# Origin of quote, "I said GOOD DAY, sir!" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 19, 2005, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876 "2005-06-19T03:23:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2005, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/21 "2005-07-02T05:47:58Z")
[here’s a clip from WW&tCF](http://www.dailywav.com/w.php) a little more than halfway down the page to WW&tCF; the clip is the 5th one down. Bo ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2005, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/22 "2005-07-02T20:12:07Z")
> [@Sarah Woodruff](#): > > The utterance “I said-I said Good Day, Sir!” said by a haughty old man with an English accent is ringing major bells with me…like it’s from a specific TV or radio show… " I said-I said" … Foghorn Leghorn ? does anyone have a copy of _The hobbit_ to hand? Bilbo said something similar to Gandalf in chapter one IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2005, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/23 "2005-07-02T23:51:47Z")
> [@Peter Morris](#): > > does anyone have a copy of _The hobbit_ to hand? Probably _everyone_ reading this has a copy of _The Hobbit_ on hand. 😃 > [@Bilbo Baggins](#): > > “Good morning!” he said at last. “We don’t want any adventures here, thank you! You might try over The Hill or across The Water.” But Gandalf is not so easily dismissed, and after another page worth of verbal sparring: > [@Bilbo Baggins](#): > > “Sorry! I don’t want any adventures, thank you. Not today. Good morning! But please come to tea–any time you like. Why not tomorrow? Come tomorrow! Good bye!” Which is all rather more cordial than the frosty “Good day sir!” of the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/24 "2005-07-05T13:01:17Z")
While I agree with everyone who notes that the phrase has a long and storied history as a brush-off, it’s popularity as a catch-phrase in the last few years – with the particular emphasis noted in the OP – is certainly the result of more recent use. I believe the repopularization is from Fez on That 70’s Show, although Homer Simpson may have had something to do with it. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/25 "2005-07-05T13:25:23Z")
> [@pseudotriton ruber ruber](#): > > Dustin Hoffman in TOOTSIE, exiting Dr. Brewster’s office. _Tootsie_ is one of my top five favorite movies, and I want to say that she was kicking him out of _her_ office. Either that or they weren’t in anybody’s office. The line wasn’t shown during the actual soap; it was part of her audition. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/26 "2005-07-05T14:03:07Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > _Tootsie_ is one of my top five favorite movies, and I want to say that she was kicking him out of _her_ office. Either that or they weren’t in anybody’s office. The line wasn’t shown during the actual soap; it was part of her audition. Also delivered by the Terri Garr character as part of _her_ (unsuccessful) audition. “Did you feel how much I hated you?” Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie is the best single performance ever delivered by an actor. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Merigold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merigold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merigold)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/27 "2012-03-12T20:17:57Z")
It is also from the movie “Tootsie” with Dustin Hoffman. Dustin secretly protrays a woman to get a job as an actress on a soap opera. On the soap he plays a hospital administrator and took the liberty of changing his character’s script when speaking to the womanizing doctor. Instead of being forced to kiss a man, he tells the doctor, “good day…” ---
**Author:** ![Merigold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merigold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merigold)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/28 "2012-03-12T20:23:51Z")
I thought I scrolled down far enough. This is the only site that actually references Tootsie! So good for us! ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/29 "2012-03-12T21:11:15Z")
Huh? “Good day” is the British equivalent of “Good bye” (during the day, of course). Saying “Good day” was the polite equivalent of ending a conversation and saying “That’s it. We’re finished. Now go away.” If the other person persisted in carrying on the conversation, the offended party says the equivalent of “I already said ‘Bub-bye’ now get lost.” In Scrooge’s case, he just repeats “Good afternoon”. Some people are less patient and say “I’ve already said ( good bye / good day / good afternoon / you can go now / that’s it end of story / go away!).” I’m not sure it was ever originally anyone’s signature line. It was just common usage… how to politely tell the other party to fuck off. The fact that you then told them you’d already told them so merely emphasized that you thought that they were wasting your time and being irritating, and did not want further discussion. The polite and considerate understood the brush-off, the persistent and irritating were ignoring it and had to be told twice. (or more) I suppose if used in North America, there is the added element of pretentiousness or snobbery by using a British upper-class politeness. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/30 "2012-03-12T21:32:47Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > " I said-I said" … Foghorn Leghorn ? Foghorn Leghorn is mostly based on [Senator Claghorn](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senator_Claghorn) on the _Fred Allen Show_, so it’s not likely to be related. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/31 "2012-03-12T22:06:50Z")
> [@Merigold](#): > > I thought I scrolled down far enough. This is the only site that actually references Tootsie! So good for us! And we did it almost seven years ago! ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/32 "2012-03-13T01:58:48Z")
Then that’s it then. No more replies to this thread please. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/33 "2012-03-13T02:33:20Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > Then that’s it then. No more replies to this thread please. Autolycus: …and good day, sirs. Mahaloth: Well, there was this one movie… Autolycus: I said GOOD DAY, sirs! The End. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/34 "2012-03-13T08:36:46Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Huh? > > “Good day” is the British equivalent of “Good bye” (during the day, of course). > > Saying “Good day” was the polite equivalent of ending a conversation and saying “That’s it. We’re finished. Now go away.” If the other person persisted in carrying on the conversation, the offended party says the equivalent of “I already said ‘Bub-bye’ now get lost.” This has got to be it. The OP is basically asking who was the person to first more sternly repeat a farewell after their conversation partner wouldn’t leave. I’m sure humans have been doing this for as long as we’ve known how to talk. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/35 "2012-03-13T16:26:50Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > Then that’s it then. No more replies to this thread please. Point of order, please. Can someone “Good Day, Sir” a conversation they didn’t start? Seems like that’d be more appropriately done with a Irish Paddy accent, “Moooove along now, nuthin’ ta see here…” ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/36 "2012-03-13T22:07:47Z")
I swear I remember Bobby Hill on King of the Hill saying this. Arms crossed, all ticked off, “I say good day to you, sir!” ---
**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:** [March 14, 2012, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/37 "2012-03-14T01:37:58Z")
The John Cleese character in the classic Python “Argument Clinic” sketch also uses “Good morning” as a brushoff. See here, starting at 2:35: [- YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQFKtI6gn9Y) ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/38 "2012-04-09T21:14:58Z")
I saw [this](http://www.flickr.com/photos/11822576@N08/7062155651/sizes/l/in/photostream/) in Washington, DC last week. I wonder what it means? ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/39 "2012-04-09T22:13:33Z")
In _Secret of My Success_, Helen Slater as the stiff executive uses “Good morning” to brush off Michael J. Fox. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876/40 "2012-04-10T17:35:36Z")
I seem to recall Alistar Sim delivers this line in Scrooge. (When the 2 guys are trolling for funds for the orphans and such) _Way_ pre-dates Wonka. I’m not 100% sure, however. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-quote-i-said-good-day-sir/308876.md?page=3)