I want to thank you

[cyrano]

So for those on my flist who are in the know--who says 'cheers' and who says 'ta' when they want to express gratitude? Is it a social distinction? A regional difference?

Comments

[tersa.livejournal.com]

AFAIK, 'cheers' in the context you put it is primarily British. At least, that's the only people I've encountered in my life and varied travels across the U.S. who say it.

I have no idea about the 'ta'.

[carabosse.livejournal.com]

"Cheers" and "ta" are pretty much interchangeable, although I am more likely to use "ta" because that's what one of my friends says (she's from Ireland).

"Cheers" has become associated for me entirely with Paul Hogan's Australia commercials. "Cheers, mate" over and over again... :-) Early Australian English dialect was strongly influenced by Cockney, so that makes sense, but I still could never say it without feeling silly.

[jholloway.livejournal.com]

At a rough estimate, "cheers" is more prevalent in the South, although it's in use everywhere, and "ta" is more prevalent in the North and Scotland -- because my mum is Scottish, I grew up associating it with Scots. But looking around a bit on the web, I see that it's also a Brummie thing, and that it can be heard in London. The difference is probably still of regional origin. I wonder if's short for "takk."

[lilithsaintcrow.livejournal.com]

I always understood that "cheers" was when you take your leave of your good mate, and "ta" is when your good mate does something wonderful and you take your leave of them.

Neither

[purchasemonkey.livejournal.com]

I, as an ugly American, demand that these people stop butchering the English language and just say "thank you" instead.

[kiras.livejournal.com]

Uh, well... the Pretentious Metrosexual American Male across the hall from me at work says "Cheers!" continually, but I suspect that's affectation rather than actual culture.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

As a pretentious American metrosexual male, I fall right into that demographic!

[hamgallon84.livejournal.com]

What the fuck is ta?

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

From what I'm hearing on these comments, it's the Northern version of 'cheers'. Which is a slang version of 'thank you very much'--an expression of gratitude. (: