It is impossible to be doing nothing. Whatever answer you give you will be doing something. Think about it.
2007-01-26 17:38:54 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
You're correct, but it should be deemed to mean "nothing much" or "nothing important". These are workable and practical solutions to unnecessary knots in the language frontier.
Otherwise if you are asked who you are, you'd have to answer "a configuration of the following metabolic activities and such and such chemical and physical environment & so on ....."
2007-01-26 18:20:25 · answer #1 · answered by Sabya 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
(-: It's all small talk. At any moment, yes, you are breathing, digesting, and doing any number of things, but you are doing "nothing worth mentioning." Of course, if you answer "nothing," that's a huge opening for the asker to say, "Good! I'd like you to do this, that and the other thing, then!"
Other small talk doesn't make sense either, but I'm glad it's around. Which would you rather hear? "How are you?" "Oh, I have an ache in my arches, and I'm feeling a little gassy." Or: "Fine, thank you." Human connection without the misery that more in-depth analysis might bring. (-: Save the gory stuff for close relatives and your medical professional!
2007-01-27 02:35:21 · answer #2 · answered by Madame M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In terms of "doing something" meaning consciously and actively performing an action then it is perfectly possible to be doing nothing. I do nothing a lot of the time. I don't think you can count your body's subconscious and mechanical reflexes as actions.
2007-01-27 04:08:24 · answer #3 · answered by thehumourstopshere 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
that is very true! Your body is constantly moving and working so it is physically impossible to be doing "nothing." Thank you for that!
2007-01-27 01:44:52 · answer #4 · answered by annabanana 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, you *can* do nothing. If someone is asking "what are you eating?" you can say "nothing" if you aren't eating. Similarily, if you are not going about with any activity, you can say "nothing" if someone is asking whether or not you're perofrming some kind of activity, i.e. if you're "doing anything".
2007-01-27 04:51:40 · answer #5 · answered by Psychotic Clown 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I normally reply with nothing much, it covers any ambiguities that smart people may have considered.
2007-01-27 01:48:25 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
quite so, the correct response is "nuffink!" followed by " . . . and if anywun says i wos they is tellin' big fibs, yer honor!"
2007-01-27 08:52:07 · answer #7 · answered by waif 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know but thats how we talk so live with it haha
2007-01-27 02:00:04 · answer #8 · answered by BlazenAzn215 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