answers for "How are you" and "What's up"

[Sweetpumpkin]

Hello,

I have questions on the answers for "How are you" and "What's up." Both of them are, as you know well, typical greetings asking after the other.

1)
When I was a kid, there's a typical pair of conversation in the textbook for How are you:

A: How are you?
B: Fine, thank you, and you?

Actually, I didn't learn other answers for "how are you" such as "so so" until I was in middle school (maybe high school). Anyway, now people say it's weird to answer that way- just 'great' is enough. I think 'Fine, thank you, and you?' is good as it is. What do you think?

2)
What's up is also a way of greeting. But is it used in the other situations? For example, you have some questions on your major and you go to the professor's office. Then is it natural for her/him ask you- "What's up?" (=What brings you here? or What do you want me for?) Then you might say "I came here to ask you a few questions." - Is the conversation natural? What do you think?

Thanks,
sweetpumpkin

[Mister Micawber]

1-- It is still fine and very common
2-- The conversation is natural and common. The professor might well say that, but you should not say it to your professor; it is too informal.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Staceyw]

2) I think the professor didn't use "what's up?" like how youngsters use it, but more like "yes? how can I help you?"

I think the answer "so so" for an answer to "how are you?" is very common in South Korea, and not so much in other ESL learners. :) I wonder if it's because of the Korean language?

[Sweetpumpkin]

[Sweetpumpkin]

Oh, one more thing. Instead of "how are you" we use "Did you have a meal?" Its origin is that we were not rich enough in the past to have three meals in a day and "Did you have a meal" became a greeting like "How are you". Even though we are not poor anymore, we still use it. Haha, it just rushed into my mind on my way home. :)

[Easton]

I like the way the professor said "Yes? how can I help you?", sounds like more courtly and politely.

[Mister Micawber]

'Courtly' is a word whose usefulness died in the 18th century, Easton.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Easton]

Thank you Mister. So I learn it now:)