Howya – An Irishman’s Diary on greetings
In his Irish Journal, Heinrich Böll reported a brief exchange between a man and woman across a street: “‘Howya, Paddy?’, and the old man shouted back: ‘I’m all right – with the help of God and His most blessed Mother.’” The friendly greeting, “Howya?” is rarely intended to be an inquiry about someone’s health or spirituality but more of passing the time of day. Students of responses to the question are often bemused by smart-alec replies.
Here are quirky replies to the “Howya”, eavesdropped and purloined from different regions of the country: “Am hangin’ together like a pair of trousers.”, “No worse than usual, thanks.”, “Me bones are freezing but sure every day is better than the next.”, “If I’d a tail, I’d wag it.”