The meaning of the word thank you

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Sign thanking visitors for using a highway in New Jersey.

«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».

As with various other formal phrases, «[t]he phrase ‘Thank you’ can be varied in speaking so as to convey many different meanings».[2] For example, «no, thank you» or «no thanks» are often used to indicate politeness while declining an offer.[3] It can also be incorporated into phrases sarcastically or bitterly, as with the phrase, «thanks for nothing».[3] Common responses for «thank you» include «you’re welcome», «don’t mention it»,[1] or, more recently, «no problem».[4]

Learning to use the term[edit]

Use of the phrase indicates politeness,[4] 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»,[5] 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».[6] It has generally been observed that «parents train their kids to say ‘thank you’ whether they feel thankful or not»,[4] 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».[7]

[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».[8] 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.[8]

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.[9]

In other environs, one study found that regular patrons of a restaurant gave bigger tips when servers wrote «Thank you» on their checks.[10]

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 felt was most important phrase 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]

See also[edit]

  • Deo gratias, Latin phrase meaning «thanks [be] to God»
  • God bless you

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Geoffrey Leech, The Pragmatics of Politeness (2014), p. 200.
  2. ^ Grenville Kleiser, Training for Power and Leadership (1923), p. 260.
  3. ^ a b Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Idioms (2006), p. 149.
  4. ^ a b c Bologna, Caroline (March 1, 2018). «Why Don’t We Say ‘You’re Welcome’ Anymore?». HuffPost.
  5. ^ Mary Besemeres, Anna Wierzbicka, Translating Lives: Living with Two Languages and Cultures (2007), p. 115.
  6. ^ Judy Snyder, Tom Kiefer, I Told You a Million Times: Building Self-Esteem in Young Children Through Discipline (1994), p. 18.
  7. ^ National Association for the Education of Young Children, Young Children, Vol. 55 (1964), p. 47.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ Annette L. Breaux, Todd Whitaker, 50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior: Simple Solutions to Complex Challenges (2010), p. 65.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ Alison Kelly and Sanjiv Jaggia, Business Statistics: Communicating with Numbers (2015), p. 22.
  12. ^ 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.

External links[edit]

Источник

  • 1
    thank you

    Персональный Сократ > thank you

  • 2
    thank you

    спасибо; благодарить

    no, thank you — нет, спасибо

    English-Russian big medical dictionary > thank you

  • 3
    thank you

    1. благодарю вас

    2. благодарить вас

    Синонимический ряд:

    expression of pleasure (adj.) by all means; certainly; charmed; delighted; excellent; expression of pleasure; of course; splendid; to be sure

    English-Russian base dictionary > thank you

  • 4
    thank-you-ma’am

    Англо-русский синонимический словарь > thank-you-ma’am

  • 5
    Thank you!

    Спасибо!
    междометие:

    Благодарю! (Thank you!)

    Англо-русский синонимический словарь > Thank you!

  • 6
    thank-you-ma’am

    The new dictionary of modern spoken language > thank-you-ma’am

  • 7
    thank you

    Большой англо-русский и русско-английский словарь > thank you

  • 8
    thank-you-ma’am

    Большой англо-русский и русско-английский словарь > thank-you-ma’am

  • 9
    thank you

    Универсальный англо-русский словарь > thank you

  • 10
    thank you ma’am

    Универсальный англо-русский словарь > thank you ma’am

  • 11
    thank-you- (ye-) ma’m

    Сленг:

    ухаб на дороге , яма на дороге , ухаб или яма на дороге

    Универсальный англо-русский словарь > thank-you- (ye-) ma’m

  • 12
    thank-you-ma’am

    [‘θæŋkjuːmæm]

    3) Американский английский: ухаб

    Универсальный англо-русский словарь > thank-you-ma’am

  • 13
    thank you

    Англо-русский большой универсальный переводческий словарь > thank you

  • 14
    thank-you- ma’m

    Сленг: ухаб на дороге , яма на дороге , ухаб или яма на дороге

    Универсальный англо-русский словарь > thank-you- ma’m

  • 15
    thank you ma’am

    (n) водоотводная канавка; колдобина

    Новый англо-русский словарь > thank you ma’am

  • 16
    thank you

    спасибо, благодарю

    Новый англо-русский словарь > thank you

  • 17
    thank you!

    Новый англо-русский словарь > thank you!

