Funny, I never thought much about this but you do have a point...I guess even though the person offering the cup of tea obviously is willing to give you the tea, it sounds humbler and less greedy to add a "please" to the "yes"...
Here's one thing I don't quite understand: why it is necessary to say someone's name if it is just the two of you talking and there is no chance of confusion about who is being addressed? "Hi couldbecousin." "Hi." Why do I have to say the other person's name every time? I know it sounds "nicer," but sometimes I guess I just get stubborn.
I think I am lucky to live in a country where you don't have much of these time consuming phrases. (Norway)
My boyfriend insists on 'yes please', rather then just Yes. When he asks if I'd like coffee, or something he often asks again if I only say 'yes'.
He says he does it because it's polite and correct, and because his parents (who we see at least once a week or fortnight) like correct manners.
I'm with you though... surely Yes is more then enough. The please just seems like extra 'waffle' to me. I must admit, on the other hand that I sometimes substitute 'Thank you' or 'yes thank you'.
I don't say 'yes please' I always thought it was more polite to say 'Yes. Thank you'. Though alot of the time if the setting is more casual I'll just say 'okay' or something similar instead, if I am asked whether I want a cup of tea.
Is it a british thing, we either have extra manners or some people have none at all.
LOL!
Okay. Let's say that the person is asking you if you want more coffee
If you say yes, then, technically, nothing follows from that. (Maybe you want some but can't have it because you have to leave right away or something.)
If you say yes, please pour me some, then probably the person will pour you some.
If you say yes, please, the implicit request is, please pour me some, and hopefully the person will do it.
When someone is offering a cup of coffee or a sweet, my grandma saying "I don't mind" instead of "yes, please". I find that rude.
I assume I wouldn't find that rude, but because I am norwegian...
I guess the answer "yes please" is showing the other person how much you value their offer. Same as "thank you".
erkolos you're lucky not to have these little niceties. What sort of thing do they say in Norway to make things more polite(or not)? Anything?
People in Norway often call such niceties falseness, and could actually feel it rude.
"Yes please" i remember that one
always got grounded for not saying it
Have never heard praying like that either, lol!
When we were at my grandmas to celebrate her birthday she would always say "Ta en kaka till" (Have another Cookie) and I would always do that even if it meant that I'd eat several cookies of the same sort.
If someone asks me if I want tea I always reply something like "No, thank you, I don't drink tea... But coffea, if you have?"
I wouldn't describe Norway as such.