You alright, yeah? How are you?

[Shoreditch]

In shops, assistants say that to customers all the time: "Hi man, you alright, yeah?" or "Hi, how are you?". Is it a way of expressing formulaic politeness? Do they enquire about my welfare? Or do they mean to ask me if I need assistance? And what is a proper answer?

 

[emsr2d2]

In shops, assistants say that to customers all the time: "Hi man, you alright, yeah?" or "Hi, how are you?". Is it a way of expressing formulaic politeness? Do they enquire about my welfare? Or do they mean to ask me if I need assistance? And what is a proper answer?

There is nothing polite about greeting people with "Hi man, you alright, yeah?" If a shop assistant in the UK was heard to greet customers in that manner they would probably be fired! Maybe in an independent shop where the staff are very familiar with their customers it might be OK, but in the majority of shops, that would be unacceptable.

"Hi/Hello, how are you?" is a polite greeting and should be met with "I'm fine, thank you" and possibly then "How are you?"

 

[Shoreditch]

Thank you, Emsr2d2!