Thank You So Much

[EZEtoGRU]

Has anyone noticed over the last year or so, very few people now say simply "Thank you"? Many people now say "Thank you so much". Restaurants, stores, tv news shows, talk shows. Everywhere. "Thank you so much" used to be a phrase that was reserved for rare instances of wanting to express special gratitude for something. Now lots of people are using it all the time. As a result, at least for me, it has lost its special emphasis and meaning. So what are we to say now when we are truly especially grateful for something? "Thank you so so so very very extremely and exceptionally very much"?

[Bosguy]

I usually use the casual version " Thanks a lot" unless it is special and then I will use "Thank you very much". The thing I have noticed though is an increasing number of people don't use any form of "Thank You"

 

Boston Bill

[gallahadesquire]

Has anyone noticed over the last year or so, very few people now say simply "Thank you"? Many people now say "Thank you so much". Restaurants, stores, tv news shows, talk shows. Everywhere. "Thank you so much" used to be a phrase that was reserved for rare instances of wanting to express special gratitude for something. Now lots of people are using it all the time. As a result, at least for me, it has lost its special emphasis and meaning. So what are we to say now when we are truly especially grateful for something? "Thank you so so so very very extremely and exceptionally very much"?

 

And also to Bill's comment: At least you're getting Thank You instead of No Problem. Perhaps the days of Terminator / Terminator II / Unterminated are finally over. The first time I heard "No Problem" was in the movie J. Brian's Flashbacks, and it was the Jail scene, and it didn't mean "You're Welcome."

[+ azdr0710]

I sometimes have to say, "you're welcome" to elicit a "thank you" from somebody!.....my Dad always used that trick on me....

 

I think the tone of however you phrase your thanks can mean more than how it's worded.....

 

yeah, "no problem" has also "morphed" (another overused word these days) into "not a problem", which is equally tired

[EZEtoGRU]

And also to Bill's comment: At least you're getting Thank You instead of No Problem. Perhaps the days of Terminator / Terminator II / Unterminated are finally over. The first time I heard "No Problem" was in the movie J. Brian's Flashbacks, and it was the Jail scene, and it didn't mean "You're Welcome."

 

Oh yes. The "no problem" instead of "you're welcome" is equally annoying.

[Rick Munroe]

So what are we to say now when we are truly especially grateful for something?

 

I usually go with, "Nice job, cocksucker!"

[+ deej]

I usually go with, "Nice job, cocksucker!"

 

"Fuckin' A" works too.

[Rick Munroe]

"Fuckin' A" works too.

 

Isn't that what Fonzie used to say after bangin' a chick?

 

http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowldc/files/2010/12/fonzie_henry_winkler_happy_days.jpg

[Rick Munroe]

Speaking of which, here's some other phrases I can't stand:

 

I'd also add:

 

"At the end of the day" (why is that any more important than the start or middle of the day?)

[+ azdr0710]

since we're drifting that way, here is the complete list of the famous "banished words" from Lake Superior State U.....

 

"at the end of the day" was banished way back in 1999!!....

 

http://www.lssu.edu/banished/complete_list.php

 

funny how some of this is dated, to an extent, but "it is what it is"

 

http://www.lssu.edu/banished/archive/1976.php

[nate_sf]

I can't say I've noticed an increase in "thank you so much" though now that you've mentioned it I'll probably notice it.

 

But over the last couple of years I've noticed a weird custom where when there is a dead moment in the midst of a conversation, such as when a customer service rep is waiting to pull up your account information, they'll all of a sudden switch to a sunny voice and out of the blue ask, "How is your day going?" I've found this happens both on the phone and in person. You could be five minutes into the conversation with a customer service rep, having revealed your name and address and password and everything else you can imagine, then at some random moment when they're waiting for something they'll all of a sudden ask "how's your day going?" Huh? Isn't that what you ask at the start of a conversation? I'm happy tell you but why are you asking that now? It's just so random and out of sequence.

 

I wonder how these things just all of a sudden pop up in the corporate script. Like, is there an annual conference where they decide these things, or some kind of trade publication I'm not aware of? There must be a memo somewhere.

[Rick Munroe]

then at some random moment when they're waiting for something they'll all of a sudden ask "how's your day going?" Huh? Isn't that what you ask at the start of a conversation? I'm happy tell you but why are you asking that now? It's just so random and out of sequence.

 

I think it makes perfect sense. They're filling the dead silence with some chit-chat, which has been done since before telephones existed. I think if they were to ask, "How's your day going?" at the start of the conversation, that would be bizarre because they're not your friend and don't know you. I've sometimes been the one to break the awkward silence, and I'll ask, "So where am I calling? What's the weather like there?" I think it makes it more human and friendlier, no matter where in the conversation it appears.

[Samai139]

Looking through the list of "banished" words from a link that someone provided, I was surprised that "actually" did not appear. When the word is used, it usually means nothing and adds nothing to the context. Ex: "The driver actually crashed into three other cars before coming to rest." No, the driver did not crash into three other cars, his car did and WTF does actually add? Do people do things virtually as oppsed to actually??

 

Wtih reference to "Thank you very much" or "No problem" neither bothers me---I'm grateful to be thanked when I have done something for someone and when someone says Thank you for a small courtesy I often say No Problem--more informal and yet acknowledges the thought.

[hornytwells]

I hate the phrase "no problem" used in an all purpose way> For example yesterday, I went to the bank to deposit come cheques, and the teller said: "no problem" Why should it be a problem, you're a bank?! Likewise in a restaurant I ordered a coffee, and was told "No problem". Why should it be a problem, you are a ******ing restaurant!

[unsub2O17]

I hate the phrase "no problem" used in an all purpose way> For example yesterday, I went to the bank to deposit come cheques, and the teller said: "no problem" Why should it be a problem, you're a bank?! Likewise in a restaurant I ordered a coffee, and was told "No problem". Why should it be a problem, you are a ******ing restaurant!

 

I agree. When I hear "no problem," I immediately wonder what the "problem" "actually" was. BTW, if I really mean "thank you," I put it in capitals, and I use the phrase "it was my pleasure".

[Phlmuscle]

The news anchors on TV that say "Thanks to You" can get annoying.

[EZEtoGRU]

The news anchors on TV that say "Thanks to You" can get annoying.

 

The News folks on CNN keep saying "thank you so much" to each other. Drives me nuts.

[maxwellissmart]

The News folks on CNN keep saying "thank you so much" to each other. Drives me nuts.

 

The news folks on CNN (and especially Fox) have been replaced by realtors. There are actually only a few journalists on the air anymore.

[gp0560]

funny how some of this is dated, to an extent, but "it is what it is"

 

My personal preference is for the short form "It's what it's."