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Thank you
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Thank you, (often expanded to thank you very much or thanks a lot, or informally abbreviated to thanks or alternately as many thanks[1]) is a common expression of gratitude in the English language. The term itself originated as a shortened form of the expression "I thank you". Children in certain Western cultures are taught early on to say please and thank you reflexively, and the phrase itself has taken on a variety of nuances based on intonation, and can have various generally positive social effects.
Learning to use the term
[edit]Use of the phrase indicates politeness,[2] and in certain Western cultures, "parents put a lot of effort into teaching their children to be polite, to say 'thank you' or 'please' for every single favor done by anyone",[3] though the practice of quizzing children on what they should say has been criticized as framing the question in a negative context of the child being forgetful, and that the parent should merely remind the child to "Say please and thank you".[4] It has generally been observed that "parents train their kids to say 'thank you' whether they feel thankful or not",[2] and has specifically been noted that withholding food from children in order to elicit politeness "may teach children that the words 'please' and 'thank you' are tokens they must use to get their food rather than genuine expressions of gratitude".[5]
Social function
[edit]Philosopher David J. Gunkel notes that "[i]t is now common for users to say 'thank you' to their digital assistants and speech dialogue systems (SDS), like Amazon's Echo/Alexa, Google Home, and Apple's Siri".[6] Gunkel notes that this may appear to be superfluous, since the statement neither offers information to the system for processing, nor is capable of being processed by the system and understood as a command, but concludes that it is nevertheless socially important because it recognizes the system as fulfilling a social function.[6]
Use of the phrase by teachers has been observed to elicit better responses in the teaching of children:
We notice that in the classrooms of effective teachers, the phrase "thank you" is uttered often, much more so than in the classrooms of less effective teachers. We also find that in classrooms where teachers use the phrase "thank you" often, students also use the phrase more often than they do in the classrooms of less effective teachers.[7]
In other environs, one study found that regular patrons of a restaurant gave bigger tips when servers wrote "Thank you" on their checks.[8]
As with various other formal phrases, the phrase "Thank you" can be varied in speaking so as to convey many different meanings.[9] For example, "no, thank you" or "no thanks" are often used to indicate politeness while declining an offer.[10] It can also be incorporated into phrases sarcastically or bitterly, as with the phrase, "thanks for nothing".[10] Common responses for "thank you" include "you're welcome", "don't mention it",[1] or, more recently, according to a 2018 HuffPost article, "no problem".[2]
Cultural variations
[edit]A wide variety of verbal cues for the expression of gratitude exist in different languages. A 2012 Vanity Fair poll indicated that "thank you" was the phrase American travelers abroad, especially in east Asian Nations, felt was most important to learn how to say in the language of the country being visited.[11]
It has been observed that in some versions of African English (specifically in Kenyan English), "thank you" is often used as a traditional response to a departing person saying "goodbye".[12]
Internet abbreviation
[edit]People sometimes say TY, TU (Thank You), THX, THNX, TNX (Thanks), TIA (Thanks From Advanced) and TYSM (Thank You So Much) as a internet chat abbreviation.[13][14]
See also
[edit]- Deo gratias, Latin phrase meaning "thanks [be] to God"
- God bless you
References
[edit]- ^ a b Geoffrey Leech, The Pragmatics of Politeness (2014), p. 200.
- ^ a b c Bologna, Caroline (March 1, 2018). "Why Don't We Say 'You're Welcome' Anymore?". HuffPost.
- ^ Mary Besemeres, Anna Wierzbicka, Translating Lives: Living with Two Languages and Cultures (2007), p. 115.
- ^ Judy Snyder, Tom Kiefer, I Told You a Million Times: Building Self-Esteem in Young Children Through Discipline (1994), p. 18.
- ^ National Association for the Education of Young Children, Young Children, Vol. 55 (1964), p. 47.
