# "I appreciate you" - when did this start? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 19, 2007, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152 "2007-08-19T16:54:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/1 "2007-08-19T16:54:31Z")
Over the last few weeks instead of “thank you” I’ve been getting a lot of people saying “I appreciate you.” Did I miss a memo about the new national thank-you phrase? I think it sounds faintly ridiculous. “Thank you” has worked well enough all these years, why change it? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/2 "2007-08-19T16:55:49Z")
That’s new to me. And it does sound ridiculous. I would only use the word if someone had done something for me; “Thanks, and I appreciate this” ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/3 "2007-08-19T17:03:29Z")
[QUOTE=Lobsang] That’s new to me. And it does sound ridiculous. I would only use the word if someone had done something for me; “Thanks, and I appreciate this” [/QUOTE] Agreed…though I have to say, I am amused by something a non-native student once wrote to me in gratitude after I had done her a favor: “I really do not know how to appreciate you.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/4 "2007-08-19T17:14:40Z")
They don’t say “I appreciate you doing”? They say “I appreciate you” instead of “thank you”? WTF? Is this like that one saying that was popular a ways back, “I feel you”? I always wanted to say, “oho-no you don’t buddy, and you never will!”. But I didn’t. Someday I’m going to say all that I never have and probably get arrested or beaten up… ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/5 "2007-08-19T17:15:12Z")
My husband’s dad (and my husband too, come to think of it) will often say ‘I appreciate it’ rather than thank you. Sometimes people at work will say ‘ok’ rather than thank you or you’re welcome. It’s a bit jarring. ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/6 "2007-08-19T17:15:15Z")
“I depreciate you” ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/7 "2007-08-19T17:24:24Z")
[QUOTE=eleanorigby] They don’t say “I appreciate you doing”? They say “I appreciate you” instead of “thank you”? WTF? [/QUOTE] Yup. It’ll be something like “what’s the balance in my account?” and I’ll give them the balance and they say “I appreciate you.” So far it has yet to be combined with that other highly irritating phrase, “have a blessed day,” but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/8 "2007-08-19T17:24:29Z")
Must be new, I have never seen it (or maybe no one appreciates me… :)) ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/9 "2007-08-19T17:45:33Z")
[QUOTE=athelas] “I depreciate you” [/QUOTE] I would think straight line would be preferable to MACRS when it comes to people. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/10 "2007-08-19T18:03:32Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] So far it has yet to be combined with that other highly irritating phrase, “have a blessed day,” but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time. [/QUOTE] Ok, so you just hit another nerve for me. I hate that phrase. Isn’t every day spent above ground, breathing a blessed day? And what if I don’t want your blessings? It was bad enough when everyone said," have a nice day"–the immature side of me always wanted to reply, “yes, I’m going to the funerals of my entire family now. Thanks. You have a nice day, too.” Yeah, so I’m taking it all too literally. But the lack of English skills is bothering me. ---
**Author:** ![iwakura43](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de0a6/32.png) [@iwakura43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwakura43)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/11 "2007-08-19T18:08:14Z")
A “blessed day”? You can’t be serious. FTR I use “I appreciate it” frequently (often abbreviated to " ‘preciate it’) and I was born in the 80s. ---
**Author:** ![rucciface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ba9def/32.png) [@rucciface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rucciface)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/12 "2007-08-19T18:10:37Z")
I often use “I appreciate _it_ .” instead of “thank you”. Is it really that unheard-of? I am trying to stop, though, because sometimes it sounds like I’m saying “Appreciate it.” For example… Me: Here ya go. Customer: Thanks. Me: Appreciate it! (like I’m telling them that their “thanks” wasn’t good enough.) Anyway, "I appreciate _you_ " seems a strange choice. Never heard anyone say that. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/13 "2007-08-19T18:14:52Z")
I say “I appreciate it” or “I appreciate you doing this for me” sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/14 "2007-08-19T18:41:58Z")
[QUOTE=iwakura43] A “blessed day”? You can’t be serious. [/QUOTE] I’m afraid so. The ones I love are when they’re so pissed off they can’t see straight and they close with this one in a voice that’s just drenched in pure venom. Yeah, I’m sure you just racked up a point with God on that one, sweetie. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/15 "2007-08-19T19:11:13Z")
It’s been around for a few years, at least, in north Georgia. Except it usually comes out as " 'preciate ye." ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/16 "2007-08-19T20:36:30Z")
First time I heard this was on the Bravo TV show “Flipping Out.” This guy’s personal assistant answers the phone that way. “So and so’s office, we appreciate you!” Thought it was pretty dorky but I didn’t realize it was spreading. ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/17 "2007-08-19T21:08:40Z")
[QUOTE=iwakura43] A “blessed day”? You can’t be serious. [/QUOTE] 'Have a blessed day." It feels like being touched inappropriately by an angel _Above line shamelessly stolen_ ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/18 "2007-08-19T22:50:32Z")
[QUOTE=Annie] 'Have a blessed day." It feels like being touched inappropriately by an angel _Above line shamelessly stolen_ [/QUOTE] You may have stolen it but its exactly the way I feel when I’m told to have a ‘blessed day.’ I appreciate it since I didn’t quite know how to express the way it makes me feel. I also hear a lot of “I’m having a blessed day” in response to “How are you?” ---
**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2007, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/19 "2007-08-19T23:04:16Z")
**Otto** - do you work in a call centre? I did for a short time, mainly speaking to cable customers in Columbus, OH, and I heard “have a blessed day” many times, along with a few "I appreciate you"s. Where I live people mainly say “thank you” or “thanks”. I guess Canadians ARE boring! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bubble\_pop\_electric](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecae2f/32.png) [@bubble\_pop\_electric](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubble_pop_electric)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152/20 "2007-08-20T04:04:13Z")
Hmm… had you by any chance been feeling under-appreciated before this? And did you write about it in your diary at all? If I were you, my next move would be to compose an entry about my love of freshly baked chocolate cakes. It’s the only way to uncover the truth P.S. I’ve never heard “Have a blessed day.” Would you say it “blest” or Bless-ED? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-appreciate-you-when-did-this-start/416152.md?page=2)