  • 18
    thank-you-ma’am

    [ʹθæŋkju:mæm]

    амер. разг.

    колдобина; водоотводная канавка ()

    НБАРС > thank-you-ma’am

  • 19
    Thank you!

    Спасибо!

    Difficulties of the English language (lexical reference) English-Russian dictionary > Thank you!

  • 20
    Thank-you-ma-am


    Колдобина на дороге

    Difficulties of the English language (lexical reference) English-Russian dictionary > Thank-you-ma-am

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См. также в других словарях:

  • thank you — interjection 1.) used to tell someone that you are grateful for something they have given you or done for you = ↑thanks ▪ Margaret handed him the butter. Thank you, said Samuel. ▪ Thank you very much , Brian. thank you for (doing) sth ▪ It s good …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • thank you — interjection 1.) used to tell someone that you are grateful for something they have given you or done for you = ↑thanks ▪ Margaret handed him the butter. Thank you, said Samuel. ▪ Thank you very much , Brian. thank you for (doing) sth ▪ It s good …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Thank You — (gracias en inglés) puede referirse a: Contenido 1 Música 1.1 Álbumes 1.2 Canciones 2 Cine 3 …   Wikipedia Español

  • thank you — thank ,you interjection *** 1. ) used for telling someone you are grateful for something they have said or done: That s a nice jacket. Thank you. thank you for (doing) something: Thank you for your kind words. Thank you for coming here today. 2.… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Thank You — war die zweite Single von Dido und wurde im Juni 2001 veröffentlicht. Die Single wurde zum größten Hit des Debüt Albums No Angel. Das Lied wurde allerdings erst erfolgreich, nachdem Rapper Eminem mit seinem Lied Stan das Lied gesampelt hatte.… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • thank-you — n 1.) something you say or do in order to thank someone ▪ This present s a thank you for helping me last week. ▪ I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who supported us. 2.) thank you letter/note/card a short letter etc in which you thank …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • thank-you — n 1.) something you say or do in order to thank someone ▪ This present s a thank you for helping me last week. ▪ I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who supported us. 2.) thank you letter/note/card a short letter etc in which you thank …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • thank you — The standard written form of the expression of thanks is thank you (two words), although thank you (with hyphen) and thankyou (one word) are sometimes found, especially in ephemera such as junk mail and restaurant bills, and thank you is the… …   Modern English usage

  • thank-you — thank ,you adjective done or given as a way of telling someone that you are grateful to them: a thank you letter/note …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • thank you — interj. short for I thank you: the usual expression of appreciation in use today * * * …   Universalium

  • thank you — phrase attested by c.1400, short for I thank you; as a noun, from 1792 …   Etymology dictionary

Источник

: a polite expression of one’s gratitude

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Evan Ross Katz a quick thank-you video for all of his support on the show.


—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 28 Mar. 2023




And then there is a deeper thank-you.


—Rabbi Avi Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2023




The clinic also received handwritten thank-you notes, flowers and cookies.


—Christine Fernando, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2023




The Federal Reserve Board may owe the banking crisis a thank-you note.


—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2023




Leave your mail carrier a thank-you note.


—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 17 Feb. 2023




Effie’s Paper The Future Is Female Travel Mug EffiesPaper was inspired by the brand founder’s grandmother, who believed women should be able to write amazing thank-you notes.


—Jacorey Moon, Good Housekeeping, 20 Mar. 2023




Iggy Pop should probably send thank-you notes to his personal trainer.


—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2023




Draft thank-you notes when needed — usually after Christmas and birthdays.


—Jessica Geltstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2023


See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘thank-you.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

from the phrase thank you used in expressing gratitude

First Known Use

1792, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of thank-you was
in 1792

Dictionary Entries Near thank-you

Cite this Entry

“Thank-you.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thank-you. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.

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5 Apr 2023
— Updated example sentences

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Merriam-Webster unabridged

Источник

January is not only the start of a new year, but it’s also recognized as National Thank You Month. How did English speakers get the phrase “thank you?” According to Merriam-Webster, the first known use of “thanks” occurred before the 12th century, but it didn’t exactly translate to “gratitude” back then.

The word “thank” stems from the Latin word tongēre. The root tong- means “think.” Loosely translated, the expression might read “I will remember what you have done for me.” However, English is not the only language where “thank you” derives from Latin roots.

