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Tea, but only if you're making!!

Literal_Joe

Conversation with two friends yesterday:-

When a person asks "would you like a cup of tea", the response is often "only if you're making". I find this ludicrous!!

Discussed with two NT friends (a couple), who explain that the responder doesn't want to 'put out' the asker. I say ... 'but that person has just asked if you want one, i.e they're happy to make you a cup'

Then they say that you might not want one, hence your response -I say ... Well if you don't want a tea, just say no!! 

They say - The person might just be being polite by asking if you want a cup of tea, and therefore the respondent is being polite in return, knowing that 

I find it all bonkers, stuff like this, makes no sense to me 

How about everyone else on here ??!!

Parents
  • Literal_Joe said:
    "only if you're making"

    Oh, you know I thought this was the opposite from polite -I thought there was a joke for a while, maybe it was from a tv programme, that if you asked someone if they'd like a cup of tea, and when the second person replied 'yes', the first person says 'so would I, stick the kettle on!' as a bit of a cheeky trick to get the second person to make the first one a cup of tea. So to get round, adding 'only if your making it', was to ensure the second person didn't get tricked into making it. 

    I thought the polite version you describe was more like, 'well if you are making one anyway, I wouldn't mind one!', as a way not to impose. 

    But these things might now be blended together, as language ebbs and flows. I just stick to 'yes please' as it's simpler!

Reply
  • Literal_Joe said:
    "only if you're making"

    Oh, you know I thought this was the opposite from polite -I thought there was a joke for a while, maybe it was from a tv programme, that if you asked someone if they'd like a cup of tea, and when the second person replied 'yes', the first person says 'so would I, stick the kettle on!' as a bit of a cheeky trick to get the second person to make the first one a cup of tea. So to get round, adding 'only if your making it', was to ensure the second person didn't get tricked into making it. 

    I thought the polite version you describe was more like, 'well if you are making one anyway, I wouldn't mind one!', as a way not to impose. 

    But these things might now be blended together, as language ebbs and flows. I just stick to 'yes please' as it's simpler!

Children
  • in reply to Cinnabar_wing

    Ther was a Charlie chuck skit in lockdown I think it was where his wife(?) says do you want a cup of tea Charlie and he replies only if your making and she says no but so you want one and he says well do you want a cup of tea and she says yes but only if your making one any way and this goes on ha ha 

    A bit like his famous cake shop sketch or the Cadbury double decker up there advert he did