I'm fine, thank you.
 

So, I was in class when one of my students came up to me and told me I was wrong. I did my usual no I didn't spell that word wrong you must have uh.. um.. copied it down wrong preparation, but she told me people don't say "I'm good." or "I'm great." in Canada, in response to "How are you?"

So, more to the point, I teach everyone to respond to How are you? with "I'm good, thanks." or "I'm great, thank you." Someone at my student's elementary school came in and told them the above and that they should respond with "I'm fine, thank you."

I know it's in the textbooks (although the better textbooks have I'm just fine.) But, I never used that response until I came to japan (when no other response registered.)

How are you? I'm fine, thank you. drives me nuts. Do you teach this? Did it seem strange to you the first time you heard it?

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

I must add to this the response, "I'm fine, thank you. And you?"

:confused:

I have NO idea what to do about this. At this point I've resigned myself to this being a fact of life. It's funny, I was teaching at a high school a few weeks ago and I walked into a new class and asked everyone how they were doing? In unison, the repeated the aformentioned line as I moved my lips saying the same thing, like i could throw my voice. It got a laugh, anyway.

When I was teaching some first graders who had never formally studied English, I taught them a few different ways to respond like, I'm great, I'm OK, I'm fine and I'm Bad. I think that is the best time to really nip this bad habit in the bud. After the habit is formed, it's a hard one to break, but if you see a group of kids enough, I think they can be taught to express themselves a bit more... um...expressively.

I think it's really important for students to know different responses not only for them to use but also, what happens if they ask a native speak how they are and the reply is, "Not bad"? The students need to know that that means the same thing as OK or,dare i say, fine.

eric

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

Good. So, I'm not going crazy. (Or crazier)

I was just shocked because my student's teacher told her that people won't understand her in Canada if she says, "I'm great."

I'm hoping and what I told my student was that it must have been a communication problem. Probably, the teacher was teaching I'm fine, thank you. and wanted my student to say it that way for the lesson.

In Japan, ther is a push to get away from the "I'm fine thank you" and some teachers (native speakers) are teaching:
I'm hungry.
I'm sleepy.
I'm tired.

What are your thoughts on that? I don't work with these teachers but the Japanese teachers who have taught with them. I tell other teachers (Japanese) that we don't usually complain or whine in greetings. It sounds very unnatural to me. I tell them we're not really asking about right now. It's more of a overall question. Complaining out right just seems too much to me for a greeting (among close friends/family maybe.)

If they want to complain I tell them to greet first, and complain/explain later.

Nat bad. I'm a little sleepy.
Pretty good, but I had a rough night and I'm tired today.
Not so good. I think I failed my test.

Jumping around now: doesn't "I'm fine" sound like they're not fine? To me when I hear it, it sounds more like I shouldn't have asked. Sorry to have bothered you with my hello.

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

that's true, i think its very unnatural to unload your deepest feelings on a stranger. a family member or a close friend is different, though.

i guess it comes down to intonation and body language. but its not the most positive response you can give someone, thats for sure.(reminds me of my dating days :( )

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

You're a kept man then?

Or just not dating?

Feel free not to reply if you feel the love emails might start pouring in. :D

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

let me just set the record straight here so my inbox doesn't fill up over night, im married. :p

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

I'm fine, thank you.....And you! I think the And you is a Korean thing. My buddy has worked in Japan as well and they dont bust that one out!

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

I have the same problem...
I usually commit my first class to responses to usual small talk questions.
Examples:
How are you?
What's up?
What's new?
What's wrong?
Hey! How ya doing?
What ARE YOU DOING!!!!???

and so on ...

these are things I might ask quickly to students as I walk down the hall so I try to get it outta the way as well as introducing the classroom english in that first lesson AND my proper name (the students are not allowed to call me by my first name)

that's how I handle it...hope it helps!!!

you might also pull it into a health lesson...take teach the greetings and then point out that "hat's wrong" is somewhat different in that you expect bad news or that someone's poor demeanor can be spotted...

then segue into your lesson "my back hurts" or a complaints lesson

PLEASE EXCUSE MY POOR GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

So to get the problem straight, the students use a grammatically correct response which doesn't sound natural.

