|
'How do you do' has its essence in the early meaning of the verb 'do', which has been used since the 14th century to mean 'prosper; thrive'. Even now, gardeners sometimes refer to a plant that grows well as 'a good doer'. The association with 'do' as specifically relating to one's health is first found in print in The Paston Letters, 1463:
I wold ye shuld send me word howghe วายอี ดีโอโอ(ต้องพิมพ์แบบนี้เพราะโดนกรองคำจนเพี้ยน).
The Paston Letters are, incidentally, an invaluable source when tracing the origin of English phrases and include the first reference to several commonplace idioms; for example, make no bones about, fool's paradise and hugger-mugger.
John Foxe, in his account of the persecutions of Protestants, The Book of Martyrs, 1563-87, recorded the first-known citation of a version of 'how do you do?' as an inquiry after someone's health:
God be thanked for you, How do you?
'How do you' is clearly the exact 16th century equivalent of our present day 'how are you?'. It was specifically asking after someone's health and a reply in kind would have been expected.
source: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/how-do-you-do.html ....................... Re: How are things? (as contributed by นายชัย in #2) ^ I already discussed this interesting issue in #7 in this other post
http://www.pantip.com/cafe/library/topic/K11342524/K11342524.html
Nearly all English people say "How's things?", not "How're things?"
Breakthrough, A Course in English Communication Practice, by J. C. Richards, M. N. Long, Oxford University Press also teaches students to say "How's things?", not "How're things?" (because the former sounds more natural than the latter).
^ I used this book to teach conversation to Thai students many years ago.
Let's hear native speakers' views on this matter:
Note, when you contract how is to how's, the verb gets lost in the phonetics, so, no verb, no agreement--at least at the phonetic level.
Hi, how's things? Can I add that, although "How's things?" is technically grammatically incorrect, it is said all the time in everyday spoken English - so much so that natural-born English people will not bat an eyelid if you use this and, in fact, use it all the time themselves. In my office (a London-based firm of professional auditors), I'd estimate that 90% have a preference for the more natural "How's things?" rather than the technically correct "How are things?".
Source: http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ask-teacher/48936-hows-things-going.html
แก้ไขเมื่อ 30 ธ.ค. 54 01:19:28
แก้ไขเมื่อ 30 ธ.ค. 54 01:14:39
จากคุณ |
:
fortuneteller
|
เขียนเมื่อ |
:
30 ธ.ค. 54 01:11:09
|
|
|
|
|