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“So long, farewell …” This catchy tune from The Sound of Music is just one of many artistic reflections throughout the years on the ways we say goodbye. And it’s no wonder this parting word and its synonyms have been the subject of much rumination over the years as saying goodbye has become an integral part of our interactions with people, places, and things.
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WHY DO WE SAY GOODBYE?
The practice of saying goodbye goes back centuries, with first evidence of the interjection found around 1565–75. It’s a contraction of the phrase “God be with ye.”
In those days, people didn’t have the means of communication we do today, and they often didn’t know when or if they would see that person again when they parted. So they issued a sincere send-off, asking God to be with them until they met again.
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OTHER WAYS TO SAY GOODBYE
FAREWELL
If you want to get fancy, you may want to use farewell. It means not only goodbye, but that you hope they fare (“to go, travel, experience”) well. First evidence of the word dates back to 1325–75. It stems from the middle English word farwel.
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SO LONG
Evidence of this Americanism dates back to 1840–1850, but there’s not much evidence as to why we use so long as a substitute for goodbye. It could be because it implies that we’ll see someone after a long time, but that’s not usually what we mean, so this one is a bit perplexing.
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CHEERIO
More than a little circle of grain in your cereal bowl, cheerio is an interjection that means “goodbye and good luck.” First evidence of it can be found around 1905–10, stemming from the British word cheero. It also appears to be related to cheer, as in bringing someone good cheer.
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TA-TA
Another one to borrow from the British, ta-ta can also be a cheery little send-off. First evidence of the phrase appears around 1830–40. Ta-ta is an informal way of saying “goodbye,” especially in British English. TTFN, standing for ta-ta for now.
FROM DICTIONARY.COM
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