- ^ a b David J. Gunkel, "The Relational Turn: Third Wave HCI and Phenomenology", in Michael Filimowicz and Veronika Tzankova, New Directions in Third Wave Human-Computer Interaction (2018), p. 21.
- ^ Annette L. Breaux, Todd Whitaker, 50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior: Simple Solutions to Complex Challenges (2010), p. 65.
- ^ Rind, B.; Bordia, P. (1995). "Effect of server's "Thank you" and personalization on restaurant tipping". Journal of Applied Social Psychology. 25 (9): 745–751. doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.1995.tb01772.x.
- ^ Grenville Kleiser, Training for Power and Leadership (1923), p. 260.
- ^ a b Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Idioms (2006), p. 149.
- ^ Alison Kelly and Sanjiv Jaggia, Business Statistics: Communicating with Numbers (2015), p. 22.
- ^ Paul Skandera, "What Do We Really Know About Kenyan English", republished in Kingsley Bolton and Braj B. Kachru, eds., World Englishes: Critical Concepts in Linguistics, Volume 2 (2006), p. 210.
- ^ "Diocese of Madison - CHAT ABBREVIATIONS" (PDF).
- ^ "Cyberbullying Research Center - Chat and IM abbreviation and Acronyms" (PDF).
External links
[edit]Thank you
View on GrokipediaEtymology and Historical Development
Origins in English
The word "thank" originates from the Old English noun þanc, denoting "thought," "good will," or "gratitude," and the verb þancian, meaning "to give thanks" or "to recompense." This etymological root, traceable to Proto-Germanic thankaz and the Proto-Indo-European tong- ("to think, feel"), underscores gratitude as an act of thoughtful acknowledgment. The phrase "thank you" developed in late Middle English around the 1400s as a polite contraction of "I thank you," directly addressing the recipient to express appreciation in social exchanges.[7] In addition to "I thank you," other fuller historical expressions of gratitude included "I give thanks to you" and imperative forms like "give thanks to," which preserved the original sense of þancian as "to give thanks." The phrase "give thanks" appears frequently in biblical and religious contexts, as exemplified in the King James Bible (Psalm 136:1: "O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever").[8] During the Middle English period, full verbal constructions like "I thank you" predominated in formal correspondence and spoken dialogue, gradually shortening to the interjection "thank you" by the early 15th century. This evolution reflected a broader linguistic trend toward succinct politeness formulas, facilitating their use in everyday courtesy. Early attestations appear in 15th-century texts, where the phrase begins to function independently as a standalone expression of thanks. In literature, precursors to the modern interjection are evident in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (c. 1387–1400), which features verbal thanks such as "I thank you" in narrative dialogues, signaling the shift from explicit verb usage to more formulaic politeness. For example, in the Shipman's Tale, a character responds gratefully with "I thank you by God and by Saint James!" These instances illustrate the phrase's emerging role in conveying interpersonal gratitude within Middle English storytelling.[9] The phrase's widespread adoption accelerated during the English Renaissance (c. 1500–1660), amid a cultural emphasis on courtly manners and refined social conduct. During this Early Modern English period, both "I thank you" and "I give thanks to you" served as full expressions of thanks with similar meanings but varying grammatical structures, before the shortened "thank you" became predominant. This period's focus on civility integrated polite expressions like "thank you" into dramatic works and elite correspondence, establishing it as a conventional marker of politeness in upper-class interactions.[10][11]Evolution Across Languages
