(Untitled)

[dsapiro]

Informal poll:

Have any of you heard "not at all" as a response to "Thanks"?
Apparently it was taught to all the Turkish people in Maras, and it sounded really strange to Michele and I.... Is it a British thing? Something that everyone says and I've just missed all these years? Inquiring minds want to know.

Comments

[humbuggirl]

As a Brit, I've heard of it but it doesn't get used a lot. It's in the same vein as "no worries".

ETA: "no worries" isn't strictly British, btw.

[dsapiro]

Yeah, I use no worries... So I know that one. We were trying to explain that even "your welcome" isn't the most common thing said, and things like "no problem" or "don't worry about it" are the most natural, especially in friendly situations.

[humbuggirl]

Lol, didn't realise that I'd been speedy. :)

I think "not at all" is one of those slightly old fashioned replies.

[dsapiro]

Thanks for the speedy reply!

[sildra]

I've heard "not at all" before... Probably mostly in older movies and/or British things where the characters are being more informal than "you're welcome" but more formal than anything else. Trying to google it (which is hard) the only relevant hit I came up with was a Monty Python skit, which suggests that it's British and possibly a little old.

I think "no problem" is probably the most common response.

[dsapiro]

Yeah, that's basically what we told the turks, that saying no problem was the best way to go. Only one or two actually believed it. They were convinced that "not at all" was the only proper informal usage. It was rather annoying...

[gnometheknight]

What is it with you and people not believing in your slang? You must not be doing it right.

[dsapiro]

"not believing in your slang"??? wha?

[gnometheknight]

Dude, whatevs.

[dsapiro]

I taught my last kids to say "dude." And I've taught all of them to say "whats up"