, right, or wrong answers to the question "How are
> You?":
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> 6)"As usually"
> or any other possible right replays. Thank You in advance.

First, you should assume that the person asking does not want to know.
"Fine, thanks." is a good answer, even if you are at death's door.

GFH

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John Varela - 30 Jan 2009 22:19 GMT

> > What are the usual, right, or wrong answers to the question "How are
> > You?":
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> First, you should assume that the person asking does not want to know.
> "Fine, thanks." is a good answer, even if you are at death's door.

It's occasionally correct or even useful to respond, "OK, but I have
a cold so don't get too near me."

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John Varela
Trade OLD lamps for NEW for email

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Django Cat - 31 Jan 2009 10:57 GMT

> What are the usual, right, or wrong answers to the question "How are
> You?":
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> 6)"As usually"
> or any other possible right replays. Thank You in advance.

The word you're asking about is 'reply'. 'Replay' means to play
something again - a sports event or a piece of music, say.

DC
--

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Zurikela - 31 Jan 2009 12:34 GMT

> > What are the usual, right, or wrong answers to the question "How are
> > You?":
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> DC
> --

Thanks!

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2009

Right replay: :How are You?"