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by CrumpetDiagonal 894 days ago
Similar culture in Australia too. “She’ be right, mate”
1 comments
WarOnPrivacy 894 days ago
I'm always struck by Brits who include a wellness check with their greeting.

[knocks]

[door opens]

"Y'alrite?"

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jameshart 894 days ago
British English idioms are often contractions of MUCH longer phrases.

"Y'alrite?" is not, contrary to what you might assume, short for "Are you alright?"

It's short for "Are you alright if I come in and interrupt you? It's fine if you're not, I just wanted to check before barging in. It's really not too much trouble is it? I'll go away and come back later. Or never. Sorry. Sorry, sorry."

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tasuki 894 days ago
Ah, I'd always thought the "you alright" was passively-aggressively suggesting I was somehow not alright.
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chrisweekly 894 days ago
hmm, maybe not so different from American "what's up?" or "how's it going?" as a non-sequitur
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