I wish you good day

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi

I wish you good day,…

I’ve read it in a novel – literally, without any other punctuation marks and without article.

BNC:

OK.

Does in this case ‘good day’ have a some more abstract meaning (like ‘wish you good luck’, for example) than when we say it traditionally – a good day
?

2

Hi Tamara

With no additional context, I’d interpret I wish you good day as somone saying “Goodbye”.

Amy

3

Hi Tamara,

In my book this is rather formal and oldfashioned. It lays itself open to two interptretaions, I would say.

It could be a final salutation - I’m off, I’m going, ta ta, cheerio, see you

It could also be a final salutation with a sting in the tail. It reminds me of an occasion of a deal I did or rather didn’t do with a car salesman. He had agreed certain points and when it came to the handing over of my car and the taking over of his car, he reneged on one major point. I then somewhat dramatically tore up the contract and walked out of the showroom with those words: I wish you good day. I didn’t half feel good.

Alan

4

Does adding an a change the meaning of the phrase? I mean what about I wish you a good day?[YSaerTTEW443543]

TOEFL listening discussions: A conversation between a university student and an employee in the student services center[YSaerTTEW443543]

5

Hi Torsten,

The addition of ‘a’ rather changes the meaning or puts it into another category. It suggests a good day of something like fishing, walking or whatever. The omission of the ‘a’ keeps it formal.

Alan

6

Hi Alan

Thanks a lot, indeed.
Great!

P.S. Correct use of articles is one my weakest points :slight_smile: … :frowning:

7

Hi Tamara,

Can I interest you in my material on the site on this topic?
ESL Lesson: Articles in English: The vs. A/an
[size=75]http://www.english-test.net/lessons/16/index.html[/size]

Alan

8

Hello Alan

I do not know about Tamara but it did interest me! :lol:

My question is:

What is the difference between:

1- The horse is a noble animal.
2- A horse is a noble animal.

Tom

9

Hi Tom,

I think this has been mentioned a few times before. Both obviously mean the same but the use of the definite article in The horse… tends in a way to glorify the horse, add extra dignity, put it at the top of the list as it were.

Alan

10

Thank you, Alan, for the link. I’ll take it.

Unfortunately, it’s not only a point of ‘knowing rules’.
Use of articles is not natural for me (with my Slavic background). When I am highly attentive and specially concentrated on language constructions I use (rather than on the topic of conversation) – for example, when doing tests - I can do that at an… acceptable level.
But when I really work by using English – I still make lots of such mistakes…

(But, as the topic demonstrates – quite often any article is much better than nothing :slight_smile: )

11

Hi Tamara,

Funny you should mention about what they call zero article. Apparently it is becoming quite common in spoken English for the article to be dropped especially when the noun is qualified. You can hear people say: Oh yes, we had very nice holiday in Spain this year.

Listen out next time you hear people talking or being interviewed on the radio/tv.

Alan

12

:shock:

Alan, are you suggesting that it’s becoming common in the UK to even say something such as “Oh, yes, we have very nice chair in the livingroom.” ? :shock:

Amy

13

Yes Amy, it is. We’re clearly going to the dogs. It’s terrible thing.

Alan

14

:lol: :shock: :o

Tom

15

Hi Tom,

What do you want to say?

Alan

16

.
I’m kind of curious about that, too, Tom.

Obviously you liked something about that comment. We’re just not quite sure why exactly. Could you share with us (a little more precisely) what it was that tickled your fancy? :wink:

Amy

17

I thought that Alan played a little prank with words and I thoroughly enjoyed it.(But now it seems that I was wrong)

I was with the idea (and still not sure) that it should be:

It is [color=red]a terrible thing

First Alan explains to Amy how people are leaving out articles in English and then he knowingly leaves out the article…

but it proves that a is not required there and I enjoyed it reasonlessly!

Tom

18

Wrong, Tom! :lol:
I noticed Alan’s little omission, too, and I really had no doubt that your eagle eye had also caught it.

I think you’ve just explained things exceedingly well (except for the “not required” and “reasonlessly” parts, that is… 8) )!

I think Sir Alan the Article-less was playing a little follow-up prank with his follow-up question. :lol: :wink: Sorry that I also egged you on. Can you forgive me?

Amy