# So Long **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 22, 2001, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long/73388 "2001-07-22T02:13:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lamsai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5daacb/32.png) [@Lamsai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamsai)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2001, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long/73388/1 "2001-07-22T02:13:02Z")
Why do we say “So long as” you are home early. What does the long part mean? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2001, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long/73388/2 "2001-07-22T03:29:07Z")
I think it was Charles Berlitz who explained it as a loanword from an alleged Malay word, “salang.” According to him, that was a Malay alteration of the Arabic word _salâm_. Except… Berlitz didn’t know what he was talking about. I spent 2 years in Malaysia and learned to speak the language, and never once heard anyone say “salang.” They say “_assalamu alaikum_” in Arabic for greeting, and for goodbye they say “_selamat jalan_” or “_selamat tinggal_” (depending on whether you’re staying or going). But I looked up the word _salang_ in the Malay dictionary, and it means “To execute by the _kris_; done by driving a long rapier-like _kris_ down past the collarbone to the heart.” Make of that what you will. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2001, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long/73388/3 "2001-07-22T03:53:11Z")
**Jomo** Thanks for the contribution. When I read it, I immediately pulled out my Leo Rosten. You said \*alaikum/i] which triggered “sholem aleichem” in my memory, from the Yiddish.’ Rosten contributes thus: “Muslims use the same salutation and virtually the same phrasing, except that Muslims begin with an s instead of an sh, and use a k instead of a kh; thus; salaam aleikum.” ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2001, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long/73388/4 "2001-07-22T04:09:09Z")
I’m not sure where the phrase _so long_ meaning goodbye came from\*, but the phrase in the OP is a bit diferent. Originally, it would _not_ have occurred in the phrase “so long as you are home early, then . . . .” It _would_ have occurred in the phrase “So long as you continue your current behavior, then . . . .” It meant “as long as you are doing this action, this will be the result”, “For the length of time that this event occurs, this reaction/consequence/whatever will be in force.” Over time, the exact meaning (“If you continue this action”/“If this action continues”) was shortened in concept to simply “if”. \*farewell: The **OED** notes “so long” as a farewell to 1865 and links it (without further comment than calling it colloquial) to the German phrase _so lange_. My German references do not provide enough etymology to illuminate that specific use, but I will rashly speculate that it means something like “So long as you are gone, I will miss you” or “So long as you are gone may God keep you safe” or some similar sentiment. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2001, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long/73388/5 "2001-07-22T04:46:04Z")
According to my Webster’s, “so long” is “prb. by folk etymology fr. Gael. _slán_ lit., health, security…” I’ve never heard “so long” as a greeting.