Newsgroup: it.cultura.linguistica.inglese
Titolo: how much you...

Salve a tutti,
vorrei sapere se nell'uso comune è considerata corretta l'espressione
HOW MUCH YOU EARN? per chiedere ad una persona "quanto guadagni?".
E' abbastanza informale secondo voi?
Grazie
Roberto
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The expression needs an auxiliary "do" before "you", but beyond that, here, 
at least (the US) more common is "How much do you make?" or "What do you 
make?" 
They're both more than informal: they're invasive and would be considered a 
bit rude except in *some* conversations between close friends. Even then, it 
could be rude to ask.
-- 
Joey DoWop Dee
Remember: It is To Laugh

 could be rude to ask.
GRANDE!!! era esattamente la risposta che stavo cercando, in effetti
volevo sapere quale espressione usare nel caso volessi risultare "rude" e
diretto.
Grazie ancora per la risposta;)


 could be rude to ask.
beh, anche in Italiano non è considerato molto educato fare una
domanda così diretta.
comunque più che dal fatto di essere più o meno amici, molto dipende
dal lavoro che si fà: ossia, chiedere quanto guadagni ad un libero
professionista, piuttosto che ad un artigiano o commerciante..., è
inutile, tanto una risposta precisa non l'avrai mai. diverso il caso
tra due dipendenti, anche se si sono conosciuti da poco e in maniera
occasionale; vacanze, gite domenicali e simili.
grelobe
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 domanda cosě diretta.
Having said that, am I completely wrong to think that in the USA such a
question would be more acceptable than in Italy?
-- 
Enrico C
"After fifteen minutes I wanted to marry her, and after half an hour I
completely gave up the idea of stealing her purse."
[Virgil/W.Allen,Take the Money and Run (1969)]

 question would be more acceptable than in Italy?
Yes, you're wrong. It deeply offends the Americans whom I ask. 

 Yes, you're wrong. It deeply offends the Americans whom I ask.
Ok. What about saying it without being prompted? Is that unusual as well?

 Ok. What about saying it without being prompted? Is that unusual as well?
Personal financial information is not shared, in my experience, even among 
good friends. It might be offered if two friends were in the same field and 
were comparing information about their profession. It might be offered if 
two friends were discussing financial problems. But even if I were in a 
position to help a friend in financial difficulty to resolve a problem or 
plan a coping strategy, I would be reluctant to ask for financial 
information. Instead, I would wait for that information to be offered. 

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in the UK sometimes declaring your salary is against company policy and
it is considered gross misconduct, so nobody would ask.
ladybat

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Saying what without being prompted: How much (what salary) one makes? That 
would be considered bragging (if a high number) or whining (if a low number), 
for the most part. It's just not something people talk about, in general.
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 it is considered gross misconduct, so nobody would ask.
Yeah. If people talked about their salaries, women might find out they
were being paid 10 thousand a year less than their male colleagues, and
we couldn't have that.

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LOL... <cough> I mean, *surely* that isn't *still* the case..!??
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 LOL... <cough> I mean, *surely* that isn't *still* the case..!??
Certainly is.

 for the most part. It's just not something people talk about, in general.
What about talking of a third person and saying he/she is worth so many
thousand dollars?

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What Jack and Jill say about Johnny is of no consequence to anyone but Jack 
and Jill. I'm sure there is a lot of such speculation.
If they are considering hiring him, such a discussion would be de rigueur.
In other contexts, "what someone is worth" may not be anywhere near what they 
make (in salary.)
I would say that to speak of what someone is worth means the value of their 
total assets, rather than what they are earning.
A hill of beans.
Something that's worthless is worth "a hill of beans."
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