Conversational Language: Conversational Language (#10)

Dennis Oliver

Conversational Language (#10):
"Condition" Questions

Both casual and polite greetings are often followed by
(or combined with) questions which ask about someone's
general condition. The particular greetings and questions
that are used vary according to the situation.

Here are some typical "condition" questions:

Casual / Very Friendly Greetings

How's it going?
How's everything?
How're things?
How're you doing?
How've you been?
How's the world (been) treating you?
How's by you?

Polite / Friendly Greetings

How are you?
How are you, ___ (name)?

How are you ___ ? (today / this afternoon /
this evening, etc.)

How are you ___ (today, etc.), ___ (name)?

_____________________________________________

Special Notes:

1.		In "How's it going?," "How're you doing?," and "How's the world (been) treating you?," the "-ing" sound changes to a sound that's something like "un": How's it goin'? How're you doin'? How's the world (been) treatin' you?

2.		The sounds in "How're you doing? and "How's the world (been) treating you?" often change in another way, too: the pronunciation of "you" becomes something like "yuh" and in "How're," the "'re" is dropped: How yuh doin'? How's the world (been) treatin' yuh?

3.		In casual greetings, people frequently say "How's things?" (even though this is actually not good grammar).

4.		"How's the world been treating you?" and "How's the world treating you?" both mean exactly the same as "How are you?"

5.		In some parts of the U.S., "How's by you?" is often heard. (This expression is probably a direct translation of a Yiddish question form.)

6.		In casual greetings, contractions made with Wh- (information) words are very common. In "condition" questions, contractions with "How" are often used: How's How're How've

Conversational Language: Conversational Language (#10)

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