at a store

Question

"How much is this?""Five-fifty."Should the second one be a full sentencefor politeness? If so, what is the commonsentence to say to a client?Thank you.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

"How much is this?"
"Five-fifty."
Should the second one be a full sentence
for politeness? If so, what is the common
sentence to say to a client?

I asssume you are talking about a store, in which case much depends on the type of store. As the quality of the store increases, so does the level of politeness, generally speaking.

Politeness is also shown in ways that do not appear on the written page, eg by intonation, body language, facial expression.

I note that the words in the original question do not offer any sign of politeness, eg there is no 'please', or 'excuse me'. If one wants to receive politeness, it's a good idea to offer some.

You're probably right that a slightly longer reply would be more polite, even if it were just 'It's five-fifty', accompanied by a brief smile. In a higher-quality store, perhaps a 'sir' or 'madam' would be added, but I think that seems to be said less often in N. America today, as it can seem too deferential.

You might find it interesting to do some analysis of the level of politeness on our Forum. Some people ask their question politely, and also offer thanks. Others can be quite curt and peremptory.

Best wishes, Clive

Itasan · Answer

Thank you very much, Clive, for the detailed explanation.

at a store

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