How About You?

[meme]

Since being back in the Thai education system I can't help but notice the constant:

How about you? (Instead of, How are you?)

How about John?

How about your health?

How about Thailand? (Instead of, How do you like Thailand?)

I notice that all my Thai/English teachers are teaching and speaking this way. I want to correct them but would like something that I can back up my argument with, unless I am wrong.

Can someone give me supporting examples of why using "How about..." Is either correct or incorrect in these question forms.

Cheers.

[PeaceBlondie]

You could make the point that any sentence in English without a verb is incorrect, or incomplete. Even imperative sentences have no explicit subject, but they have a verb.

As you say, the proper question is "How are you?" Or, "What do you think about those Mets?" Only in New York do people shorten it and exclaim, "How 'bout those Mets!"

So that they don't lose face, you could say it's colloquially acceptable (in informal speech), as are many other irregular expressions, but it wouldn't be okay in written form.

[Scott]

Thanks PB, because I am not from NY, but I use this expression quite a lot. I also hear Thai's use it a lot.

I try to keep my students aware of the difference between "proper" English, and informal English. This is a good one to stress and they will be getting it tonight! They can use it, but need to know they can't write it!

[Ijustwannateach]

I have a theory about this phenomenon. Imagine this type of beginning conversation:

Mr. A: Hi, there, Mr. B. How are you doing?

Mr. B: Pretty good, Mr. A. How about you?

Mr. A: Just great, thanks. Well, see you later.

Mr. B: See you!

Unless it is explicitly pointed out and modelled as a kind of reflexive question (How old are you? 55, how about you? 60. Where do you live? I live in Thonburi. How about you? I live in Mo Chit) it would be quite easy for the casual low-level learner to decide that "How about you" is simply another way to ask "how are you doing"- especially as for the Thais, the ritual greeting doesn't change and can be repeated to one another. I am very careful to make this point when going over this dialogue with students.

"S"

[B Fuddled]

I find the word 'about' to be one of the most misused words in the students' vocabulary.

From advanced students: Thailand has man famous about tennis name Paradon. I am studying masters about aerospace engineering. My father has a job about selling.

The fluency camp will argue that it's OK, while the accuracy camp will argue no way.

[mbkudu]

Usually when Thai students make in class presentations they always begin with this:

'We will present about (enter any topic here, such as pop music in Thailand)......

All they have to save is: 'We will present pop music in Thailand.' Or 'We will give a presentation on pop music in Thailand.'

It's like a disease. Once they've heard others say it dozens of times, they can't break the habit