| Vom Thema belegte Seiten: < [1 2 3 4 5] > | Have a nice day?? Initiator des Themas: Jessica Noyes
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Balasubramaniam L. 
Indien
Local time: 03:07
Mitglied (2006)
Englisch > Hindi
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
Triston Goodwin wrote:
Of course, I say you're welcome to the atm's, gas pumps and self service checkout machines when they say thank you. Most people think I'm crazy for doing this, but they've clearly never seen any of the movies where those machines take over the world. I'll need friends when that day comes.
| | | | Strastran (X)
Frankreich
Local time: 23:37
Französisch > Englisch
+ ...
| It's just not British | Jun 20, 2013 |
We are just not that comfortable with 'have a nice day' in the UK.
However, that does not mean we're not friendly. Go into your local newsagents and they'd be far more likely to call you 'love' or 'mate' (or a regional variant) than 'sir' or 'madam'. They might then say 'cheers, bye now', rather than 'thank you and have a nice day'. In these informal settings - and we love informality - there's no strict code as such as there is in other countries. In France, for example, you'd nev... See more We are just not that comfortable with 'have a nice day' in the UK.
However, that does not mean we're not friendly. Go into your local newsagents and they'd be far more likely to call you 'love' or 'mate' (or a regional variant) than 'sir' or 'madam'. They might then say 'cheers, bye now', rather than 'thank you and have a nice day'. In these informal settings - and we love informality - there's no strict code as such as there is in other countries. In France, for example, you'd never say 'salut, à plus' to someone you didn't know when leaving a shop.
To me, 'have a nice day' from a British person just sounds far too wooden and forced, like it's the product of some robotic training programme rather than how they really feel. Although I do realise it's simply polite practice in many other countries. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kay Denney
Frankreich
Local time: 23:37
Französisch > Englisch
| machines being polite | Jun 20, 2013 |
Triston Goodwin wrote:
Of course, I say you're welcome to the atm's, gas pumps and self service checkout machines when they say thank you. Most people think I'm crazy for doing this, but they've clearly never seen any of the movies where those machines take over the world. I'll need friends when that day comes.
So do I, Triston! although it's more because I'm so pleased they value my custom, I'm that resigned to service with a scowl here in Paris.
Our local bakery has a sweet shop assistant who offers a genuine smile to everyone who walks in. It's so rare, they must have doubled their turnover since she arrived and the boys are more than willing to nip out for a baguette, so I never have to go nowadays.
| | | | Heinrich Pesch
Finnland
Local time: 00:37
Mitglied (2003)
Finnisch > Deutsch
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| It has come to Finland from the US | Jun 20, 2013 |
Glad to hear that in Britain they don't like it also. Here in Finland it probably came through MacDonalds and it nowadays widely spread. I always answer the usual "Hei!" and make a sour face (even more sour as my usual expression).
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Giles Watson
Italien
Local time: 23:37
Italienisch > Englisch
In stillem Gedenken | Buona giornata | Jun 20, 2013 |
The Italian have-a-nice-day-alike "buona giornata" now seems to be a fairly popular leave-taking (which it wasn't not so long ago), particularly in semi-formal circumstances such as transactions in shops, public offices or the workplace.
The only trouble with "have a nice day" in English is that the Americans got there first... See more The Italian have-a-nice-day-alike "buona giornata" now seems to be a fairly popular leave-taking (which it wasn't not so long ago), particularly in semi-formal circumstances such as transactions in shops, public offices or the workplace.
The only trouble with "have a nice day" in English is that the Americans got there first  ▲ Collapse
| | | | | It's part of American culture | Jun 20, 2013 |
Like a videogame ends with "game over" on the screen, a business transaction in the US ends with "Have a nice day!" to provide "closure".
