Charlotte Latvala: ‘Of course’ versus ‘no problem’
The barista handed me my large Earl Grey.
“Thanks so much,” I said.
“Of course!” she replied. Chipper. Polite. Smiling.
The same exchange happened at a restaurant, later that week, when I asked for vinegar with my fries.
“Thanks!” followed by “Of course!”
It happened when a nice young man (I’m old enough to use that phrase unironically) held the door open for me at the post office.
“Thanks!”
“Of course!”
How did this happen? In a matter of weeks, it seems – maybe overnight – “of course” has replaced “you’re welcome” as the default response to “thank you."
Well, maybe not. The evolution had another step along the way, because “you’re welcome” became “no problem” for a few years.
Personally, I prefer “of course” to “no problem." It plays a more active role in the exchange. It feels slightly more ambitious. Dare I say, a little less lazy.
“No problem” feels like: Hey, it was nothing because I didn’t have to make any extra effort or go out of my way to do whatever the thing is that you’re thanking me for. In other words, it wasn’t a problem for me.
Whereas “of course” feels more like: That’s right, I’m doing my job with pride, and of course you should expect the best because you are worth it! It puts you on a bit of an emotional pedestal, to be honest. It makes you walk a little taller as you exit the coffee shop.
(On the other hand, I could be overthinking it.)
Regardless, it’s shocking how quickly language can change.
There have been other shifts in recent years and months, of course. Slang morphs into something new with each generation, and the internet has accelerated the process. (Fun fact: If you enjoy seeing your teenage or young adult children roll their eyes, shout a few slightly outdated slang expressions at them. There’s nothing like a “YASS QUEEN!” flung out the front door as they are getting into a car with friends they are trying to impress.)
On a serious note, some words and phrases have fallen out of favor in recent years, and in the case of ethnic, racial, and other slurs against various groups of people, that’s a good thing. Mean, ugly language tends to reflect mean, ugly thoughts. And shifts in our thinking make shifts in our language necessary.
(Speaking of ugly language: Can we please ease back on the F-word and its derivatives? Yes, we get it. You’re “real life” and “down to earth” when you pepper your conversations with it. But you also rob a well-placed swear of the intense power it may otherwise have. And yes, you sound dumb.)
Anyway. I keep wondering: Where did “of course” come from? Why did everyone decide, collectively, to start using it? How did the world agree on this one good thing so quickly?
And why can’t we, collectively, decide to start being nice to each other in other ways?
Charlotte is a columnist for The Times. You can reach her at charlottelatvala@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Charlotte Latvala: ‘Of course’ versus ‘no problem’
