Exceptions to the Agreement Rule

This sort of gracious fudging is possible because the rules of English weather-speak are complex, and there are often exceptions and subtle variations. In the case of the agreement rule, the main variation concerns personal taste or differences in weather-sensitivity. You must always agree with ‘factual’ statements about the weather

(these are almost invariably phrased as questions but, as we have already established, this is because they require a social response, not a rational answer), even when they are quite obviously wrong. You may, however, express personal likes and dislikes that differ from those of your companions, or express your disagreement in terms of personal quirks or sensibilities.

An appropriate response to ‘Ooh, isn’t it cold?’, if you find you really cannot simply agree, would be ‘Yes, but I really rather like this sort of weather – quite invigorating,бодрящий don’t you think?’ or ‘Yes, but you know I don’t tend to

notice the cold much – this feels quite warm to me’. Note that both of these responses start with an expression of agreement, even though in the second case this is followed by a blatant self-contradiction: ‘Yes . . . this feels quite warm to me.’ It is perfectly acceptable to contradict oneself in this manner, etiquette being far more important than logic, but if you truly cannot bring yourself to start with the customary ‘Yes’, this may be

replaced by a positive-sounding ‘Mmm’ accompanied by a nod – still an expression of agreement, but rather less emphatic.

Even better would be the traditional mustn’t-grumble response: ‘Yes [or Mmm-with-nod], but at least it’s not raining.’ If you have a liking for cold weather, or do not find it cold, this response virtually guarantees that you and your shivering acquaintance will reach happy agreement. Everyone always agrees that a cold, bright day is preferable to a rainy one – or, at least, it is customary to express this opinion.

The personal taste/sensitivity variation is really more of a modification than an exception to the agreement : flat contradiction of a ‘factual’ statement is still taboo, the basic principle of agreement still applies; it is merely softened by allowing for differences in taste or sensitivity, providing these are explicitly identified as such.

There is, however, one context in which English weather-speakers are not required to observe the agreement rule at all and that is the male-bonding argument, particularly the pub-argument. This factor will come up again and again, and is explained in much more detail in the chapter on pub-talk, but for the moment, the critical point is that in English male-bonding arguments, particularly those conducted in the special environment of the pub, overt and constant disagreement – not just on the weather, but on everything else as well – is a means of expressing friendship and achieving intimacy.

1.polite responses, always agree:

A -‘Nice day, isn’t it?’,

A-‘Ooh, isn’t it cold?’,

A-‘Still raining, eh?’

A-‘Cold, isn’t it?’,

B-Yes, isn’t it?’

B-‘Mmm, very cold’.

B-Mm, yes, isn’t it?’

2. A- ‘Ooh, isn’t it cold?’

B-‘No, actually, it’s quite mild’ (very rude to answer like that)

A-“Well, it feels cold to me,’

A-‘Really? Do you think so?’

Or change the subject

Very polite response to such a response:

A-‘ Ooh, isn’t it cold?’

B-No, actually, it’s quite mild’

***slightly embarrassed pause***

A-‘Oh, perhaps you don’t feel the cold – you know, my husband is like that: he always thinks it’s mild when I’m shivering and complaining. Maybe women feel the cold more than men, do you think?’

4if you really can’t agree:

A- Ooh, isn’t it cold?’,

B-‘Yes, but I really rather like this sort of weather – quite invigorating (бодрящий) don’t you think?’

B-‘Yes, but you know I don’t tend to notice the cold much – this feels quite warm to me’.

But still better:

A-Ooh, isn’t it cold?’,

B-‘Yes [or Mmm-with-nod], but at least it’s not raining.’ (If you do not find it cold)

4.A-Awful weather, isn’t it?’,

B-‘Yes, but they say it’s going to clear up this afternoon.

A‘-Yes, well, they said that yesterday and it poured all day, didn’t it?’

A-‘Phew, isn’t it hot?’,

B-Call this hot? This is nothing. You should come to Texas [Brisbane] if you wanna see hot!’American answerJ

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 792