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."

Actually, "decimate" used to mean "to select by lot and kill every tenth one" (as in Roman soldiers), but in modern times it is properly used as a synonym for eradicate or annihilate.

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

I've not heard anyone comment on this since my father mentioned it to me a few years ago. Now I always think of him when I hear this casual reply.

Good one.

Bob

hmm... An interesting thread I'm in the customer service business (computer helpdesk) and I use "no problem" a fair amount. with my "no problem" I try to convey the fact that we are here for them and that whatever needs they have we can take care of and nothing is a problem. Many of my clients are hesitent to call because it would make a bother out of something small so by using "no problem" I'm conveying that nothing is too small to be called in.

And yes everyone gets called by Sir or Ma'am unless I know them personally then they get called by their first name.

Opinions?

I've been wondering the same thing for a while now. I guess it's one of those little things that shouldn't bother me but it does!

If something truly is "no problem," then that is an excellent reply. If you're asked to do something - "Can you also bring me a glass of water, please?" - the "no problem" response is fine. What you're really saying is, "Yes, I'd be glad to bring you some water."
I'm just objecting to its use when the more correct response should be "you're welcome."

Of course then there's the use of "he's all," and "she's all," instead of "he said" and "she said."

I use the phrase "f**k off"...somehow it sends the right message without sounding too 80's...ya know?

My personal favorite, especially coming from my sixteen year old."WHATEVER"

The deadly combination:

"he's all....and then I was like.....but then he goes.....and she was all....and I was like, WHATEVERRR."

huh?
:D

Good on ya.

Totally.

I am so sure...

As if.........

No way.
Way.
No way!
Way!
NO WAY!
WAY!

Dude!
Dude?
Doooooood.
Dude!?!
dude.

Leader, your totally missing it! The person saying "no problem", is conveying a message that it could have been a problem. What he should say is "Yes", or "I'll be right back with it", or "Certainly", not "no problem".

You may have missed the opening post in this string. What got me started on all this was how often I've been hearing "No problem" in response to my saying "thank you."
The "No problem" response to a request is fine. It's when someone thanks you for something that I find "No problem" to be the wrong response. It's "picky," I know.

I didn't miss the first post, and I think were saying the same thing. "No problem" literally means there isn't a problem (maybe this time?), what it conveys to me is that the person (without thinking) it could have been a problem. Its replaced "your welcome", and other declarative statements such as "yes" or "I'll be right back with your water"