Newsgroup: it.cultura.linguistica.inglese
Titolo: So long

The literal meaning of "So long" as a time expression is "until now" /
"a long while", right?
According to dictionaries, "So long" is a "fam. USA" greeting too,
meaning "Arrivederci!" or "Ciao!" 
I wonder why people say "So long!" when parting.
For instance, is "So long!" a short form for "It's been a pleasure
seeing you *so long*, but now I must be going."??? 
On what occasions would people use "So long" rather than C'ya, Bye,
Bye-Bye, Cheerio, Cheers, See you soon, Goodbye, Farewell?
BTW, I tried to report the parting greetings on a scale from informal
to formal / solemn style. Did I sort them the right way?
-- 
Enrico C
"I always feel grubby in the morning"
grubby: not clean (c) Dave's ESL Cafe Slang

 to formal / solemn style. Did I sort them the right way?
In reality, I don't think there is any exact continuum. "Bye bye" is 
more like baby talk than just "bye". "Farewell" is a word you read in 
books: I've never heard anyone use it seriously. Maybe I've never been 
in the very formal situations in which it might seem appropriate to use 
it! :-)
Saluti
David
-- 
We come here upon what, in a large proportion of cases, forms the
source of the grossest errors of mankind. Men on a lower level of
understanding, when brought into contact with phenomena of a higher
order, instead of making efforts to understand them, to raise
themselves up to the point of view from which they must look at the
subject, judge it from their lower standpoint, and the less they
understand what they are talking about, the more confidently and
unhesitatingly they pass judgment on it.
     -- Leo Tolstoy, "The Kingdom of God is Within You"

 
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/homestead/Countryside/Wc48783d0a17d1.htm
Thank you, David.
I'll quote that page here, as a matter  for debate.
I'd tend to believe the last explanation (Skip's) to be true, 
but the first one (Paul's) is way funnier.
 :)
 
 Ciao!
 
 Enrico C
| "So long, its been good toknow you" (Origin?)
| 
greenspun.com
 : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread 
| User FAQ 
| Why do we say "so long" when leaving? 
| 
| -- paul (
wprimer...@msn.com
), May 30, 2001 
| Answers
| It might come from; "You have been here so long, I thought you'de never leave"!! 
| I like the one that states;
| "All people who come here bring joy; most by arriving; a few by departing". 
| 
| -- mitch hearn (
moop...@aol.com
), May 30, 2001. 
| Guests are like fish, after three days they start to stink... 
| 
| -- Willy Allen (
willy...@yahoo.com
), May 30, 2001. 
| Better to leave early and have people say " I wish they could have stayed longer", 
| than linger and have people say, " I thought they would never leave". 
| 
| -- Kate henderson (
ka...@sheepyvalley.com
), May 30, 2001. 
| I believe it is an English transliteration the Hebrew "Shalom" 
| which was/is a common greeting. 
| I think that "shalome" is a derivitive of "Salem" which means "peace". 
| Jerusalem = City of Peace. Seems ironic now, doesn't it? 
| Shows what happens when God's people don't follow God's ways. 
| 
| -- Skip Walton (
sunda...@gnrac.net
), May 31, 2001. 
| The way I heard it, and this is probably one of many, many explanations, 
| is that the phrase derived from the statement 
| "I hope it will not be so long until we see each other next time", 
| derived from a desire for more frequent visits, and shortened to "so long". 
| But that is only one of many explanations, and differences are rampant, 
| however implausible. 
| Consider that there were people 
| (none of whom I've met that will actually admit this!) 
| that reportedly liked Despicable Bill! Go figure! GL. 
| 
| -- Brad (home...@SacoRiver.net), June 02, 2001.