# Alternatives to "thank you" and "you're welcome"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 28, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-thank-you-and-youre-welcome/504571 "2009-07-28T18:26:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SmashTheState](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@SmashTheState](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmashTheState)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-thank-you-and-youre-welcome/504571/41 "2009-07-30T01:24:04Z")
> [@statsman1982](#): > > Were you surprised at the cashier’s reaction? Nothing in your post suggests you were, but if you weren’t, why would you say something like that knowing there was an excellent chance that it would be taken the wrong way? Well… there aren’t a whole lot of black folks in Ottawa, and I hadn’t considered at the time I was trying to come up with a phrase to replace “thank you” that it might have racial overtones. When I came face to face with a black cashier, a little yellow warning light flicked on inside my head just as I was opening my mouth to speak. I had less than a second to decide, because I couldn’t just stand there with my mouth open, and in my hasty reasoning I thought deliberately saying something different because of the colour of someone’s skin might be _actually_ racist rather than just running the risk of being _perceived_ as racist. And the rest, as they say, is history. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-thank-you-and-youre-welcome/504571/42 "2009-07-30T02:16:10Z")
“May the gods smile upon you.” \<-- Ill advised on a fundie “May your flock never thin.” ---
**Author:** ![Crawlspace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Crawlspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crawlspace)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-thank-you-and-youre-welcome/504571/43 "2009-07-30T02:20:19Z")
“May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.” - Carlin ---
**Author:** ![Mooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooch)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-thank-you-and-youre-welcome/504571/44 "2009-07-30T16:01:43Z")
> [@SmashTheState](#): > > “You have gained face at my expense, and now I feel the unwanted need to perform an equal task to relieve myself of the moral responsibility I now bear toward you.” This has a certain charm to it. I shall use it liberally. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-thank-you-and-youre-welcome/504571/45 "2009-07-30T16:07:25Z")
> [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](#): > > I’ve been meaning to mention to you how very, very tense I’ve been lately. > > Much obliged, dude. I don’t care what you do with the weed and jack, but don’t break those hookerbots. Those suckers are expensive, and it’s getting harder and harder to embezzle from the US forces in Iraq. Stupid non-incompetent accountants. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-thank-you-and-youre-welcome/504571/46 "2009-07-30T23:06:01Z")
> [@Meurglys](#): > > Not just ‘ta’, but ‘ta, much’ is used over here a lot… > > Cheers for now, > Meurglys Ta muchly! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-thank-you-and-youre-welcome/504571/47 "2009-07-31T15:44:39Z")
Tone of voice and demeanor can make a difference in delivery, but I’ve been known to use these from time to time. Hard to go wrong with “Thank you” and “You’re welcome,” though, IMHO: Much obliged. Thanks! 'preciate it. Great! You’re too kind. No worries. Don’t worry about it. No problem. Ain’t no big thang. Glad to help. My pleasure. Not at all. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-thank-you-and-youre-welcome/504571/48 "2009-07-31T15:51:44Z")
You could try: “Live long and prosper.” Not that I ever would. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-thank-you-and-youre-welcome/504571/49 "2009-07-31T16:00:24Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > The meaning of a word is not merely a function of its etymology. “Obliged” is merely an informal or regional equivalent to “thank you.” In Portuguese, thank you is “obrigado” (obrigada if you’re female), meaning “indebted.” “You’ve done me a good turn, I owe you one.” In Spanish, it’s “gracias,” meaning “gifts.” “May you get a gift like the one you’ve just given me.” You’re wishing good karma on people. If it’s a big favor, sometimes people will say “te la debo” or “te debo una,” meaning the same as the Portuguese obrigado. “Cheers” is a wish for happiness, how is that wrong? Seriously, **SmashTheState** , you’re overthinking this waaaaay too much. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-thank-you-and-youre-welcome/504571/50 "2009-07-31T16:20:55Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > In Portuguese, thank you is “obrigado” (obrigada if you’re female), meaning “indebted.” “You’ve done me a good turn, I owe you one.” This I know. I sometimes use “obrigado” with people who know what it means, simply for variety’s sake; likewise “merci.” Although I actually say “merci” more than thank you these days, because it’s become such a custom in the Rhymer household that it’s extended itself into the non-Rhymer world. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-thank-you-and-youre-welcome/504571.md?page=2)