When Irish people receive compliments, we immediately get suspicious.
We recently ran an article on the 10 compliments that Irish people simply can’t handle. Now, we list the typical responses to those compliments.
- Compliment – “You’re looking well”
Response – “Ah stop it would ya?” – Also internally, you are thinking ,”what are they looking for? Or are they being sarcastic?”
- Compliment – “Have you lost weight?”
Response – “No, I’m just further away” – You will also be asking yourself, “wow, how heavy was I?” or might just utter “I’ve been sick”.
- Compliment – “You’ve a great colour, were you away?”
Response – “Who? Me? Ah no, that’s probably just the blood pressure.” The internal strife will be big here. Why do they want to know if I was away? What do they really mean by that?
- Compliment – “That was a lovely dinner.”
This compliment will put you on high alert as you fear whoever said it will expect this level all the time. You might respond with, “ah anyone could have made that.”
Or, “it was nothing, just something I threw together.” Even if you have spent hours upon hours in the kitchen getting it ready.
- Compliment – “You played well today”
You see it all the time on the Sunday Game.
Player is complimented and immediately gets uncomfortable saying things like, “it’s a team game and I wouldn’t have been able to perform without the lads.” Or, “I was lucky enough in fairness to be in the right place at the right time.”
- Compliment – “That fine young thing is your mother?”
It’s bad enought receiving a compliment without someone going to lengths to compliment your ma. Immediately we’re on the defensive and questioning their motivation.
The response can be awkward and disjointed. “Yeah, she’s… she’s my mother alright.” Or, “she’s been keeping fit doing Salsa classes.”
- Compliment – “That’s a nice shirt/jumper/jacket/any item of clothing.”
We are not taking this compliment lying down and can respond with, “this old thing? Pfft, I have it years.” As if to insinuate that you have much cooler, more stylish items of clothing at your disposal.
- Compliment – “That’s your sister? Wow.”
It’s up there with the mother compliment, but can draw an inappropriate response such as, “she’s got loads of make-up on.” Or, “yeah, and she’s a blackbelt in Tae-Kwon-Do.”
- Compliments for a favour that required professional expertise at an unsociable hour.
You’ve helped out a friend as a favour, but they insist on doing something nice for you in return. You reply with things such as, “do not attempt to pay me or I will end our friendship”, or, “sure if friends can’t help each other, who can they help?”
- Compliment – “Thanks for bringing me to this lovely restaurant. Now I’m paying.”
We have a big issue with people attempting to put their hands in their pockets to pay for a meal you’ve brought them to.
The response can be almost threatening, “I swear to God, if you try to pay for this, I will never see you again.” Or, “sure you can get me another time.” Knowing quite well that you will do the same again the next time.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