The expressions of gratitude akin to "thank you" in various languages trace their roots to ancient linguistic structures emphasizing thought, favor, or ritual acknowledgment. In the Indo-European family, a key precursor is the Proto-Indo-European root *tong-, meaning "to think" or "to feel," which evolved to convey gratitude through the idea of thoughtful recompense.[7] This root gave rise to cognates across Germanic languages, including the Old High German verb dancōn ("to thank"), attested from the 8th century onward in early medieval texts, leading to the modern German danken and its elliptical form danke for "thanks."[7] Similarly, in Slavic languages, forms like Russian spasibo (originally "God save you") or Polish dziękuję derive from related concepts of favor and thought, connecting to the same Proto-Indo-European lineage. In English, this lineage connects to "thank" via shared Proto-Germanic *þankōjaną, highlighting a conceptual parallel where thanking implies mental recognition of a favor, though detailed English developments are covered elsewhere.[7] In the Romance languages, expressions of thanks derive from the Latin phrase gratia ago or gratias agere, literally "I give thanks" or "I render grace," rooted in the noun gratia denoting favor or goodwill.[2] This evolved through Vulgar Latin into medieval forms, with Italian grazie (plural of grazia, "grace") emerging by the 13th century in vernacular literature to signify polite acknowledgment of benevolence.[2] In Spanish, gracias similarly appeared in medieval texts around the same period, as seen in the 12th-13th century Cantar de Mio Cid, where it functioned as a direct expression of gratitude, preserving the Latin sense of reciprocal grace.[12] These developments reflect a divergence from the cognitive emphasis of Germanic roots toward a framework of bestowed favor, influenced by Christian liturgical uses of gratia in medieval Europe.[2] Outside Indo-European languages, non-Indo-European examples illustrate distinct paths rooted in cultural rituals. In Chinese, the character xiè (謝) has ancient origins in classical Chinese, dating to oracle bone inscriptions around the 13th–11th centuries BCE, where it denoted ritual decline or acknowledgment in ceremonial contexts. The modern Mandarin reduplicated form xièxiè ("thank you") developed as a colloquial expression of gratitude in vernacular speech over subsequent centuries, tied to Confucian rites of reciprocity and differing from Western cognitive or favor-based models by emphasizing harmonious social obligation.[13] Colonial expansion in the 18th and 19th centuries further disseminated English-derived thanks into pidgin languages, adapting to contact zones in Asia and Africa. In West African Pidgin English, emerging from British trade along the Guinea Coast during the transatlantic slave era (late 17th to 19th centuries), phrases like "tank yu" directly borrowed "thank you" for commercial and social exchanges, blending with local substrates to form creoles still used today. Similarly, in Chinese Pidgin English around Canton in the 19th century, English expressions including forms of "thank you" influenced hybrid communications during trade interactions, marking a milestone in global linguistic hybridization through imperialism.[14] These adaptations highlight how colonial pidgins repurposed English expressions, often simplifying them for intercultural utility while retaining core gratitude functions. For comparison, in Semitic languages like Arabic, shukran ("thanks") derives from the root sh-k-r meaning "to thank" or "gratitude," with roots in ancient Semitic expressions of appreciation for divine or human favors, independent of Indo-European lineages.[15]Linguistic Structure and Usage
Forms and Variations in English
The phrase "thank you" functions as a fixed expression in contemporary English, serving as a polite interjection to express gratitude without requiring a subject or verb in most contexts.[2] It originated as a shortening of "I thank you" but has evolved into an independent unit that does not conjugate with tense or person.[16] Common contractions and informal variants include "thanks," a shortened form widely used in both spoken and written English for brevity.[16] In British English, "ta" serves as a casual slang equivalent, often employed in everyday conversation among friends or family, deriving from a childish pronunciation but now standard in colloquial speech.[2] Intensifiers expand the basic phrase to convey stronger appreciation, such as "thank you very much" or "thanks a lot," which emphasize the depth of gratitude in formal or emphatic situations.[16] Similarly, "thanks a bunch" adds a playful tone, though it can shift to sarcasm when tone or context implies irony, as in responding to an unhelpful action. Regional dialects introduce further variations; for instance, in Southern U.S. English, "much obliged" expresses thanks while implying a sense of indebtedness, rooted in older polite conventions still prevalent in informal Southern speech.[17] In written English, particularly digital communication, abbreviations like "thx" for "thanks" and "ty" for "thank you" have become standard since the 1990s, driven by the character limits and costs of early SMS messaging.[18] These shortenings maintain the phrase's function but adapt to concise online exchanges, differing from spoken forms that rely on full words for clarity. Non-verbal accompaniments often enhance verbal thanks in English-speaking contexts; in American English, a subtle nod or brief thumbs-up gesture commonly pairs with "thank you" to reinforce sincerity, especially in casual interactions like service encounters.[19]Translation and Equivalents in Other Languages
