Cora from Cleveland, Ohio, notes that cashiers in stores often say good-bye to her with the phrase “Have a nice rest of your day.” She’s charmed by its use, and wonders if the phrase is on the rise and whether it’s confined to a particular geographic region. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Have a Nice Rest of Your Day”
Hello, you have A Way with Words.
Hello, this is Cora Lederbach from Cleveland, Ohio.
Hi, Cora. Welcome to the show.
Hello, Cora.
Well, I’ve heard an expression lately that I think is kind of interesting, and I just wondered if it’s becoming more part of our common parlance. It’s when I go to a store often as I’m leaving, and this is typically in the afternoon, the cashier will say, have a good rest of your day. When I first heard it, I thought, wow, that’s different, you know. And it doesn’t sound exactly grammatical, but it sounds very friendly. So I enjoy hearing it. But I just wondered, is that just sort of local to our area? I noticed recently I’d called someplace, and I’m not sure exactly where I spoke with the person. It could have been out of town, and they also used that expression.
Interesting. So you’re wondering if it’s a local expression. And you’re wondering if it’s new?
Yeah.
Yeah, it’s widespread. It strikes me kind of strangely. The first time I heard it, I think there are two things going on there for me, one of which is that the noun rest can mean a couple of things. And the first time somebody said that to me, have a good rest of your day, I thought, I heard the word rest and I was thinking, I would love to take a nap. But then they finished and you realized it was rest meaning remainder.
Yeah, yeah. So my mind had to do a little backup there. But the other thing that’s going on that’s a little bit strange grammatically that you kind of hinted at is the fact that usually when we use the word rest meaning the remainder of something, we use the word the rather than a, and you would expect it to be the good rest or something like that.
Right. Rather than a rest, a good rest. We wouldn’t say things like a rest of the books. We would say the rest of the books.
Right, right. So it’s a little strange there, and it’s sort of a combination of the rest of your day and have a good day, right?
Yes.
Yeah, but it’s quite well established. It’s been around for quite a while, actually. I found it as far back as 1982 in print, and I’m sure it’s older than that spoken aloud. I think, but I don’t think I hear like have a good evening as much or have a good afternoon. I think people say have a good day or have a good rest of your day. And now we’re not necessarily breaking it down into the parts of the day.
Well, I’m interested that you like it. It’s always struck me as just being a little odd, like, oh, the time’s ticking away. I don’t have much left in the rest of my day.
Right, an awareness on both parties that we’re past noon and they don’t wish you a good afternoon.
Yeah.
Well, I take it in the spirit in which it was intended, which is, you know, hope you enjoy your time, however much is left.
Yeah.
But anyway, Cora, to answer your question, it’s not localized at all. It’s used all over the United States for sure.
Yeah, and Canada.
Yeah.
Well, thank you.
Thank you, Cora. Take care now.
Okay, you too.
Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.
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