response to "thank you"

[lonelymelody]

I am visiting the USA for the first time and enjoying the beautiful city of New York. The city & people are great. However, I have been a bit confused by the response i get whenever i say "thank you" to someone. Most of the times whenever I say "thank you" the reply is "uhumm". Sometimes i get "OK" as a reply and barely "you're welcome". The usual circumstances are when I thank someone whom I asked for direction, the bus driver, sales person, cashier, or someone who took my picture.

So my question is whether saying "uhumm" or "OK" are common responses to "thank you" in the USA especially NY, or is it because I am a foreigner and people are reluctant to say "you're welcome" or at least "no problem" to me.

I would like to know how a native speaker would feel if he got the above responses, and if it is ok to use them. Thank you very much for your reply.

 

[sunsunmoon]

"Your welcome" is not correct. "You're welcome" is correct.

Responses to "Thank you" - WordReference Forums

Thanks... You're welcome. Don't mention it. No problem. ... - WordReference Forums

Replies to 'thank you' [you're welcome, etc.] - WordReference Forums

What to reply to "thank you"? - WordReference Forums

 

[TheParser]

I am visiting the USA for the first time and enjoying the beautiful city of New York. The city & people are great. However, I have been a bit confused by the response i get whenever i say "thank you" to someone. Most of the times whenever I say "thank you" the reply is "uhumm". Sometimes i get "OK" as a reply and barely "you're welcome". The usual circumstances are when I thank someone whom I asked for direction, the bus driver, sales person, cashier, or someone who took my picture.

So my question is whether saying "uhumm" or "OK" are common responses to "thank you" in the USA especially NY, or is it because I am a foreigner and people are reluctant to say "you're welcome" or at least "no problem" to me.

I would like to know how a native speaker would feel if he got the above responses, and if it is ok to use them. Thank you very much for your reply.

NOT A TEACHER


(1) Please be assured that your being a visitor has nothing to do

with it.

(2) I get such responses -- or non-responses -- all the time.

(3) Yes, you may have a point: it may depend, to some

extent, on the region of the country. I do NOT know, but I

have a suspicion that if you visit a smaller town, you may

find people who will actually say "You're welcome."

(4) Let's face it: in the year 2011, old-fashioned courtesy

is not at the top of the list on most people's agenda.

(5) Another reason lies in bad management. The bosses

do not (for various reasons, which we cannot discuss

here) insist that their employees show the greatest

respect to their customers (who, after all, are responsible

for their having a job in the first place!!!).

(6) I hope that you enjoy your visit. And thank you for

visiting us and helping our ailing economy.


Respectfully yours,


James

 

[AlexAD]

I'm not a teacher nor a native speaker.

A friend of mine who had been working in the USA for three summers told me that American English was very informal. They were using the sounds like you said all the time. But he didn't work in NYC, which is, as we all know, the city full of immigrants. Despite this it's a place where time is money. I think it's got something to do with their specific culture reference.

 

[Ouisch]

New York City has a reputation for being a fast-paced, no-nonsense environment. Humorist Dave Barry once compared New York City to London thusly: "At the height of rush hour, people on the London underground actually say ``excuse me.'' Imagine what would happen if you tried an insane stunt like that on the New York City subway. The other passengers
would take it as a sign of weakness, and there'd be a fight over who got to keep your ears as a trophy."

So while in Atlanta or Chicago or San Francisco you would probably get a friendly "You're welcome" or "No problem!" in response to your "thank you," it's not unusual to simply get a gruff sort of growl as an acknowledgement in New York. :-D

 

[lonelymelody]

Thank you all for your replies and clarification.
And James, it is my pleasure! Actually, I am enjoying my time in NY immensely. And I hope that the economy recovers soon.