Richard for real

I had a very interesting chat with a friend during a late promenade. Being socially and linguitically inclined, we talked about how people talk to each other. Particulary, we talked about when people say they are flattered. Even more specifically, we talked about how the phrase “I’m flattered, but…” has become a standard component of rejection. Like, if you make a move on someone and they come back at you something beginning with the f-word, either of them actually, you know you’re chances are between naught and nil. No one ever says they’re flattered if they could actually see themselves returning the interest directed towards them. This holds true for the few languages I’ve had the chance to investigate, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the analogy carries further.

 

So, why can’t you be flattered even if you actually like someone back?