回答Thank you竟不能用You＇re welcome？老外说真相在此

其实，听到You're welcome，歪果仁的真正感受你不懂！

虽然在美国，听到Thank you后回答you're welcome的人还很多，但听到这句回答，老美小年轻恐怕会认为这是在讽刺他……

Many people, particularly in the US, reply to “thank you” with “you’re welcome.”As a Tumblr post points out, this has begun to change, as young people use and hear “you’re welcome” sarcastically.

而大西洋另一边的英国小伙伴们更会嗅出“嫌弃”的味道。伤自尊了……

And it’s not just young people: To people from other parts of the world, “you’re welcome” can sound rude. Brits, for example, can’t help but hear a hint of condescension in there.

然而问题关键不在讽刺和嫌弃，而是这个短语本身的意思。它会让人误以为你不顾及人家的谢意，给自己凹“你本该谢谢我”的造型。

But the problem with “you’re welcome” isn’t sarcasm. Well, not the whole problem. It’s about meaning. Not that this is the intention, but “you’re welcome” can sound like you’re taking the polite gesture from the thanker, and bringing attention to your kindness. To the unaccustomed ear, it can sound like “yes, I did you a favour, you should be thankful.”

说者无心，听者有意，说你不是故意的也没用！

It’s not intentional, I’m sure.

还有哪些“别客气”受了株连？

实在没招的小伙伴们干脆将无辜的小眼神儿投向了澳洲小伙伴。要知道，他们回答Thank you的口头禅才不是You’re welcome，而是no problem和no worries，但这照样能被人挑出不是。耸肩动作 no problem回复，像是无所谓地表示帮忙并非麻烦事儿，而对于听惯了you're welcome的人来说，no problem森森在暗示着实麻烦了自己，早知道这样可不一定会出手相助。

Similarly “no problem”, or the reply favoured by our Australian friends, “no worries”, are both flawed. Often said with a dismissive shrug, “no problem” can be interpreted as simply denying that being kind is an inconvenience. But to those used to hearing “you’re welcome,” “no problem” can be sound like being kind is sometimes an inconvenience…and that you might not have helped if it had been.

而那些上了岁数的人还会觉得你说No problem不礼貌。

Young people tend to respond to being thanked with “no problem”, which older people find rude. So it’s a generational problem, yes, but also a linguistic one.

既然如此，老外砖家怎么说？

不论是you're welcome还是no problem都是交际用语。这就好比平时问好的那些客套话。

Both “you’re 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.

别人问：How are you? 你嘴上说I'm Ok.其实你心里最清楚自己Ok不Ok。因为你知道有时候别人不过是跟你打个招呼，没必要太较真。

For example when we respond to “how are you?” by saying “good, you?”Often we use a phatic response when we don’t know what else to say. Saying “I’m OK,” for example, even when we’re not. Or to simply acknowledge someone, or something, when there is no need to convey actual information. We know people aren’t (usually) actively asking how we are, so we respond phatically.

可是，面对人家真诚的感谢，你再拿那些客套话敷衍是不是有点儿说不过去了！？

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 “you’re welcome” dismissive.

难道真的无解了吗？

看到此处，你是否已经陷入深深的不知所措之中。其实，机智的腐国人民早就有解了，那就是人家说thank you，你也回thank you，同理，别人说cheers，你也跟着说cheers。（在英国，说“谢谢”经常用“Cheers.”）

So, what are the options? Are we at a linguistic impasse? 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”.

这类的回应不论是语气还是含义都不容易让人误会。而且向对你致谢的人表示感谢，大家都是双赢哦~

This response is still phatic in purpose, but the tone and context can’t be misread. Effectively, you’re thanking the thanker for their thanks. Everybody wins!

好吧，说一轮就够了，请别没完没了~

And there’s no need to get stuck in a thank you loop; once each will do.