Why do people say what's up?

Question

Why do people say what's up? why not what's down?

Answer 1

Because its asking you what's happening now, a current thing, no such thing as what's down, unless what's going down, more undertone currents to it or what went down, as what happened in the past.

Answer 2

Wazzup with ya wazzup question? Stop, listen look around everybody knows whats going down. But what's up?

Answer 3

is an informal expression meaning "what are you doing", "how are you", "what is happening" or "what gives." This expression was made very popular by the cartoon character Bugs Bunny who used it as early as 1940 as part of his catch phrase "What's up, Doc" (where each word was pronounced distinctly).

Answer 4

whats down..? "down" is more specific like what's the plan but whats up is more general like anything that happened or any news.

Answer 5

cause they want to know whats going on in life..WHATS DOWN MEANS LIKE WHATS THE PLAN?

Answer 6

i donn know...its probably the trying of being optomistic.
thinking that things are looking up instead of down

Answer 7

yea to know whats going on like, "What have you been up to?"
and they wont use what's down probably because they want to sound optimistic.

Answer 8

I don't know the origin, but I did find something funny on the topic.
http://www.hbingham.com/humor/whats-up.htm

Answer 9

They say ,"what's goin' down?"
which kinda means ,"what's up?"

Answer 10

what down isnt exciting.