《英语阅读：如何回复别人的thankyou》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《英语阅读：如何回复别人的thankyou（4页珍藏版）》请在金锄头文库上搜索。
1、Saying thank you is good manners. Thats not up for debate. But we do need to talk about the way to respond when being thanked. You need to say something, right? Many people, particularly in the US, reply to thank you with youre welcome. 毫无疑问，道谢是种好习惯。可问题来了，别人向你道谢时，你该说什么？你总得说点什么，不是吗？许多人，尤其是美国人，听到对方说“t
2、hank you”后，常会答一句“youre welcome”。This has begun to change, as young people use and hear youre welcome sarcastically1. And its not just young people: To people from other parts of the world, youre welcome can sound rude. Brits, for example, cant help but hear a hint of condescension2 in there. But the
3、 problem with youre welcome isnt sarcasm3. Well, not the whole problem. Its about meaning. Not that this is the intention, but youre welcome can sound like youre taking the polite gesture from the thanker, and bringing attention to your kindness. To the unaccustomed ear, it can sound like yes, I did
4、 you a favour, you should be thankful. Its not intentional4, Im sure. But that doesnt make it any less ambiguous. Similarly no problem, or the reply favoured by our Australian friends, no worries, are both flawed. Often said with a dismissive shrug5, no problem can be interpreted as simply denying t
5、hat being kind is an inconvenience. But to those used to hearing youre welcome, no problem can be sound like being kind is sometimes an inconvenienceand that you might not have helped if it had been. Young people tend to respond to being thanked with no problem, which older people find rude. So its
6、a generational problem, yes. But also a linguistic6 one. Why is this? Heres where it gets technical Both youre welcome and no problem are phatic expressions, an expression whose sole function is to perform a social role. We use phatic expressions all the time. For example when we respond to how are
7、you? by saying good, you? Or by responding to whats up? with whats up?. Often we use a phatic response when we dont know what else to say. Saying Im OK, for example, even when were not. Or to simply acknowledge someone, or something, when there is no need to convey actual information. We know people
8、 arent (usually) actively7 asking how we are, so we respond phatically. But because thank you is a sincere expression, many common phatic responses sound empty in comparison. The emptiness of the response is why some people tend to find no problem or youre welcome dismissive. So, what are the option
9、s? Are we at a linguistic impasse8? Thankfully, no. As the Brits have long known, the correct way to respond to thank you is to say thank you. Similarly, you can respond to cheers with cheers. This response is still phatic in purpose, but the tone and context cant be misread. Effectively, youre than
10、king the thanker for their thanks. Everybody wins! And theres no need to get stuck in a thank you loop; once each will do. Thank you.词汇解析：1 sarcastically adv.挖苦地，讽刺地参考例句：What a surprise! Caroline murmured sarcastically.“太神奇了! ”卡罗琳轻声挖苦道。Pierce mocked her and bowed sarcastically. 皮尔斯嘲笑她，讽刺地鞠了一躬。2 cond
11、escension n.自以为高人一等，贬低( 别人)参考例句：His politeness smacks of condescension. 他的客气带有屈尊俯就的意味。Despite its condescension toward the Bennet family, the letter begins to allay Elizabeths prejudice against Darcy. 尽管这封信对班纳特家的态度很高傲，但它开始消除伊丽莎白对达西的偏见。3 sarcasm n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic ）参考例句：His sarcasm hurt her
12、 feelings.他的讽刺伤害了她的感情。She was given to using bitter sarcasm.她惯于用尖酸刻薄语言挖苦人。4 intentional adj.故意的，有意（识）的参考例句：Let me assure you that it was not intentional.我向你保证那不是故意的。His insult was intentional.他的侮辱是有意的。5 shrug v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等)参考例句：With a shrug,he went out of the room.他耸一下肩，走出了房间。I admire the way she
13、 is able to shrug off unfair criticism.我很佩服她能对错误的批评意见不予理会。6 linguistic adj.语言的，语言学的参考例句：She is pursuing her linguistic researches.她在从事语言学的研究。The ability to write is a supreme test of linguistic competence.写作能力是对语言能力的最高形式的测试。7 actively adv.积极地，勤奋地参考例句：During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。8 impasse n.僵局；死路参考例句：The government had reached an impasse.政府陷入绝境。Negotiations seemed to have reached an impasse.谈判似乎已经陷入僵局。更多英语学习方法：企业英语培训
