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I've always understood that the answer to "How do you do?" is "How do you do?" or "It's a pleasure to meet you" or something of that sort.

Can it ever be "I'm fine, thanks"? Is this just wrong, or is it British or another dialect?

Maybe somebody somewhere has actually answered 'I'm fine, thanks' to 'How do you do' (in the context of a formal meeting/introduction), but I think it would confuse students if you were to present that answer as anything other than a somewhat inappropriate mistake/faux pas (and then, why would you present such a mistake, rather than focussing on 'How do you do' as the proper, expected and easy/trouble-free reply in that context, or equally if not more importantly, on the actual question in another context that properly elicits 'I'm fine, thanks' or whatever (i.e. 'How are you?')).

fluffyhamster wrote:Maybe somebody somewhere has actually answered 'I'm fine, thanks' to 'How do you do' (in the context of a formal meeting/introduction), but I think it would confuse students if you were to present that answer as anything other than a somewhat inappropriate mistake/faux pas (and then, why would you present such a mistake, rather than focussing on 'How do you do' as the proper, expected and easy/trouble-free reply in that context, or equally if not more importantly, on the actual question in another context that properly elicits 'I'm fine, thanks' or whatever (i.e. 'How are you?')).

Really -- that's a mistake? Ohhhhh. I've gotten that question so many times, (which I thought was a strange question to begin with), and to think -- I've been answering it wrong all this time.
I don't think I would ever reply "how do you do?" It seems so artificial. But I guess I can understand it in light of our American "What's up?" "What's up?" Perhaps because it's only a two-word "question," so it seems more like a generic greeting than a real question.

It's being confused with "how are you?".

jotham wrote:Really -- that's a mistake? Ohhhhh. I've gotten that question so many times, (which I thought was a strange question to begin with), and to think -- I've been answering it wrong all this time.
I don't think I would ever reply "how do you do?" It seems so artificial. But I guess I can understand it in light of our American "What's up?" "What's up?" Perhaps because it's only a two-word "question," so it seems more like a generic greeting than a real question.

So when people say 'How do you do' (during formal introductions at whatever social function, assuming you still go to or get invited to any LOL), you reply with something like 'I'm fine, thanks'?

"How do I do what?"

There is an odd relationship between the literal and implied meaning in expressions of phatic communion. Consider the good in "good morning" or in "goodbye". Some speakers might think they are expressing a wish that the listener will have a "good" morning or a "good" departure. "Goodbye" is actually a corruption of "God be with you".

It's not what you say. It's how you say it. The map is not the territory.

fluffyhamster wrote: So when people say 'How do you do' (during formal introductions at whatever social function, assuming you still go to or get invited to any LOL), you reply with something like 'I'm fine, thanks'?

I'm trying to think back if there was a time any British friends ever said that to me and then rolled their eyes at my reply, but I don't think I was ever given the opportunity to embarass myself in front of them. Not that I would have remembered. At any rate, I doubt if they would have corrected me.

"How do you do" is now a pretty rare expression, I would think. If someone said it to me I would say "hello" I suppose, but I can't picture it having ever happened in reality. Although I suppose I have been addressed that way, I just seem to get prim movie scenes in my head.

If I was involved in a restoration comedy ad-lib session, I would say "How do YOU do?". If I was involved in a victorian roleplay of some sort, I would say "Delighted to meet you!". I would never answer "I'm fine".

it's really interesting in china ., as an english teacher ,we are often told to teach our students that we should say how do you do ? if we meet others for the first time.

katespringbeijing wrote:it's really interesting in china ., as an english teacher ,we are often told to teach our students that we should say how do you do ? if we meet others for the first time.

That's when you are supposed to use it normally, in my opinion.

In Japan, I introduced myself to the students like that and the Australian I was replacing was horrified and said that people would think I was stuck up. I would also answer, "How do YOU do?" I think it is a left over from the British part of British Columbia that influences me but none of my younger friends ever use this.