A gentle example of why to stick to "classroom English." I was talking to a language companion in Colombia. Her niece is also studying English. She was briefly in the frame and we waved at each other,

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Dan Smith

A gentle example of why to stick to "classroom English."

I was talking to a language companion in Colombia. Her niece is also studying English. She was briefly in the frame and we waved at each other, and exchanged a greeting.

She: "Hi, Dan, how are you?"

Me: "Great, thanks. How are you?"

She: "Can't complain!"

And I couldn't stop myself from laughing out loud. Now, let me be clear. It wasn't wrong. It wasn't accidentally improper or dirty. It is in fact something people in the United States say fairly often as a response to "how are you." She had gotten it from some list of responses to how are you? and wanted to try out something new. The list was accurate.

Not only is it common, my father-in-law always said that. But that's exactly the point. It seemed natural with an old guy, and surprising and funny to hear from a young woman.

Other native speakers may not even agree with me. However, to me, "can't complain" is the kind of response given by older people, particularly older men. It means something like this. "Naturally, at my age I have some aches and pains, that goes without saying. I can't quite bring myself to say I'm fine. But how are you? is just a "phatic" expression, just a social ritual. It's not a real request for information. I'll just say can't complain, meaning I'm fine enough, I'll tell you about my recent surgery later."

The things you learn in class and textbooks are free from cultural overtones and simply mean what they say. It's best to stick to them. Trying to use other expressions to sound "more like a native" is harmless, but not helpful.

I probably made the same mistake myself, when someone said to me in Spanish, gracias, and instead of replying de nada, I replied no hay de que. The other person laughed out loud, then said "no (ha ha), it's not wrong (chuckle), but I didn't expect to hear it from you and it surprised me."

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التعليقات · 27

Sticking to classroom English (or Spanish, or Russian...) throughout one's language studies is great if one is happy being at a very limited level of expression. I don't see what's so bad about making a mistake, not using an expression altogether correctly, laughing about it, and learning from it. There is almost no danger except to one's ego. Trial and error is how one improves and learns to have natural interactions, not stilted ones where people constantly have to accommodate you. The worst I've heard is that there can be some embarrassing misunderstandings, but usually reasonable and perceptive people are aware they are dealing with a non-native speaker, and don't get upset. I think more harm is done telling people not to try something different and to worry about going beyond the basics, when the danger is almost nonexistent.

Besides, just because one expression might be interpreted in one way by one speaker somewhere, doesn't mean there is a significant probability of risk for misunderstanding. I have yet to see any evidence that a significant percentage of native speakers share your interpretation of "can't complain" as one limited to a response from old people with aches and pains. I would never jump to this conclusion, and "can't complain" seems perfectly fine.

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I am bored to death when I hear the same textbook reply - I am fine, and you? It`s so robotic and usually it does not take the conversation anywhere.

How can it be that everyone feels the same? Now you might say, no this is actually a greeting, the question isn`t to ask how someone feels. Wait, what?

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Wow. What terrible advice. You learn by trying things and the niece will ultimately end up a much better English speaker than someone taking an ‘English for Dummies’ course from a teacher trying to ‘protect’ you from the subtleties of a language. Your story makes me inclined to like the niece. That’s not a bad thing.

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I want to add that I have a lovehate (but without the love) relationship with those "lists of responses" I've been seeing around. I've seen those videos and lists of responses to "thank you". Now imagine you're thanking a cashier and then he tells you, "I know you'd do the same for me" or "I'm always here for you" (options from those lists). I'd be like, wtf?

In my native language, I ALWAYS answer with "I'm fine". In all the years I've been alive, I've never bothered with any other response, and neither do other people, from what I have observed. I always reply to "thank you" with "you're welcome", and so do most people around me, and yet there are lots of lists of responses for my native language too and they look so cringey...

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