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submitted 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) by Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

I hear "No problem" far more often.

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[-] Drusenija@lemmy.world 76 points 6 months ago

Here's a response I've seen about this around the net for a while now that feels right.

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"Actually, the “you’re welcome/no problem” issue is simply a linguistics misunderstanding. Older ppl tend to say “you’re welcome,” younger ppl tend to say “no problem.” This is because for older people the act of helping or assisting someone is seen as a task that is not expected of them, but is them doing extra, so it’s them saying, ‘I accept your thanks because I know I deserve it.”

“No problem, however, is used because younger people feel not only that helping or assisting someone is a given and expected but also that it should be stressed that your need for help was no burden to them (even if it was).”

“Basically, older people think help is a gift you give, younger people think help is a requirement.”

https://didyouknowfacts.com/why-young-people-say-no-problem-instead-of-youre-welcome-and-why-older-people-hate-it/

[-] Hobbes_Dent@lemmy.world 8 points 6 months ago

That’s some stereotyping ageist bullshit.

[-] Drusenija@lemmy.world 11 points 6 months ago

To be fair, with no data to back it up, this is just an anecdote. So saying it's stereotyping ageist bullshit is a perfectly valid response to it. I just felt it fit the question quite well so I went and dug it up and shared it. If you feel differently, no stress!

The reality is going to be different to everyone, and it's as much a learned behaviour as anything else. It's not like collectively an entire generation got together and decided "it's 'no problem' now instead of 'you're welcome', okay?" Language evolves over time after all, and knowing why that happens and the actual causes for it are something that will require a lot more analysis than a couple of anecdotes from the internet.

[-] Hobbes_Dent@lemmy.world 4 points 6 months ago

Yeah, sorry, I should add that I refer to the article, not your posting of it.

The meat of the thing is a rando reply to a tweet by a guy, not any research the guy did.

[-] Zoomboingding@lemmy.world 6 points 6 months ago

As a not-so-young-anymore young person, I've always said "no problem" for exactly this reason

[-] Makeshift@sh.itjust.works 1 points 6 months ago

More of an observation on a generational shift. A culture change with a language change coming with it.

[-] Xavienth@lemmygrad.ml 6 points 6 months ago

calling it a "linguistics misunderstanding" makes it seem more scientific than it probably is. I'd like to see some evidence to back it up, because to me it just looks like some Tumblr user's conjecture.

[-] CooperRedArmyDog@lemmy.ml 3 points 6 months ago

and yet the youngers are the "entitled generation"

this post was submitted on 28 Apr 2024
174 points (85.7% liked)

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