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"Have a nice day" is a commonly spoken valediction, typically uttered by service employees to customers at the end of a transaction. Its repetitious and dutifully polite usage has resulted in the phrase developing a cultural connotation among some listeners as representing impersonality and lack of interest. The phrase is generally not used in Europe, and many European commentators have stated that it seems artificial or even offensive." (excerpted from Wikipedia and edited.)
Some pleasant European valedictions uttered to friends are au revoir (French) and arrivederci (Italian), both of which mean "until we meet again."
"I wish you a pleasant day" is quite different from the "Have a . . ." construction, which grammatically suggests a command and can be interpreted that way. (This becomes more clear in this example: As you look over the restaurant menu, your spouse says "Have the salmon" when you prefer to make your own selection.)
"Have a nice day" may even trigger a sassy retort like this: "Nice day? I'll have whatever kind of day I want to have, thank you!"
In my opinion, "Have a nice day" has several minuses and one plus. It tends to be robotic in delivery and bland in meaning. Its one plus? Saying "nice day" fills the social space and provides what anthropologists term phatic communication, which means "empty small talk."
Here are some alternatives to consider for friends:
"I hope you have a prosperous/productive/delightful day!"
"I hope to see you again soon!"
"It was great to see you again. Bye for now."
Among church friends, you might try "God be with you," (the original meaning of good-bye.)
For sales clerks and servers, try a simple "Thank you for shopping/dining with us."
When ending your conversation with an understanding friend, try this at least once: "Have whatever kind of day you'd like to have!"
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In acknowledgement of today's U.S. holiday, Jan 16, 2012, a quotation of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr:
"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."
Thank you for subscribing and reading this tip!
Until next week's tip,
Loren
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