The expression "thank you" translates variably across languages, often reflecting cultural nuances in gratitude, with some forms as simple interjections and others as compound phrases implying obligation or rarity. Direct equivalents range from single words rooted in ancient concepts of reward or praise to more elaborate constructions that convey formality or depth. These translations highlight structural differences, such as gender agreement in Portuguese or reduplication for emphasis in Chinese, which English lacks.[20] In Indo-European languages, Romance branches favor concise forms derived from Latin gratitude concepts. French "merci" (pronounced /mɛʁ.si/), a simple interjection, originates from Latin mercēs meaning "wages" or "reward," evolving through Old French mercit to denote kindness or pity, similar to English "mercy."[20] Spanish "gracias" (/ˈɡɾaθjas/) and Italian "grazie" (/ˈɡratsje/) both stem from Latin grātiās agere, "to give thanks," emphasizing an action of rendering favor.[20] In Germanic languages, German "danke" (/ˈdaŋkə/), an ellipsis of ich danke dir ("I thank you"), traces to Proto-Germanic *þankōjaną, meaning "to think" or "remember" a good deed.[21] Slavic Russian "spasibo" (/spɐˈsʲibə/) derives from Old East Slavic spasi bogъ, "may God save you," blending religious invocation with thanks. Indo-Aryan Hindi "dhanyavād" (/d̪ʱən.jəˈʋaːd̪/), a formal compound, comes from Sanskrit dhanya-vāda, where dhanya means "blessed" and vāda "speech," implying praiseworthy acknowledgment.[22] Afro-Asiatic languages often draw from Semitic roots emphasizing praise or repayment. Arabic "shukran" (/ʃukˈran/), plural of shukr "thanks," roots in the verb shakara (/ʃakara/), "to thank," from the triconsonantal root sh-k-r denoting gratitude as a response to favor. Hebrew "toda" (/toˈda/), a straightforward term, originates from the verb yadah (/jaˈda/), "to praise" or "confess," encompassing thanksgiving in biblical contexts like offerings.[23] In Niger-Congo Swahili, "asante" (/aˈsante/), borrowed from Omani Arabic aḥsant "well done," lacks the English spectrum of intensity levels, functioning as a neutral interjection without built-in escalation like "thanks a lot."[24] East Asian languages feature idiomatic forms with reduplication or Sino-influences for politeness. Sino-Tibetan Mandarin Chinese "xièxiè" (/ɕjɛ̂.ɕjɛ̌/), a reduplicated verb, derives from xiè "to thank" or "apologize," historically broader in meaning and used informally without formal variants in casual speech. Japonic Japanese "arigatō" (/aɾiɡa̠to̞ː/), often extended to "arigatō gozaimasu" for formality, stems from arigatashi, combining aru "to exist" and katai "difficult," conveying something "rare and precious" as an act of gratitude. Casual variants include Dōmo (どうも, /doːmo/) for a quick "thanks"; Ōkini (おおきに, /oːkini/) in the Kansai dialect; Sankyū (サンキュー, /saŋkjuː/) as slang borrowed from English "thank you"; and Azassu (あざっす, /azassu/) as a slangy "thanks a bunch," often used playfully by young men.[20][25][26] Koreanic Korean "gamsahamnida" (/ɡam.sa.ham.ni.da/), the polite form, combines Sino-Korean gamsa "gratitude" with the declarative ending -hamnida, implying "I express thanks" in hierarchical contexts. Other families show unique adaptations, such as Hellenic Greek "efcharistó" (/efxaɾisˈto/), from eucharisteō "to give thanks well," rooted in eu- "good" and charis "grace" or "favor." Romance Portuguese "obrigado" (/obɾiˈɡadu/, masculine; "obrigada" feminine), gender-marked unlike English, derives from Latin obligātus "bound by obligation," expressing indebtedness.[27] Translating "thank you" poses challenges due to these structural variances; for instance, Swahili's "asante" cannot directly convey English's graduated politeness without additions like sana "very," while Japanese's elaborate form implies relational obligation absent in simpler Indo-European equivalents.[28]Social and Psychological Dimensions
Role in Gratitude and Politeness
