As a greeting, why do we say "good evening" during the night, when we ought to be saying "good night"?
6 pm – Good Evening
8 pm – good evening
11 pm – good evening.
Restaurant, phone call, bar, home, etc….we say “good evening” even during the night, when we clearly, according to the logic of “good evening,” say, “good night.”
Can’t we think of something better?
Or shall we make “good night” a more dynamic phrase than simply a “sleep well” wish?
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We aren’t the only ones to do that. The Germans do as well, for example: guten abend and gute nacht. It’s just a convention. Besides, one definition of evening is “the period from sunset to bedtime”. So if people are up and socializing (and saying “good evening”), it still technically fits since it’s before their bedtime. I suppose there’s a differentiation just so there’s more clarity in a conversation. Of course, we could all start a movement and try changing the meaning of “good night”. :o)
To me good night is reserved for just before one goes to sleep.
Good question.
Look at the time!
Good night.
The French say Bon soir and Bonne nuit. I imagine other Romance languages have similar phrases.
yeah good night implies you are going to bed, and the evening includes night time as well, so saying good evening is still correct.
I tend to use good evening as a greeting and good night as a departure.
All of a sudden, I’m thinking of the expression “the shank of the evening.” Where did that come from?
@KidKyle – I understand the implications of both, but the logic is still messed up…
it’s the same in more or less every language.
Bon soir, dobry vecer, kalispera, guten abend, all refer to the period of day when it is dark and the two people in the conversation meet (and hopefully will spend some of that period together). Neither of them is about to sleep, so it’s not “night” yet. It could be 4am, and you’d still say “good evening” if you just walked into a bar, because it’s not your bedtime yet (nor the barman’s). But when you leave to go home, even as early as 7pm, and the other person assumes you’ll be sleeping soon, then it will be “bon nuit, layla sayida, dobrou noc and Gute Nacht”. So kalinyxta, I need to sleep too.
I think it’s the implication is evening = night is still young enough to do something social vs night = time to head home and sleep
According to my thinking, Good evening is till 2030hrs after 2030 if we meet some one & to greet them we have to use Hello Uncle/Aunty/etc (with respect) & people younger than us we have to use Hi!. ahile departing as usual Good night.
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