In Spanish, the word gracias means “thank you” and derives from the Latin phrase, gratias agere, which means “to express thanks.” In Italian, grazie is used to say “thank you” and it also derives from gratias agere. Although there are similarities between English and Spanish, French has a different origin for its phrase of gratitude.

Merci derives from the Latin word mercēs, which translates to “wages, fee, or price.” However, the modern use of merci comes from the Old French meaning of the word mercit which means “reward, gift, kindness, grace, and pity.” The Old French meaning of merci is where the English word, “mercy,” derives from.

In Japanese, ありがとう (Arigatou) is the phrase used to say “thanks.” It is derived from the word, arigatashi. We can break the word down into Aru, meaning “to exist,” and katai, meaning “difficult.” Japanese-speakers would use this phrase to mean “extremely uncommon” and “rare and precious.”

Even though the language of “thank you” dates back hundreds of years ago, the concept of gratitude has always been a piece of human interaction. The fact that nearly every language today embodies the idea of thanking someone is incredible and goes to show how human communication can survive across different cultures and times.

Today, take the time to say “thank you” to anyone and everyone who deserves gratitude. Whether it’s in English, Mandarin, or sign language— show your appreciation for those around you. Need help translating or interpreting your message? Call Access 2 Interpreters for your needs. We speak your language!

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Источник

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Словосочетания

thank you — а) спасибо; б) да, пожалуйста; если можно
say thank you — сказать «спасибо»; поблагодарить; благодарить
no, thank you — нет, спасибо
thank you ma’am — водоотводная канавка; колдобина
to say thank you — сказать «спасибо», (по)благодарить
we both thank you — мы оба благодарим вас
we thank you kindly — благодарим вас от всего сердца
thank you in advance — я заранее благодарю вас
thank you for nothing — а) спасибо и на том; б) ирон. благодарю покорно
thank you all the same — всё же разрешите поблагодарить вас; все же разрешите вас поблагодарить

thank you for nothing! — и на том спасибо!
thank you for you time — благодарю за внимание
no more tea, thank you — я больше не хочу чаю, спасибо
thank you ever so much — большое вам спасибо, очень вам благодарен
thank you for enquiring — спасибо за проявленный интерес
thank you for seeing me — спасибо, что согласились встретиться со мной
thank you for your time — благодарю за внимание
thank you for your help — благодарю вас за помощь
thank you for everything — спасибо за все
thank you for advising me — спасибо за ваш совет
thank for we thank you for — благодарить за
thank you for your kindness — благодарю вас за вашу любезность
thank you for hearing me out — спасибо, что выслушали меня
I have a sufficiency, thank you — разг. спасибо, я сыт /я уже наелся/
I’ll thank you to shut the door — будьте добры, закройте дверь
you might at least say thank you — мог бы, по крайней мере, спасибо сказать
I’ll thank you for some more tea — нельзя ли мне ещё чашечку чаю?
you might at least say «thank you« — мог бы, по крайней мере, спасибо сказать
I’ll thank you to hold your tongue — попридержи язык
we take this opportunity of thank you — мы пользуемся случаем, чтобы поблагодарить вас

ещё 20 примеров свернуть

Автоматический перевод

благодарить вас, благодарить, благодарить тебя, поблагодарить вас, поблагодарить тебя, вас благодарить, возблагодарить вас, вас поблагодарить, вас отблагодарить, отблагодарить вас, отблагодарить тебя, спасибо вам, спасибо тебе

Перевод по словам

thank  — благодарить, поблагодарить, благодарность
you  — вы, вам, вами, вас, ты, тебя, тебе, тобой

Примеры

Thank you muchly.

Огромное спасибо.

Thank you very much!

Спасибо вам большое!

I can’t thank you enough.

Я вам бесконечно благодарен, я не знаю, как вас благодарить.

I say thank you and thirty.

Я говорю спасибо, и точка.

Thank you very much indeed.

Огромное вам спасибо.

Thank you for all your help.

Спасибо за всю вашу помощь.

Thank you. You are too kind.

Спасибо. Вы очень добры.

ещё 23 примера свернуть

Примеры, ожидающие перевода

Thank you for your patronage.  

Thank you, that was very instructive.  

We thanked her for her many kindnesses.  

He forgot the customary “thank you.”  

Thank you for your gracious hospitality.  

You’ll thank me for this one day, Laura.  

Для того чтобы добавить вариант перевода, кликните по иконке ☰, напротив примера.

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