why do people say: "how do you do" when they meet?

Question

I guess I mean (do what?)

Answer 1

Its the sort of thing you say when you meet someone for the first time. They reply 'Very well thank you. And you?'.

It doesn't imply that you've met them before or know them better than you really do, as a phrase like 'How are you?' or 'How are things going?' would.

You then make smalltalk about the weather and things if you want to know them better. If not, you don't. Nobody loses face.

It all sounds a bit formal, like a royal garden-party, but you can do the same thing using less stuffy phrases, depending on what sort of people you're meeting (surfer-dudes, jocks, geeks or whatever).

Answer 2

Its the way they greet. Where Iam at they say that all the time its just a variation between the 2

1. Hi! How are you today?
2. Hi! How's it going?

Answer 3

It's a polite way of saying "how are you?" when you meet someone for the first time.

Answer 4

courtesy, they do not really want to know unless they are close friends. Like when someone at a restaurant says see you next time they don't really mean it but its natural reaction and polite

Answer 5

It is a polite and social greeting and acknowlegement of another's presence; it is not an inquiry.

Answer 6

It has become a norm to greet politely like that. Of course, you can still greet "Hello" or "Yo, dude!" Or just "Pweeeet!"

Answer 7

what elce would you want a stranger to say, it's just acknowledging your there, we could care less how your doing but want to say something but don't have a clue as to what. Just say fine, thank you, and you?