Goodbye! See ya! Later, alligator! It’s amazing how many ways there are to bid someone farewell, but today, we’re focusing on the deceptively simple and strangely evocative “so long.” 🌇
“So long” – Good-bye. This casual yet enigmatic farewell has been part of the English language since the first half of the 1800s. “Long” could imply “a long time,” but don’t read too much into it – the phrase has no such hidden meaning. It’s simply a friendly parting statement, used for over a century to casually bid adieu.
Famous American radio newscaster Lowell Thomas, who was active from the 1930s to the mid-1970s, always signed off with, “So long… until tomorrow.” While the employment of “so long” has diminished in modern vernacular – often replaced now by the equally elusive “take care” – it remains a lovable piece of linguistic history.
Similar Expressions:
- au revoir (French for “until we meet again”)
- adiós (Spanish for “goodbye”)
- see you later/alligator (often answered with “after a while/crocodile”)
- ta-ta for now (TTFN, as coined by Tigger in Winnie the Pooh)
Joke: “Why did the linguist never say ‘so long’? Because he didn’t like long words!😂”
Proverb: “Parting is such sweet sorrow” – an adage highlighting the bittersweet nature of farewells.
Famous Farewell Quote: “May the road rise up to meet you; may the wind be ever at your back.” – Traditional Irish Blessing
Suggested Reading:
- “The Goodbye Girl” by Neil Simon – an insightful and comedic play about partings and new starts.
- “Goodbye to All That” by Robert Graves – a farewell to many things, including the innocence lost through the Great War.
Music in the Key of Goodbye:
- “See You Later Alligator” by Bill Haley & His Comets – a rock ’n roll classic to get your toes tapping.
Inspirational Farewell: “May your goodbyes be as joyful as your hellos and may the memories linger longer than the parting words.”
Now let’s test your farewell fluency, shall we? 🎓👇
Farewell, dear readers! Remember: Every goodbye brings the hope of a new hello. Keep exploring words and phrases with the passion of a linguist and the joy of a lifelong learner.
Until next time, Lingo Loreman