The expression "thank you" plays a central role in conveying gratitude, which behavioral psychology links to positive reinforcement mechanisms that enhance emotional well-being. When individuals express or receive gratitude through phrases like "thank you," it activates reward pathways in the brain, leading to increased dopamine release associated with pleasure and motivation. Research from the 2010s, including studies on gratitude journaling practices, has demonstrated that regular expressions of thanks trigger these neurochemical responses, reinforcing prosocial behaviors and reducing stress over time.[29] In the framework of politeness theory, "thank you" operates as a positive politeness strategy to foster social harmony. As outlined by Brown and Levinson (1987), positive politeness strategies, such as expressing appreciation, address the hearer's positive face—the desire for approval and connection—by building rapport and softening potential face-threatening acts, like requests or impositions, in everyday interactions. This verbal acknowledgment not only validates the other's contribution but also promotes mutual respect, making "thank you" a key tool for maintaining polite discourse across diverse social contexts.[30] From an evolutionary standpoint, gratitude expressions like "thank you" likely emerged as adaptations to support reciprocity, enabling cooperation and resource sharing in early human groups. Anthropological studies of hunter-gatherer societies reveal that reciprocal exchanges formed the basis of social alliances, with gratitude signaling willingness to return favors and thus sustaining group survival. Key evolutionary theories, such as Trivers' reciprocal altruism model (1971), underscore how these expressions evolved to motivate ongoing mutual aid, preventing exploitation and strengthening communal ties.[4][31] Empirical research further highlights the role of frequent "thank you" usage in bolstering social connections. A 2019 study published by the Greater Good Science Center found that expressing thanks in group settings not only enhances individual relationships but also promotes collective cohesion by inspiring reciprocal prosocial actions among participants. This aligns with broader findings, such as those from the Harvard Study of Adult Development's updates around 2018, which emphasize how relational practices rooted in appreciation contribute to enduring social bonds and overall life satisfaction.[32][33]Effects on Interpersonal Dynamics
Expressing gratitude through phrases like "thank you" has been shown to enhance cooperation in social and group settings. In a seminal experimental study, researchers found that fundraisers who received a personalized thank-you note from a supervisor exhibited significantly higher prosocial behavior, making 50% more fundraising calls in the following week compared to those who did not receive such recognition.[34] This effect extends to broader group tasks, where meta-analytic evidence indicates that gratitude expressions generally promote prosocial actions with a moderate effect size (d = 0.41), fostering reciprocity and collective goal pursuit without relying on external incentives.[35] In family dynamics, consistent expressions of thanks play a key role in mitigating resentment and strengthening relational bonds. Longitudinal analyses of household interactions reveal that higher levels of perceived gratitude between partners correlate with reduced feelings of resentment, particularly when divisions of labor are uneven, as explicit thanks acknowledges contributions and balances emotional loads.[36] Similarly, in parent-child relationships, studies show that parental gratitude expressions decrease negative emotions like resentment while promoting overall family functioning and individual mental health, with daily practices leading to measurable improvements in relational satisfaction over time.[37] The use of "thank you" in conflict resolution aids de-escalation by softening confrontations and rebuilding trust, often integrated into apologies or negotiations. Experimental research demonstrates that combining gratitude expressions with apologies reduces perceived face threats during disputes, increasing willingness to reconcile and maintain positive interactions.[38] In diplomatic contexts, post-World War II relations exemplify this, as German expressions of gratitude toward American liberators—framed as collective "thank yous" in official rhetoric—facilitated reconciliation and long-term alliance-building, helping to resolve lingering resentments from wartime occupation.[39] In workplace settings, leaders' use of "thank you" directly influences employee retention by boosting engagement and loyalty. Gallup research indicates that regular recognition, including simple verbal thanks, makes employees feel valued and appreciated; for instance, employees who do not receive recognition are twice as likely to say they plan to quit in the next year.[40] This low-cost practice, when consistent from supervisors, enhances interpersonal dynamics by signaling respect and encouragement, leading to sustained productivity and lower attrition rates.Cultural and Global Perspectives
