Bill Walsh is amused at the fierce debate over whether “No problem” is an acceptable substitute for “You’re welcome.” It’s the typical story: some see “no problem” as a sign of the Apocalypse, others see it as a harmless colloquialism.
You can see the various arguments on this very entertaining thread on Consumerist.com. Here’s a sampling, starting with the silliest:
When I thank you for assisting me, giving me something, or providing me with a service in some manner (as in a CSR), and I express my appreciation by saying “Thank you” – and then you reply by saying, “No problem” – it implies that I might have troubled you or caused a “problem” for you in some manner, but that you’re letting me off the hook by saying that, in fact, it was not a problem.
OTOH – When you reply with, “You’re welcome”, it the implication is that it was somehow your pleasure to assist me and you welcomed the opportunity.
In fact, when somebody tells me “Thank you” I will often reply with, “My pleasure.”
If you ask me (and nobody did) – “No problem” is a dumb-down phrase, bad grammar and poor usage of the English language.
And some snark:
I actually prefer something a little more formal like, “Oh you are most welcome, dear Sir”, or “It is my most sincere pleasure to assist you, Master”. Extra points if they bow and scrape.
And:
I’m probably the pedantiest pedant that ever walked the earth. Get off my lawn and all that. “No problem” is just fine. It’s not a dumbing down of the English language or grammar–it’s a colloquialism. Colloquialisms are just fine, especially in spoken form (spoken forms of languages are always less formal than the written forms.)
And:
I’ve always *preferred* to use “No Problem” or “No Trouble” to “You’re Welcome” because it seems like “You’re Welcome” implies that there was something requiring gratitude.
In Spanish they have “de nada”, “it’s nothing”
Likewise in French