I would say this wouldn't be a problem for students in Japan where they would have limited interactions with people in English, probably in very formal situations when they start work. However, if they live in an English-speaking country, it may stop them from making friends and so on if they don't sound natural.

The issue is also that some of the first things people learn when they start learning English, stick for the longest time. Mistakes that people make when they start, like China students saying 'I live in Channa' or 'the eye-nternet' (anyone heard these?) are the toughest to erase.

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

A grammatically correct response isn't always an indication of fluency.

The foreign teacher's aim in Japan, as I see it, is too supplement students' grammar lessons with alternatives they really might hear in music, movies and later on, abroad (see "shall we go to the movies" vs. "Do you want to go to the movies" or even "Do ya wanna go to the movies").

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

I've just been to a barbecue at English friends' ( Last Saturday) and I'm fine or I'm very well was the usual response to the question : How are you? . I was taught this same response when I was young and I still teach it to my students. But I give them other alternatives like : " I'm great or things you can hear in movies or films!

Michèle

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

Interesting. I wonder if it's a British/American English thing. Any Brits out there who can let us know?

In the States, I'd say even 'How are you?' isn't used that much. That may be why 'I'm fine.' sounded so strange the first 500 times. (Now, I don't bat an eye at it.)
How are you doing?
How's it going?
How's everything?
What's up?
How have you been?

Those are all far more common in the area I'm from.

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

'sup y'all? Time for another 2 cents worth from me...

The way I see it, if you take all the people speaking English on the entire planet right now, the vast majority of them are speaking it as a second language. And they're not speaking it to us (native speakers) - they're speaking it to each other. And the first thing they all learned in their English classes is:

-How are you?
-Fine thanks, and you?

And why not? It facilitates communication and it sounds kinda funky. And it's probably used more often, globally, than 'sup dawg? or even How's it going?

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

:lol:
I couldn't even pull that one off in coolest days but I might start teaching it just because

ESL lessons once a week, $50/month.

World Cup tickets and cool soccer jersey, $200

My student goes up to someone and says, 'sup dawg?'

The reaction from the other, 'Priceless!'

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

I've never heard of " sup dawg" Is it a local greeting? American?

Michèle

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

'sup' is a shortened version of 'what's up?' It's how it sounds when said really fast and more HipHop style.

'Dawg' is Rap-HipHop as well for 'mate' or 'man'

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

I have NEVER taught "sup dawg"...where did everyone get their degrees...bob's paint and polish?

"I'm fine" is appropriate for beginners and in everyday situations, but students have a natural curiosity beyond "how are you" "what's this?" and "what sports do you like?"

Allowing the children/students a choice of options and synonyms is why we introduce new vocabulary.

I am NOT always fine--and I don't believe my students are either.

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

Michele, are you an native speaker? Did anyone ever teach you the difference between polite, dismissive small talk and the truth we say to friends?

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

actually, I have lived all around the world and with Japan's interegrated teaching system (using foreign english speakers in all public and private schools to teach english) they speak more english than you might think.

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

Vanilla, I'm French. ( was born near Paris)
Some of my English friends live in France so we often get together for dinner and speak English. I was taught English when I was in England, at school, passed an exam at the British Chamber of commerce in Paris, worked for a British insurance broker for a few years. Then 17 years ago decided to teach English and I love it!:)

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

I've never been taught rude or dismissive talk even in my native language but you tend to learn it through tv series or films or with friends. Anyway, I don't teach my students such a language.

Michèle

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

heh? What was rude or dismissive? Perhaps you misunderstood my english? Small talk is what you would use if you do not wish to elaborate on your feelings with someone. In Japan, for example complaining is considereded to be rude so sometimes I think that's why the whole concept of elaboration is not encouraged. In North America I have found, however, that small talk can be broad enough to include your entire day. Depending on your culture, 'How are you?' is very tricky indeed.

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

I am British and ALWAYS respond with 'I'm fine, thank you (or 'thanks') and you?" I would never say 'good thanks'. It is definitely a British/American thing. I would have a real problem teaching the latter, just as I would have a problem pronouncing words with an American accent.