Variations in Western Societies
In the United States, expressions of "thank you" occur with notably high frequency in service encounters, particularly within industries like hospitality and retail, where they serve as ritualized politeness markers to acknowledge minor assistance and facilitate smooth interactions.[41] This usage is reinforced by tipping norms in restaurant settings, which position gratuities as expected acknowledgments of service alongside verbal thanks.[42] Such practices underscore a cultural emphasis on overt positivity in public exchanges, often perceived by outsiders as effusive compared to more restrained Western norms. In Britain, "thank you" is employed more frequently than in American contexts, with Britons saying it on about one in seven possible occasions according to a 2018 study, though informal alternatives like "cheers" are frequently used in everyday situations such as receiving change or departing a pub, reflecting a preference for understated acknowledgment in casual settings.[43][44] Scandinavian societies, such as Sweden and Denmark, exhibit frequent thanking in routine interactions. In Sweden, for instance, "tack" is used extensively, encompassing both "thanks" and "please," as people thank each other a lot, aligning with cultural values of equality and non-intrusiveness that prioritize explicit verbal reinforcement of mutual respect.[45][46] Similar patterns hold in Denmark, where "tak" is used in service contexts to sustain harmonious social dynamics.[47] Southern European cultures, exemplified by Italy, favor more expressive forms of gratitude, with phrases like "grazie mille" (literally "thanks a thousand") amplifying thanks in interpersonal exchanges tied to longstanding Mediterranean hospitality traditions that value effusive warmth and relational bonding.[48] This emphasis on intensified verbal appreciation, often in familial or communal settings, contrasts with Northern European reserve while fostering a sense of generous reciprocity in daily life.[49]Variations in Non-Western Societies
In Asian societies, particularly Japan, expressions of thanks are deeply intertwined with collectivist values and social hierarchy. The term "arigatou" serves as the base for gratitude, but its usage varies by formality and context; the casual "arigatou" is reserved for peers or inferiors, while the polite "arigatou gozaimasu" is employed in professional or hierarchical settings, such as corporate environments where subordinates bow deeply to superiors when thanking them for guidance or favors. Bows (ojigi) accompany these verbal expressions, with the depth of the bow—ranging from a slight nod to a full 45-degree inclination—reflecting the level of respect and obligation, thereby reinforcing group harmony and deference within the collectivist framework.[50][51] In African contexts, such as among the Yoruba people of Nigeria, gratitude expressions emphasize communal reciprocity and social bonds. The phrase "e se" literally means "do good" or "thank you," implying a mutual exchange that strengthens community ties, often used in bustling markets where vendors and buyers exchange it to acknowledge transactions and foster ongoing relationships within the group's interdependent structure. This usage underscores Yoruba communalism, where individual thanks contribute to collective well-being and reciprocity, differing from more individualistic Western acknowledgments by prioritizing shared obligations over personal sentiment.[52][53] Latin American cultures, exemplified by Mexico, blend indigenous and Spanish influences to express thanks with warmth and physical closeness. "Muchas gracias," meaning "many thanks," is frequently paired with gestures like hugs (abrazos) or cheek kisses among acquaintances, reflecting a post-16th-century fusion of pre-Columbian communal affection and Spanish colonial expressiveness that values emotional proximity in social interactions. This tactile approach highlights relational depth, rooted in indigenous traditions of group solidarity and the familial ethos introduced through Spanish colonization.