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From: markrose@spss.com (Mark Rosenfelder)
Subject: Re: life and death of words Re: Thank You
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References: <35fhi3$lo9$2@mhadf.production.compuserve.com> <35kkg8INNh7@symiserver.symantec.com> <CwHtq7.AMM@news.cis.umn.edu> <3616ed$685@news.cs.brandeis.edu>
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 1994 23:24:15 GMT
Lines: 22

In article <3616ed$685@news.cs.brandeis.edu>,
 <jacob@max.cc.brandeis.edu> wrote:
>In article <CwHtq7.AMM@news.cis.umn.edu> kiche001@maroon.tc.umn.edu (Satyanad Kichenassamy) writes:
>>In Tamil, one uses `nan_Ri' (approximate pronunciation: nandri).
>>It is an old word which denotes a kind deed (from nal=good).
>>However, its use in translating `Thank you' is recent.
>>Note that many cultures do not insist on using such a word
>>for insignificant deeds. Even if French, merci used to have
>>a much stronger implication in the Middle Ages. It would be
>>interesting to know of the historical aspects of the use of 
>>`thank you' in other languages.
>
>Yes but just because the phrase meaning "Thank You" today comes
>from a word that had stronger implication originally does not
>mean that at that time there was no phrase for "Thank you" which
>might have since fallen out of use.
>
>It is somehow difficult to imagine a culture that does not have
>a phrase which fulfills the role of "Thank You".

Imagine a little harder.  I'm told that in parts of East Africa,
it's not the custom to thank people for favors received.
