>>>>>>>I'd have thought they'd rather singe the burger!
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Groan...
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Sounds TYPICALLY American
>>>>>>
>>>>>>There is a restaurant somewhere here that I read about where the waiters throw the bread to (at) you. Not typically American, but maybe only found here.
>>>>>
>>>>>I was in a restaurant a few years ago where the waiter was one of those very outgoing friendly types. We got along great. Anyway, he asked me if I wanted more coffee, and I said, "I'm fine". He said, "Who cares how you are, I just wanted to know if you wanted more coffee". Absolutely cracked me up.
>>>>
>>>>:-)
>>>>
>>>>There you are with American idioms! The one that bugs me is:
>>>>
>>>>"Hi, how are you?"
>>>>"I'm good"
>>>>
>>>>GOOD! that refers to how righteously you lead your life - not what state your health is in!
>>>My son always replies to the question "how are you ?" with "Good thanks. You ? ". Seems polite to me.
>>
>>Aye, polite, but it sounds like your son has been watching too many US shows. That expression did not exist here before a year or two ago.
>>
>>"I'm fine, thanks" or "I'm well..." should be the response. "I'm good" means either the priest would be happy with me, or I'm adroit at something, eg a good shot, good footballer, etc.
>
>But language evolves and its purpose is communication. People understand thats he's well

So why not say "well" then? no more trouble!

>and are grateful (esp elderly relatives) that he's asked after them. I would say you're a linguitic King Canute but he was demonstrating that he couldn't turn back the tide.
>
>Nick

That's fine, Nick. You be happy with English as she am speaked. I did say "The one that bugs me...".

You could more accurately call me a linguistic luddite, I suppose, although I don't see how replacing a monosyllabic word, "fine", with another "good", is a step towards modernisation of the lang. Just moving in another - inaccurate - direction. On that subject, what has your son gained by saying "good" and how is that a sign of the evolution of English? More devolution if you ask me :-)