[54][55] In the Middle East, Arabic-speaking societies often convey thanks indirectly to align with Islamic etiquette, which discourages imposing obligations. "Shukran," meaning "thanks," may be softened by appending "inshallah" (if God wills), particularly in response to offers or favors, to express humility and defer to divine will rather than creating a sense of debt, as direct gratitude alone is seen as insufficiently deferential in faith-influenced interactions. This practice draws from Quranic principles of modesty and reliance on Allah, promoting indirectness to maintain social equilibrium.[56]Etiquette and Contemporary Practices
Contexts for Usage
In everyday English-speaking scenarios, "thank you" is commonly expressed after receiving minor acts of assistance, such as someone holding a door open, or upon receiving gifts or favors. A 2015 psychological study found that verbal thanks occurred in approximately 85% of door-holding interactions when effort was visible, highlighting its role as a standard polite response in casual urban encounters across the U.S.[57] Surveys indicate that the average American adult says "thank you" around six times per day, often in these routine social exchanges, underscoring its frequency in daily life.[58] In formal settings, phrases like "Thank you for your consideration" have been a conventional closing in business correspondence, including job applications and professional emails, since the early 20th century when structured cover letters gained prominence.[59] This usage persists in speeches and written communications to convey appreciation for time invested, as seen in standard etiquette guides recommending it to end applications politely.[60] However, overuse of "thank you" in high-service environments, such as retail, can contribute to emotional labor fatigue among workers required to maintain constant politeness. A 2025 analysis of service industry mental health further notes that faking positive responses, including repeated thanks, heightens stress and turnover intentions.[61] In digital contexts, norms for "thank you" or abbreviated "thanks" have evolved since the 2010s, with increased use in emails and social media to acknowledge quick exchanges, often via auto-replies or threaded replies to foster efficient politeness.[62] A 2023 study on netiquette identifies these expressions as core digital social norms, promoting reciprocity in online interactions while avoiding clutter from excessive thank-you chains.[63]Common Responses and Norms
When someone expresses thanks with "thank you," common responses in English-speaking contexts include "you're welcome," which emerged as a standard formulaic reply in the early 20th century, with the first recorded use in this sense dating to 1907 according to the Oxford English Dictionary. In casual American English, alternatives like "no problem" or "my pleasure" have gained popularity since the late 20th century, conveying that the favor required little effort or was enjoyable to provide.[64] Cultural norms for replying vary significantly. In Australia, "no worries" serves as a relaxed equivalent, originating in the 1960s and becoming widespread by the 1980s as a way to dismiss any sense of obligation.[65] In contrast, some Asian cultures, such as Japan, often favor non-verbal acknowledgments like a smile or nod over explicit replies to "arigatou" (thank you), as verbal responses like "dou itashimashite" (you're welcome) can imply the favor was no big deal, potentially undervaluing the effort and disrupting social harmony, especially with superiors.[66] Digitally, norms have adapted to include emoji replies, such as a thumbs-up 👍 or smiling face 😊, as concise acknowledgments in text messages or emails, particularly in informal settings since the 2010s.[67] In Western etiquette, failing to respond to "thank you" can be viewed as rude in certain contexts, such as after receiving gifts where a written note is expected, as it dismisses the expression of gratitude and violates norms of reciprocity; modern etiquette guides from the Emily Post Institute emphasize polite acknowledgments to maintain courtesy, incorporating inclusive language for diverse interactions.[68]References
- https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D8%B4%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86
- https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/danke
- https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/asante
