Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. Assume the first question is asked in a mono-tone, casual voice. That said, my reason for replying is to note that in the US midwest, why as an interjection often is pronounced differently than why as an adverb; the h in the interjection being heard less than in the adverb. How do rationalists justify the scientific method. They’re counting on you answering at least one question truthfully. No one really learns something by just being handed the answer on a plate so I think you need to readjust your expectations here. English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. OR Person B: … Shouldn't some stars behave as black hole? By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Service. Could you guys recommend a book or lecture notes that is easy to understand about time series? Starting a sentence with 'About your question, …'. What kind of overshoes can I use with a large touring SPD cycling shoe such as the Giro Rumble VR? Why not come to me? Do other planets and moons share Earth’s mineral diversity? A question of informal punctuation: How do you correctly end a sentence with 'haha'? In a not-so-formal letter to a boss, for example? Quick link too easy to remove after installation, is this a problem? Is a software open source if its source code is published by its copyright owner but cannot be used without a commercial license? Can it be justified that an economic contraction of 11.3% is "the largest fall for more than 300 years"? MAINTENANCE WARNING: Possible downtime early morning Dec 2/4/9 UTC (8:30PM…, “Question closed” notifications experiment results and graduation. ('googler' might do both.). Why is it easier to carry a person while spinning than not spinning? Some questioners are more aggressive than others. Would “I poke you later” a rude expression? I'm going to Walmart. Usually I receive the following question, "When will you get pregnant?" and they never mean it seriously, always with some insolence. Unfortunately, the rude questions are very difficult for me… the same question can be asked with a smile, and joy, leaving me honoured and privilegded to share….Asked with the dreaded scowl followed by the invasive, rude, tone This construct is definitely somewhat archaic, and I've seen it more often in British contexts than American. In a book I've read some characters are answering questions with "Why, ", e.g. It has some overlap with other opening phrases such as "You see, ". When asked a question, a common social custom is that you should answer, yet in reality you are seldom obliged to answer. OR Is it more acceptable to answer the question, then ask a followup question? In office communications, informal or not, interjections probably are excess baggage. OR Who is it kool to answer a question with a question? Sometimes people do that because they don't understand the question and want more info before answering. rev 2020.11.24.38066, Sorry, we no longer support Internet Explorer, The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, English Language & Usage Stack Exchange works best with JavaScript enabled, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site, Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, Learn more about hiring developers or posting ads with us. It is easy to sound archaic or condescending, so take care where you use it. In some contexts, it could be condescending. By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. Person B: Why? Stack Exchange network consists of 176 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers.