To What do I owe the pleasure?

[drsamehnour]

To What do I owe the pleasure?
Is this sentence some sort of allegory?
if so, what does it mean?

 

[Barb_D]

Why did you come to see me? What are you doing here? How can I help you?

 

[Baffled]

To that quivering thing that goes through AA batteries like there is no tomorrow.

I couldn't resist. Please forgive me.

 

[BobK]

I'm lost. ;-) Here's the original post again:

To what do I owe the pleasure?
Is this sentence some sort of allegory?
if so, what does it mean?

It means 'Meeting you is a pleasure. Something caused that pleasure [something happened that led to your coming to see me]. What is that thing [to which I owe the pleasure]'

b

 

[Barb_D]

I thought that's what I said, but maybe the original poster thought I was saying those things to him instead of saying they were the answer to his question.

If so, it must have sounded rude, and I apologize for any misunderstanding.

 

[thod00]

To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting.

Its just polite. Its saying that its a pleasure to meet the other person, together with a query about the reason for the meeting.

 

[Searching for language]

The above explanations are correct. However, tone of voice can also make the meaning change.

For example, my teenage son had the habit of sleeping in very late most mornings. If he were to get up early one day, I could say to him: "Oh, to what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you so early?"

That would be a sarcastic expression, not a genuine pleasure.

 

[BobK]

:up: This sort of structure is common in sarcasm. For example, fellow-workers in a small branch office may be talking about a visit from Head Office and say 'To what do we owe the honour?' - when they really mean something much less complimentary.

b

 

[Baffled]

That certainly would give him an incentive to go back to sleep. ;-)

Good point, though!