I am used to it when in the US, to the point of mechanically raising a red flag if I don't hear it at the proper time: missing closure. Putting it together with the trite "take care!", I mentally translate the "have a nice day!" uttered at any checkout point as a shortform for "Sir, if you have any intention of dropping dead, kindly do it OUTside ... See more Like a videogame ends with "game over" on the screen, a business transaction in the US ends with "Have a nice day!" to provide "closure".
I am used to it when in the US, to the point of mechanically raising a red flag if I don't hear it at the proper time: missing closure. Putting it together with the trite "take care!", I mentally translate the "have a nice day!" uttered at any checkout point as a shortform for "Sir, if you have any intention of dropping dead, kindly do it OUTside our premises. Otherwise CSU will seal the place tight, and on your next visit here the prices will be higher, as we'll be trying to recoup for lost business in this meantime". The "take care!" is a shortform for "You'd better try not to drop dead anywhere, either inside or outside our premises".
The funny thing is that the equivalent expressions in (at least in BR) Portuguese, "Tenha um bom dia!" (= Have a nice day!) and "Passe bem!" (~= Stay well) or "Passe muito bem!" (~= Stay very well), if said with any degree of firmness, should be interpreted as "This interaction is definitely over! Go mind your business, and I'll mind mine".
Nevertheless, Brazilian telephone CSRs are obdurately trained to use these very expressions to close their calls. Apparently, as the word "telemarketing" was left untranslated here, those in charge of it assumed that it must be done the American way. This led a massive proportion of Brazilian phone service reps to use what we call "gerundisms", e.g. "I will be forwarding your order to the processing department, and we will be shipping your goods tomorrow". While these are absolutely normal in English, they are not in Portuguese, being immediately spotted as "telemarketese language". ▲ Collapse
| | | | Michelle Kusuda
Vereinigte Staaten
Local time: 17:37
Englisch > Spanisch
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| Would you rather they told you "Have a %^&**( /rotten day! ? | Jun 20, 2013 |
I cannot believe this thread! Some of us literally wish the person has a nice day after their interaction with us!
American, so what? It is still a NICE GESTURE! GET OVER IT FOLKS!
___ Have a nice day!*
___ Have a rotten day!*
* = Indicate your selection
| | | | Michelle Kusuda
Vereinigte Staaten
Local time: 17:37
Englisch > Spanisch
+ ...
| British version would be : Have a B...dy day!" Hahaha | Jun 20, 2013 |
Patrick Stenson wrote:
We are just not that comfortable with 'have a nice day' in the UK.
However, that does not mean we're not friendly. Go into your local newsagents and they'd be far more likely to call you 'love' or 'mate' (or a regional variant) than 'sir' or 'madam'. They might then say 'cheers, bye now', rather than 'thank you and have a nice day'. In these informal settings - and we love informality - there's no strict code as such as there is in other countries. In France, for example, you'd never say 'salut, à plus' to someone you didn't know when leaving a shop.
To me, 'have a nice day' from a British person just sounds far too wooden and forced, like it's the product of some robotic training programme rather than how they really feel. Although I do realise it's simply polite practice in many other countries.
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Ty Kendall
Vereinigtes Königreich
Local time: 22:37
Hebräisch > Englisch
| Nobody's America-Bashing | Jun 20, 2013 |
Michelle Kusuda wrote:
I cannot believe this thread! Some of us literally wish the person has a nice day after their interaction with us!
American, so what? It is still a NICE GESTURE! GET OVER IT FOLKS!
___ Have a nice day!*
___ Have a rotten day!*
* = Indicate your selection
We're just responding to the OP's request as to the perception of "Have a Nice Day" in the UK, which (overall) is ambivalent at best and somewhat negative at worst (not necessarily because it is American either).
| | | | Nicole Schnell
Vereinigte Staaten
Local time: 14:37
Englisch > Deutsch
+ ...
In stillem Gedenken | Erm. Germans wish each other a nice day as a greeting on first contact. | Jun 20, 2013 |
Petra_44 wrote:
Yes, I agree, it's very American, but that doesn't mean it's a bad thing. It's just a pleasant way to say goodbye. So as long as you say it in English, no problem.
