Re: Complimenting someone…
I always to take the stiff, almost forced 
to mean:
" I-would-rather-be-anywhere-but-here-and-I-have-nothing-nice-to-say-about-you. Out-of-a-fear-that-God-will-smite-me-if-I-tell-you-what-I-really-think-of-you-I’ll-stay-quiet-and-let-you-fill-in-the-blanks-yourself" smile.