I don't expect this one to go away, but nonetheless I wish I would, to some extent.
What does the word mean? It comes from Hebrew and means "truly, assuredly, or yes: it shall be so." However it has come to serve simply as a liturgical response void of any meaning. I even know what it means yet still find myself saying it without thinking about what I'm really saying.
Solutions: well, there are a few. "Soþlice!"- except it also is a foreign word. "True dat!"- except it's a bit colloquial, I think. "You're darn tootin'!"- except I would never be able to say this without thinking of Laurel and Hardy. So the only serious offer I can think of is the following: "This is most certainly true." It's already familiar to those who grew up on Luther's Small Catechism and carries the meaning of 'Amen' pretty well, even if it does take longer to spit out.
"This is most certainly true!" may never replace 'Amen!' but it can at least be another tool in explaining the meaning of 'Amen.'
P.S. Here is an hymn translated by Matthew Carver, based on the idea behind 'Amen.'
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