Does anyone else have trouble answering "what's up?&quo

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no i don't really have that problem. "Sup" or "wassup" or "whats up" are all derived from the statement "what is up with you?". To someone literally minded it's a problem. In those cases just remember that this is a stock greeting or agnolagement which should be returned with a stock reply "not much" is usually the most standard answer, or you can go and say "Hey". If you know the person and are on good terms with them you can say "not a whole hellva lot"
or say "the sky" with a straight face, then grin and say "whats going on man" (or something similar) (it shows you have a sense of humor, but only do this with people you know and are friends with).

I still have problems with answering "How are you?"

"All right." They have directed an interrogative statement at you that means and implies nothing and they want that same brand of nothing back. This is the only appropriate answer.

-Frank

yeah, i've never been certain as to whether it's just a greeting synonymous with 'hello' or an enquiry about recent goings on in your life. so sometimes i just respond with a 'hey' or something along those lines, other times i'll launch into a lowdown on my day or the last few days. i think i tend to do this when i'm less composed.

I know that in teenage context, the proper answer to the question "What's up?" is "Nothing much, you?"

But I can't answer "Nothing much", because there are a lot of things going on in my life.

I don't get it.

No, because that's even more socially awkward--and a typical Aspie trait.

For example, if someone asked me, "What's up?", and I said, "I think Gregory House is awesome!", then they would be confused and think I didn't understand the question...and I don't want to further my isolation even more.

I'm learning to deal with the idea that most NT's don't know how to make intelligent conversation.

Sigh.

I HATE that turn of phrase! I can never tell when people are asking me "what's happening in your life/what are you doing right now/how are you REALLY (as opposed to the "how are you" where you're supposed to just say "fine" because it's just a greeting and not a real question)" or if they're just saying hello. Sometimes I get it right but I also get a lot of blank stares. If I'm distracted when someone says "what's up?" I always answer them because it's my default setting to take stuff semi-literally (not entirely literally, since I don't say "clouds, birds, ceiling, outer space" ).

I always either say "Nothing much" or "the sky."

As silly as this sounds, I suggest that you answer this "question" simply by asking another "question." Either repeat "hey, what's up" back to them or something similar. It's not really a question--it's usually just a stock greeting phrase.

And yes, that question used to bug me quite a bit, especially when I was a teenager. I didn't understand how I was supposed to respond. It still bugs me a little.

What's so confusing about it, for me, is that when most people say "What's up?" they do not mean the words they are saying. The words themselves indicate a question seeking information about me. But most people do not mean it as a question when they say it--they say it as a sort of meaningless phrase to use when they greet someone. Kind of like "hi," or a standard thing to say after hi.

When I was in college I once overheard the start of a conversation between two students that went like this:

Student 1: "Hey, what's up?"
Student 2: "What's up?"
Student 1: "What's going on?"

Neither of them answered the other's questions. Rather, they responded by asking another question. It sounded ridiculous (and annoying) to me--and yet, surprisingly, both of them seemed very pleased with the interaction after this. Neither of them seemed in the least bit bothered that the other guy was not answering his questions. In fact they both seemed comforted and reassured by the fact that their questions were not being answered. They obviously expected and wanted their questions to NOT be answered.

It was like this strange (to me) greeting ritual in which neither of the guys really meant the words they were saying. And once they saw that the other person was responding to their questions in the standard, ritual way, rather than answering them as if they were real questions, they suddenly seemed at ease with each other. It was like they were thinking "This guy understands me. He responded the right way."

It was as if they had spoken a secret password or given a special handshake to each other that made no sense in itself, but effectively let each other know, "I am like you." Or to put it more colloquially, "I'm cool."

Anyway, I find it irritating that people say the words of a question (like "what's up?") when that's not what they mean at all. Even though I know they probably don't mean it as a question, I still feel obligated to answer it.

I usually reply with "not too much." But just for fun, I think I'll try responding to the next "what's up" I get with my own "what's up." And if they happen to ask "what's up" again, I'll respond with another "what's up" or "what's going on" and just keep going like that, responding to all those questions with more questions. I'll probably get a good laugh out of the senselessness of it.

I get that a lot when I'm walking through the halls. Usually I just smile and/or wave at them.

Hmm, you don't encounter that colloquialism as much in Australia. But I do come across it. It depends a little on how well I know the person who's used it. If they're a friend or an acquaintance I see a bit often, I might briefly answer with what I've been up to (2-3 sentences) and follow up with "So what about you?" If it's someone I don't know well it's usually the standard not much, unless something particularly interesting and/or funny just happened.

I don't have a problem saying a quick hello to people, when they ask What'z Up?.

whats up Dawg