Is it because they actually want to know? Or because it's just something you're supposed to ask? (Conforming to social norms and all)
Is it asked in a literal how-are-they way? Or in a how-are-you-and-him/her way?
It's really odd when people do that even though they're friends with the significant other in question. This is assuming that they're asking in the literal how-are-they way, but wouldn't you know how a friend is by talking to them directly rather than through their partner?
Perhaps it's just the small, logical part of my mind thinking that this is a really weird thing that everyone seems to do without really questioning it.
4 comments:
People ask it exactly because it is about 'their significant other', meaning, that person who makes up a 'significant' part of their life and time.
So of course asking 'how is your significant other?' is a good way of asking 'how are you lately?'.
Similarly, when you ask that question, you're not asking 'what's up with your significant other'; you're asking them for THEIR opinion on what's happening with their significant other. Even if you're friends for said signficante, both people will have their opinion towards how their 'significant' other is.
My 2 cents.
Cam, I disagree with that by parts.
Chaos-child, you give an answer to how ever you want it to be. Whether you want to give a shallow answer that seems to appear like a normal "ok" answer and stops right the, IFF you chose not to have an overly LONG conversation about it.
I guess if people are aware that your significant "other" are together, it is polite for people to ask about it to you. Assuming they don't know how the "other" is going.
When people do ask you the question, it depend on who is the listener and that will vary your answer.
Example, if its any one of your close chick friends then you'll give an answer of how are you and them and how's the relationship. People may give an answer that drives down to the core depending on how well you trust and tell-all to this listener who asked you the question.
If it were someone else, you wouldnt drive down to the core of how your relationship is going. You'll simply just say how THEY are. So yes, my answer is half of the last paragraph of what Cam said.
i'm going to give 1cent...
asking is out of politeness...
and most of the time i ask, i basically want to know how you TWO are going, not really how they are...
or unless, im friends with them and i havent seen them in awhile, and while meeting you, i'll supposedly find out how they are as well?!
kekekeke
My opinion is along the lines of Cam and Yi.
I ask the question out of politeness and also respect.
It's a polite question that shows concern for what's been going on in someone else's life, being personal enough to be caring and general enough to be interpreted by the responder in any way they want to interpret it.
The question also shows respect for the responder's relationship. "How is 'insert name of significant other'?" carries with it the nuance of hoping both that their relationship is going well and that their significant other is doing well themselves.
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