Right Speech is part of the Noble Eightfold Path.
"And what, bhikkhus, is right speech? Abstinence from false speech,
abstinence from divisive speech, abstinence from harsh speech,
abstinence from idle chatter: this is called right speech." (SN 45.8)
In AN 10.211 it's explained as among the 10 things that lead to hell:
(4) “He speaks falsehood. If he is summoned to a council, to an
assembly, to his relatives’ presence, to his guild, or to the court,
and questioned as a witness thus: ‘So, good man, tell what you know,’
then, not knowing, he says, ‘I know,’ or knowing, he says, ‘I do not
know’; not seeing, he says, ‘I see,’ or seeing, he says, ‘I do not
see.’ Thus he consciously speaks falsehood for his own ends, or for
another’s ends, or for some trifling worldly end.
(5) “He speaks divisively. Having heard something here, he repeats it
elsewhere in order to divide those people from these; or having heard
something elsewhere, he repeats it to these people in order to divide
them from those. Thus he is one who divides those who are united, a
creator of divisions, one who enjoys factions, rejoices in factions,
delights in factions, a speaker of words that create factions.
(6) “He speaks harshly. He utters such words as are rough, hard,
hurtful to others, offensive to others, bordering on anger,
unconducive to concentration.
(7) “He indulges in idle chatter. He speaks at an improper time,
speaks falsely, speaks what is unbeneficial, speaks contrary to the
Dhamma and the discipline; at an improper time he speaks such words as
are worthless, unreasonable, rambling, and unbeneficial. (AN 10.211)
It's also mentioned:
“And what is the person whose speech is like honey? Here, some person,
having abandoned harsh speech, abstains from harsh speech. He speaks
such words as are gentle, pleasing to the ear, and lovable, as go to
the heart, are courteous, desired by many, and agreeable to many. This
is the person whose speech is like honey." (AN 3.28)
“Mendicants, there are these four kinds of good conduct by way of
speech. What four? Speech that’s true, harmonious, gentle, and
thoughtful. These are the four kinds of good conduct by way of
speech.” (AN 4.149)
So you should try to respond in ways that are gentle, pleasing, lovable, and aren't against right speech principles...similar to in metta (loving-kindness) ways.
For the lay people you should respond more in pleasing ways rather than concerning yourself with things like clinging or what pushes towards a worldly condition since such speculations most likely won't lead to anything good.