I was trained to use please, thank you, and you're welcome as well. I don't think I've noticed "you're welcome" disappearing, although I have heard the "thank you / thank you" thing.
The idea of "you're welcome" having developed connotations of inequality hadn't occurred to me, and I'm not sure if it makes sense to me or not.
The one that intrigues me is the disappearance of "please". I have the feeling that a certain subset of the population has started avoiding that one because when used in text communications it can sound sarcastic. Reminds me a little of the anecdote of the southern boy in a northern school, who gets sent to the principal's office for repeatedly saying "yes ma'am" and "no ma'am" to the teacher.
I do like "thank you / thank you", and I also like "thank you / you're welcome". There is also "thank you / you are *very* welcome", which is sort of like a "thank you / thank you", I think.
In any case, thank you DrWex, for a fun and thought-provoking piece : )
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The idea of "you're welcome" having developed connotations of inequality hadn't occurred to me, and I'm not sure if it makes sense to me or not.
The one that intrigues me is the disappearance of "please". I have the feeling that a certain subset of the population has started avoiding that one because when used in text communications it can sound sarcastic.
Reminds me a little of the anecdote of the southern boy in a northern school, who gets sent to the principal's office for repeatedly saying "yes ma'am" and "no ma'am" to the teacher.
I do like "thank you / thank you", and I also like "thank you / you're welcome". There is also "thank you / you are *very* welcome", which is sort of like a "thank you / thank you", I think.
In any case, thank you DrWex, for a fun and thought-provoking piece : )