From Twitter
1/2) A danger in studying English by memorizing set expressions is in not knowing when to use them, making one look foolish or even insulting. Any English teacher in Asia can tell you we experience this often. One reason is students do not read books enough. Next, see 2/2. >
2/2) The other day a man on the train saw that I dropped a pen. He picked it up, handed it to me and said “Good morning.” I said “thank you” and returned the greeting. He then said, “Calm down.” He should’ve said:
a. What’s new?
b. Where are you from?
c. You’re welcome.
d. relax
Answers: Of course a, b, and c are fine (though a. is really for friends or people who know each other), with c being the most common and boring, but d is out (wrong or inappropriate). It doesn’t even make sense.
Explanation: “Calm down” is bizarre, but I suppose the old man meant, “relax”? Even that is a non-relevant answer. But living in another culture we have to understand peoples’ attempt to communicate.
