If someone comments on your outfit. . .? (please help settle a debate)

If someone says something like, "Is that a new dress (or shirt, pants etc.)?" and you answer, either yes or no, and then the other person doesn't say anything else, like "oh, it's really nice", would you then assume that they don't like the clothing item? Or would you think that because they asked about it, they do like it? Or would you just think that completely was weird , or something else?

Thanks!

Message edited 5/8/2015 5:17:20 PM.

If someone comments on your outfit. . .? (please help settle a debate)

Just think its weird that they asked about my article of clothing and then didn't make a comment at all after I answered. lol I would answer with yes it's new (or not new) why??? lol

Message edited 5/8/2015 5:26:21 PM.

Re: If someone comments on your outfit. . .? (please help settle a debate)

I don't think I would notice if they followed up (or didn't follow up) with any kind of comment.

Re: If someone comments on your outfit. . .? (please help settle a debate)

I think it's a bit weird.

Is the person in question American?

The reason I ask is because there was some research done about Americans and compliments.

Re: If someone comments on your outfit. . .? (please help settle a debate)

It's weird. I would think they they either don't like it or they are making a passive aggressive comment about my shopping habits.

I was showing my mom the new stuff I bought my self & she said about the shirt i was wearing "I like the color" & immediately I thought, "well that must mean she doesn't like anything else about it!" It was my fault for bringing it up!

Re: If someone comments on your outfit. . .? (please help settle a debate)

If someone comments on your outfit. . .? (please help settle a debate)

Isn't the fact that they noticed you are wearing something new a compliment? I'm not sure that any follow up compliment is necessary.

Re: If someone comments on your outfit. . .? (please help settle a debate)

If someone comments on your outfit. . .? (please help settle a debate)

Weird.

I am also interested in the American compliment research!

Re: If someone comments on your outfit. . .? (please help settle a debate)

The compliment thing...

There is a linguist that has done research and talks on compliments and politeness difference between British and Americans.

Anyway, she said that compliments are a way of subconsciously connecting with people in order to belong and be equal. It is something that is in American culture.

I'm just going to take her quote with a link if you want to do further reading.

"It is in Americans' nature to subconsciously look for points of connection with anyone they meet because mainstream American culture is solidarity-based (see Brown & Levinson 1987). This is to say that communication is based on the goal of creating a sense of equality and belonging. This, in turn, is due--paradoxically--to the facts that American culture rests on a belief in the primacy of the individual (rather than the group) and that it is achievement-oriented, rather than ascription-oriented--i.e. it's about what one does rather than what one is."

"If someone compliments you and you accept it by saying thank you, you are implicitly agreeing with the compliment and therefore breaking the 'modesty rule'. Thus, if you compliment an English person on how well she did something, she's likely to claim that anyone could have done it or to point out the bits she could have done better."

http://separatedbyacommonlanguage.blogspot.de/2008/06/compliments-nice-and-lovely.html

She also has a TED talk (if you like that kind of thing ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbu-eMcEF3s

You can skip to 9.20 to listen to the part I'm talking about.

In that talk she says that giving compliments is a way of giving positive face and saying you value something. We even take it one step further when we get a compliment and say 'thanks, I got it at Macy's' in way to say you can be just like me or we downplay it. She also talks about how compliments can be invasive in other cultures, etc.

I noticed this when I moved. I thought, wow, I must really dress like crap, etc. But then when I meet American friends, I get compliments. I understood it all after listening to this.

Anyway, that's why I asked if this person was not American.

Re: If someone comments on your outfit. . .? (please help settle a debate)

I've had this happen many times, but never from an adult. Some teenagers tend to be more observational than complimentary. I work in a school, so the students may say, "You got a haircut"... and nothing else lol.

I would assume she liked it!

If someone comments on your outfit. . .? (please help settle a debate)

I had a girl from Hong Kong tell me that in her culture, if someone gives compliment, the person who gets it must down play it, i.e.:, You look great, would be answered with a modest, That is very kind of you. Or, You sang beautifully, would be answered, You are much too kind.