jagatai wrote:
Zen wrote:
I find it nearly impossible to call people by name. I can say their name when telling another person about them, but I can't address them by name.
I've been known to say "thank you" too much because I don't know what else to say. But I can't say "bless you" when someone sneezes. I think it's because I'm an atheist, so I feel it's insincere, even if no one else thinks of its literal meaning.
Wait... Are we the same person? This would be exactly my response.
But I also have trouble saying "gesundheit" because I'm not really sure how to pronounce it. It's always a bit awkward since the only reason to say anything when someone sneezes is due to superstition. When I'm in a odd mood and someone sneezes a few times, I'll just yell, "Stop it!" Yeah, I'm a real hoot around the office.
Another thing I really have a problem saying is "sir" or "madam" Maybe it's an inherent dislike for social hierarchy but terms that indicate subservience or superiority stick in my throat and I find them almost impossible to say.
I hope not, because if I don't even remember answering myself, I must be really nuts.
But yes, I don't usually say anything when someone sneezes and then feel awkward when someone says something to me when I sneeze. I hadn't thought about it, but now that you mention it, I have the same issue with sir/madam as well. Fortunately, the only time I've been in a situation where that was expected was when I briefly had a job as a cashier, but I had other issues with that job which overshadowed that one.