Just don't ever say it in German. I've only ever heard it in a sarcastic form here, and that's why I wound always wonder whether they meant to insult me if anyone was wishing me a nice day in German, in an e-mail, for instance.
It's called: "Guten Tag!"
Has this beautiful greeting turned into such an automatism that even Germans forgot what it means? Yikes.
Guten Tag and please have a nice day!
I mean it.
| | | | | Making it clear | Jun 20, 2013 |
Michelle Kusuda wrote:
I cannot believe this thread! Some of us literally wish the person has a nice day after their interaction with us!
American, so what? It is still a NICE GESTURE! GET OVER IT FOLKS!
You said it right... "some of us". My problem with it is that most customer service folks visibly shift from their natural conversational tone to an uptight one, say "Have a nice day!", roll their eyes as if ticking a box on their mental checklist, "Done!", and sometimes resume their previous conversational tone. It is often the "mechanical procedure" within an otherwise completely natural and friendly interaction.
Some of them, if they noticed that I'm speaking in a foreign (PT) language with my entourage, will continue, after the "procedure" by saying a convincingly personal "I hope you guys have a great time here in (whatever is the place)", which would have been nice enough on its own.
The problem is in its rubber-stamp format. When one goes through immigration, they may meet a friendly or unfriendly officer. Nevertheless, all passports will be stamped. Likewise, the "have a nice day" has become so trite, that it sounds like the stamp bang on the passport. Almost nobody says "have a great day", or anything slightly different from "have a nice day".
| | | | Angie Garbarino
Local time: 23:37
Mitglied (2003)
Französisch > Italienisch
+ ...
| Hey Giles, yesss | Jun 20, 2013 |
Giles Watson wrote: The Italian have-a-nice-day-alike "buona giornata" now seems to be a fairly popular leave-taking (which it wasn't not so long ago), particularly in semi-formal circumstances such as transactions in shops, public offices or the workplace. The only trouble with " have a nice day" in English is that the Americans got there first
Buona giornata, buona serata... I like it and I really don't mind if Brits don't
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| Germans don't say it? | Jun 20, 2013 |
I hear "Schönen Tag noch"/ "Schönen Feierabend"/ "Schönes Wochenende" all the time - what is the suggestively sarcastic German phrase?
| | | | | That is what I thought, too | Jun 20, 2013 |
Michael Wetzel wrote:
I hear "Schönen Tag noch"/ "Schönen Feierabend"/ "Schönes Wochenende" all the time - what is the suggestively sarcastic German phrase?
I heard (when I lived in Germany)/get this in e-mail (now that I live in the US) all the time, too, and never interpreted it as sarcastic.
neilmac - "Have a good one" is also very common in the US, at least in the Chicago area.
| | | | Nicole Schnell
Vereinigte Staaten
Local time: 14:37
Englisch > Deutsch
+ ...
In stillem Gedenken | I am always slightly amused | Jun 20, 2013 |
...when the degrees of politeness and courtesy of any country are evaluated and judged by robotic utterances of pitiable, minimum-wage workers. Those poor guys in cheap retail or at your preferred, international burger place are drilled in terms of communication that makes any style guide you ever received from a client turn pale.
Leave those kids alone. They HATE saying "Have a nice day!" 2000 times a day. They get fired if they don't. Please keep your sour face to yourself. You ma... See more ...when the degrees of politeness and courtesy of any country are evaluated and judged by robotic utterances of pitiable, minimum-wage workers. Those poor guys in cheap retail or at your preferred, international burger place are drilled in terms of communication that makes any style guide you ever received from a client turn pale.
Leave those kids alone. They HATE saying "Have a nice day!" 2000 times a day. They get fired if they don't. Please keep your sour face to yourself. You may also start to reevaluate your preferred shopping venues and/or your feeding habits. Then you will meet nicer employees who actually mean what they say. With a wonderful smile. ▲ Collapse
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