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A reader asks:
"In a poll of 18 nations, the Gallup Organization discovered that
Icelanders are the happiest people alive. Eighty-two percent say they are
satisfied with their personal lives. The United States ranked fifth at 72
percent; Japan came in seventh at 42 percent…"
Iceland is no utopia. Icelanders are big boozers, with a fishing
tradition of binge drinking. Almost a third of the births are out of
wedlock. But that's what makes the Gallup study so interesting. Icelanders
have problems like the rest of us, yet they are happy with their lot. So
what gives? ..."
The above is part of an article I read. My question is with the last
sentence (So what gives?). I don't get it. It doesn't look like a complete
sentence to me. There's probably some kind of typo error or other? What do
you think?"
Well, there's nothing seriously amiss with "So what gives" - it may
stand on its own without feeling sorry for being curt.
The only thing amiss, if you push for it, is your lack of understanding
about the nonsensical nature of the English language - sometimes English
just makes no sense - and not just to the Chinese, either.
Take the game of basketball, for example. It's a game in which players
move up and down the court trying to put a ball through a hoop called
basket. In English, moving up the court and moving down the court,
however, means exactly the same thing, though they look to be direct
opposites.
So, what gives? Precisely.
Anyway, "what gives" is just another way of saying "what's going on."
It's often used in such situations as described in the article above,
where one feels a bit confused. It's effectively saying, "What's happening
here? I don't understand."
A few examples:
The headline of a news report reads: Good Economy, Bad Polls, What
Gives?
See?
---
This comes from a man in a dating dilemma, a constant refrain,
actually:
"What gives?
Why does she tell me to call her and then, when I do call, sometimes
more than five times a day, never answers the phone? Why does she grow
colder the more we spend time together? What's wrong with her?"
There's nothing wrong with her, if you ask me. Can
you please stop calling her 12 times a day (or five is it, you say)?
That's what gives, dude. All other women who are reading this are perhaps
tired of you, too.
---
This, from a woman in a similar quandary:
"There seems to be a pattern with us. I am always pleasing him. And he
doesn't please me. He left this morning and has yet to call me. I know he
is home but yet he doesn't even call me. Only last night, he told me he is
really attracted to me. So what gives then?"I don't get it. For a new
relationship (we met two months ago), is this the way to act towards a new
woman in one's life? Shouldn't he be trying to impress me? Can someone
tell me their thoughts on this?"
Again, this is a perfectly confusing situation to put "what gives" to
use. These two both used the expressions right, which is about the only
thing they did right - ah, well, at least they have not lost their head
entirely.
As for my thoughts, I think it's she who created that "pattern" (I am
always pleasing him. And he doesn't please me), it is therefore her
problem to deal with.
Men or women alike, if you kiss ass, an ass (as in, what an ass he is)
is often what you get.
Have you ever heard of the expression, "kick ass"? If an ass, it is
sometimes better for kicking rather than licking.
However, they are perfectly entitled to keep doing it their way without
bothering about what others may think.
And to keep wondering - what gives? | 
