When did "you're welcome" become "no problem"?
 

At the risk of sounding like my father, which I find myself doing more and more (and being bothered by it less and less), when did it become commonplace to say "no problem," when responding to someone who has just said "thank you"?
"No problem" is not the same as saying "you're welcome," but it has certainly replaced it in the vocabulary of most restaurant employees in their 20's.
I know the English language is constantly evolving, but this change bugs me. It's not a substitute that conveys a suitable response.
Thanks for reading this.
"Hey, no problem." Arrrgh.

In Spanish, it has been "Por Nada" as long as I can remember...(It is nothing).

The language is evolving. How about the cable news shows where they greet each other with "Hey!!"

My favorite for misuse is the word "decimate" which means "one out of ten", not to totally destroy.

There are more.....Many more.

It all started when the T101 in Terminator 2 learned how to say, "No Problemo."

I typcially say "My pleasure." That conveys the proper attitude, I think.

You could say, "I never thought that it was a problem. I was simply thanking you". A few of those, and even the most dense of teenagers might get the message.

My personal breaking point comes when some young idiot behind a counter calls me "boss", as in, "no problem, boss". :rolleyes:

I usually tell them, "I'm not your boss. But if I was your boss, I'd tell you to stop addressing customers as 'boss'. 'Sir', 'Ma'am', or even nothing at all would be preferable to 'boss', 'employee'. For chrisakes". :mad:

Do you think this is a reflection on the condition of our educational system? Or could it also be in part due to the influence of things like MTV?

Hmmm, I'll have to think about this one. "I'll be Bach" Or not...

Hey wut up?

You guys are officially old! :D

Laaaaaaate

I hate that too. I always feel like asking if there was a problem in the first place. Another think I hate a lot is when a waiter or waitress asks me if I'm "Still working on it?"

You know, I have a similar problem with the gym employees referring to me as "champ". "Hey champ, here's a towel" "Hey champ, if you don't mind I'm gonna rack these weights back up". "Heeeeyuh champ, how's it going there?"

"No problem." Very 1980's. It has stuck around. My peeve is all the "you know" 's that are inserted 3-4 times a sentence.

Heeeeyuh champ. . . looks like you need a towel, after that climb.
. . . Really; here ya go; no problem.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1083476949.jpg

:rolleyes:

I tink it starrted in JahMAYka. Noooo problom mon. :D

No worries, mate.

anytime.

Don't mention it.

glad to help.

what are friends for.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

The pleasure is all mine.

It's the least I could do.

No, no, no, THANK YOU!

Island, please tell us that pic is fake. If not where is it, so I can run up and down the stairs pointing and laughing.

The "no problem" thing is not so bad if it's said with good intention. I'd rather hear that than "why it's certainly been my utmost pleasure being in your service" with a frozen smile.
What I hate is "yup" or nothing.

I can dig that.

"You bet!" I bet what? :rolleyes:

I always liked George Carlin's take on stuff.

" Have a Good One "

hmmm....

" I already have a good one, what I need is a longer one "

doctors call what they do practice.

No problem means: Do not worry about me suing you for giving me a service, although you and I know that if anything went wrong as a conseqence of this free service, I would be entitled to sue you. Since we do not have a written agreement about that service you just gave me, I say no problem as a way of assuring you that those are not my intentions.

So, I think that `No problem` was introduced when lawyers took over this country :D

Aurel

While we're on it, what ever happened to the old fashioned greetings: "Good morning!" and "Hello there!" More specifically, when did "What's up," and "How are you doing?" stop being questions?

Dan

When I'm asked how my "morning's going?", I reply, "good, but it's early. A lot could go wrong yet."