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

hmmm, thats interesting. good to know that its a british/american thing.

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

Stanley - Thanks.

Did you respond like this in Britain? None of my British friends are quite so polite. :p

Do you ask 'How are you?' as well?

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

Last time I was in Britain, everyone just said, "Awright?"

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

Young people often say "awright?" (see above) to which the answer is "awright?" !!! And yes, I have always responded to the original question with " Fine thanks. You?" So do most people I know (well, people in England - I don't know any Brits in China.) It's also a bit of a social class issue. I'd say I fall somewhere in the middle. I'm really not that posh!

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

Perhaps it is a British English thing! Though its not spoken so formally as maybe some people seem to think.
I'm British and if I'm asked "How are you?" I answer, "fine", "I'm fine". I'm living now in Australia and I'm asked constantly when going into shops "How're you going?" and to that I'm answering "i'm good thanks" as "fine" doesnt seem to sound right. I think the trouble is that there are so many variants on greetings and hello's that when you are teaching new learners it's hard to find the one phrase that will be the perfect answer.

I was teaching in a Korean kindergarten and the kids all knew to respond "I'm fine" when asked how they were and it drove me crazy so I tried to encourage them to say other things too, like happy, sad, ok. It started to work after a while - I even had one kid say "I'm strong" but I was away for a couple of weeks and after that it was "I'm fine" again.

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

I'm British and I use 'I'm fine,thanks" followed by "and you?" or "yourself?" so I gues it must be a NA/GB thing.
I definitely agree about not complaining/whining to a stranger or acquaintance. At least with family (except my Korean one) you can let your true feelings out.
"How are you?"
"I'm cream-crackered, I had too much to drink last night and my eyes feel like p**sholes in the snow" doesn't translate to well in korean.

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

I think some people use "I'm fine, thank you," to say "No," in an indirect way.

When I was in the States, one of my classmates, a N.American, told me a funny story about "I'm fine, thank you,":

He was asked by an older man if he wanted some more drink. Instead of saying, "No, thank you," he said, "I'm fine, thank you." (Perhaps with some sort of a body language -- he didn't say. I've heard people reply like this at least a several times near Chicago.)

To this, the older man responded, "I didn ask you how you were doing."

My two mites.:)

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

A bright and cheerful 'I'm fine, thanks' works for me. Maybe it's just our ingrained reserve and reputation for understatement. My wife still has problems when I use the phrase 'that was not bad' or "it's not bad" to mean something that could range from "okay" to "very good". It's all in the tone of voice, emphasis on certain words and body language. But I normally would only use that with English friends. So if you hear an Englishman say that, don't be upset, it might be a compliment.

Getting back to "I'm fine, thanks". I also use this phrase to to say an indirect "No thanks". For me it's a polite way of saying, "I've had enough already, thanks." or "I'm satisfied with what I have."

I think it really comes down to how you say something and not always what you say.

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

It's also common in Japanese to say 'I'm good.' to mean 'No, thank you.' For a lot of my students that's easy enough to understand but redcopper's 'It's not bad.' usually has their head's spinning.

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

As a Japanese, who picked up English in the States when small, it does make my head dizzy at first to get this close to British English.

But on the other hand, English language, being a tool for communication, I think we'd all need to take into consideration what is behind the mere words of the speaker to avoid misunderstanding. And, for that, a little cultural knowledge, like British people mean to compliment in saying "It's not bad," and a N.American would say "I'm good," not meaning I am a good person, but I am doing well, or that a Japanese in Western Japan would think it impolite to visit someone at the first invitation, etc., is important and helpful.

And body language, tone of voice, intonation, facial expressions are also very important keys in understanding others, too.

It would save a lot of tears if we knew these beforehand.

But this is a little off the topic of the thread maybe.

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

Hi this is aydin from turkey. In turkey we teach I'm fine thank you, and the response to how are you? is not I'm great or I'm good. I didnt get the reason you teach or use the response I'm great.Everyone learn the same response I am fine Thank you. Maybe you know a different thing from me. please share it with me. Thank you bye.

Re: I'm fine, thank you.
 

Here is my opinion and a blog I posted on this subject.

I'm Fine Thank You