Have a Nice Day (part two)

Monday, June 24, 2013



My very first blog post addressed the use of the word "nice" in "Have a nice day". I'll label that part one.

Part two explains the use of this phrase in the USA along with suggestions on how to respond when someone wishes you a nice day.

Why am I writing about such a basic thing? I've discovered that foreign speakers are sometimes unsure of how to respond to this simple farewell wish.

"Have a nice day" is a generic, overused phrase. As unoriginal and artificial as this friendly wish may be, it's a part of our culture. You can say it to friends when parting or close an email with it. It's usually offered to customers at the end of sales transactions, which is another form of saying "thank you". Something this simple doesn't require any serious thought when responding.

"You too" is all you need to respond, or "Thanks. You too". Simple, right?

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