Irish colloquialisms

PH4T

Someone told me this morning that if you respond to “how are you?” with “not too bad” then you are using two negative words (not and bad) and the person you say this to will register this as a negative response. This person says you should respond with “I’m great” or something to that effect.

This sounds like bullsh*t to me and would destroy Irish colloquialisms.

What do you think?

biko

Well, "not too bad" is not as happy as "great", that's for sure, but is more Irish.
"I'm great" sounds American.

Reminds me of I'm Super! (Thanks for Asking)

simu

No, sure you can't be having people think you're uppity and happy and all! :=p

But yeah, being overly positive (which "I'm great" would be) is pure American.

FlutterinBantam

Or you could be Derek Davis on Liveline;)

E92

thats like in Cork where if you say to any Corkonion 'how bad' they know you mean good, whereas anywhere else I say it in the country its interpreted literally(well literally to ye not to those of us in the real capital:D )

mullanimal

we say "how bad" too in Waterford, this is not said in a sarcastic tone so confusing to those who might not understand...

e.g.

Mickey: "Johnny got a new Lack (girlfriend) and she's some ride"
Paddy: "How bad!"


another thing we say is "Yeah right" which is said in a sarcastic tone... this means "No way"

e.g.

Mickey: "Johnny got a new Lack (girlfriend) and she's some ride"
Paddy: "Yeah right!"

the dee

I think 'not too bad' is part of our national psyche. We're always a little bit down on ourselves, love complaining. If we sound too happy others will resent us.

deman

mullanimal wrote: »

another thing we say is "Yeah right" which is said in a sarcastic tone... this means "No way"

e.g.

Mickey: "Johnny got a new Lack (girlfriend) and she's some ride"
Paddy: "Yeah right!"

You don't get out much, do you? :rolleyes:

"Yeah right" is used in almost every part of the English-speaking world.

It's the only time when 2 positives can make a negative:)

mullanimal

deman wrote: »

You don't get out much, do you? :rolleyes:

"Yeah right" is used in almost every part of the English-speaking world.

It's the only time when 2 positives can make a negative:)

das funny cos de langers think dey came up with it...

can you translate dis?

hey yungwan, cant dat blaa would ye? I knocked a shellakybooky off it with me gallybander but i'm not atin it now cos it would taste cat girl boy!

andala

I don't really think the word bad is negative. It definitely doesn't carry grammatical negation like never or nobody, it simply describes a negative emotion or state. Adding not before it changes the state into positive one. Thus Not too bad is not a double negative phrase.

deman

andala wrote: »

I don't really think the word bad is negative. It definitely doesn't carry grammatical negation like never or nobody, it simply describes a negative emotion or state. Adding not before it changes the state into positive one. Thus Not too bad is not a double negative phrase.

If this remark is aimed towards my post then my reply is - I wasn't referring to "not bad", I was referring to "yeah right", both positive words with a negative result.

andala

No, it was a remark on the first post by PH4T.

As for why the double positive "Yeah right" has a negative meaning in certain contexts, it's pragmatics and its conversational rules and indirect acts of speech.