“Hi! How are you? I am good!”
I wish I had a penny for every time I have heard that daft bit of conversation. The standard response to how one was used to be “I am fine,” but for some reason, it has since graduated to “I am good.” Now, the fact is that while one of the dictionary meanings of “fine” is “in good health and feeling well,” “good” has no such meaning. In fact, when you say a person is “good,” you seldom mean that he or she is in good health. You are more likely to be referring to his or her character or nature or their ability in a particular skill.
So, why the blazes do so many people bleat “I am good,” when asked about the state of their health? What do they say when they are ill? “Hi! I am bad”?
I know the defenders of modern speech will be up in arms and will holler that I am raising a non-issue and what one says matters little as long as the meaning is conveyed. And that is a fair point, especially when one is dealing with complex terms and jargon, but I fail to see how saying “I am good” is more convenient than saying “I am fine” - the latter is in fact a shorter sentence! “I am good” reeks more of a statement of character than of health.
Of course, I am sure that, stupid and irrelevant as it is, it will continue to grow in usage. Maybe a year from now, we will hear “How are you? I am excellent!”
Trust us to muck up a simple language!
2 comments:
Hmmm,it never really mattered to me.In fact, I m good sound so much more positive than a lame standard I am fine.tats what I think atleast
Heck, it's all in your tone. There are people who make "I am good" sound lamer than a lame duck! My only contention is why on earth is everyone using a sentence that is ungrammatical, inaccurate and as far as I can see, irrelevant. Ah, well, to each his or her own.
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