SOME YEARS AGO, when my son was in residential care, I’d pick him up on a Friday evening and ask how the week had gone.
‘Not too bad,’ was the usual reply.
How bad, exactly? Bad but not catastrophic? Within the tolerable range of badness? As bad as could be expected?
It turned out ‘not too bad’ was just their way of saying OK. It’s a very English sentiment. And very annoying phrasing.
