Phrase 'Good morning to you'

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MS - 27 Oct 2005 13:18 GMT

Hi,

I've noticed over the last year or two that presenters on the various BBC
news programs now use the phrase 'good morning to you' more regularly than
simply 'good morning'. This is not reciprocated in the evening and I have
yet to hear, or notice, the use of 'good evening to you'.

There is something about the phrase 'good morning to you' that I find
annoying, namely that the 'to you' is entirely redundant when speaking to
someone, whom else would you be saying 'good morning' to? It is also a
phrase that is seldom used, in my experience anyway. When people wish me
good morning they invariably say either 'good morning' or 'morning'
sometimes followed by my name.

Has anyone else noticed the rise of 'good morning to you' in BBC
broadcasting? Can anyone explain why it seems to be replacing the
perfectly adequate 'good morning' and why 'good evening to you' has not
also been adopted?

Thanks and regards,

MS

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Tony Mountifield - 27 Oct 2005 14:30 GMT

> Has anyone else noticed the rise of 'good morning to you' in BBC
> broadcasting? Can anyone explain why it seems to be replacing the
> perfectly adequate 'good morning' and why 'good evening to you' has not
> also been adopted?

I hadn't noticed (probably don't watch enough TV), but the version
with "to you" sounds to my ears like some combination of slightly
upper-class, rural and 40-50 years ago.

Cheers
Tony

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Tony Mountifield
Work: tony@softins.co.uk - http://www.softins.co.uk
Play: tony@mountifield.org - http://tony.mountifield.org

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Molly Mockford - 27 Oct 2005 19:36 GMT

At 13:30:48 on Thu, 27 Oct 2005, Tony Mountifield
<tony@softins.clara.co.uk> wrote in <djqkq8$epp$1@softins.clara.co.uk>:

>> Has anyone else noticed the rise of 'good morning to you' in BBC
>> broadcasting? Can anyone explain why it seems to be replacing the
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>with "to you" sounds to my ears like some combination of slightly
>upper-class, rural and 40-50 years ago.

IIRC, "Good Morning To You" was a little song written by a couple of
American ladies quite some years ago but still in copyright, which is
why it can actually be illegal to sing "Happy Birthday To You" (which is
based on it and uses the same tune) in certain circumstances.

If the stress is on the "to you", I would consider this usage as
American; if it is more of a weak "t'you" added at the end, it sounds
more Irish. But I've never heard this on the BBC either.

Signature

Molly Mockford
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety - Benjamin Franklin
(My Reply-To address *is* valid, though may not remain so for ever.)

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MS - 27 Oct 2005 21:09 GMT

Molly Mockford emailed this:

> At 13:30:48 on Thu, 27 Oct 2005, Tony Mountifield
> <tony@softins.clara.co.uk> wrote in <djqkq8$epp$1@softins.clara.co.uk>:
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> American; if it is more of a weak "t'you" added at the end, it sounds
> more Irish. But I've never heard this on the BBC either.

There is stress on the "to you".

MS

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Mike Stevens - 28 Oct 2005 07:28 GMT

> At 13:30:48 on Thu, 27 Oct 2005, Tony Mountifield
> <tony@softins.clara.co.uk> wrote in
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> American; if it is more of a weak "t'you" added at the end, it sounds
> more Irish. But I've never heard this on the BBC either.

Not just recent and not just the BBC. This isn't the same example as quoted
by Molly (the scasion's different) but many decades ago Judy Garland sang

"Good mornin', good mornin'!
We've danced the whole night through,
good mornin', good mornin' to you."

In this example the "to you" is definitely stressed.

--
Mike Stevens
narrowboat Felis Catus II
Web site www.mike-stevens.co.uk

No man is an island. So is Man.

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Paul Burke - 28 Oct 2005 08:39 GMT

> If the stress is on the "to you", I would consider this usage as
> American; if it is more of a weak "t'you" added at the end, it sounds
> more Irish.

The whole greeting is merely conventional anyway. The broadcaster can't
have any idea of who "you" might be. It's only said because launching
off into the subject matter from cold sounds a bit bald. I think the
simple "This is BBC Radio 4" or whatever would be less artificial.

Paul Burke

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John of Aix - 27 Oct 2005 19:02 GMT

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> perfectly adequate 'good morning' and why 'good evening to you' has
> not also been adopted?

Perhaps it is because 'good morning' on its own is slightly ambiguous.
Are we stating the fact that it is a good morning or are we wishing a
good morning to someone? Adding the 'to you' makes it clear that it is
the latter. Probably unnecessary though, we've managed up until now.

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Nick Wagg - 31 Oct 2005 12:29 GMT

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> perfectly adequate 'good morning' and why 'good evening to you' has not
> also been adopted?

It seems to me that this is used when the presenter has omitted to
greet the interviewee, or has not yet got around to it, and is reminded
of their manners - a sort of "Oh, yes, I nearly forgot".

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Discussion Groups / British English / October 2005

Phrase 'Good morning to you'