English
日本語
中文（简体)
中文（繁體)
한국어
Italiano
español
Deutsch
Русский
How many ways do you know to say goodbye?
- farewell
- adieu
- hooray
- check you
- au revoir
- ciao
- auf Wiedersehen
- adios
- sayonara
- bye
- bye-bye
- see you
- see you later
- catch you later
- cheers
- cheerio
- ta-ta
- ta-ra
- later
- laters
Possibly more. "So long" is an expression of farewell, often viewed in a poetic or dramatic light. However, its use is fairly common in some parts of the world.
The origin of this colloquial-styled phrase is often shrouded in mystery. Some believe it came from the Irish goodbye slán. While some propose it was adapted from the German adieu so lange ( "farewell until we meet again"). There are similar greetings in Hebrew (shalom- a greeting and a good-bye) and Arabic (salaam - Hi/Bye/Salute).
Naturally, the first use of its modern usage was first caught in American literature. And yes, it was poetry. Walt Whitman, a household name for readers, wrote a poem called So Long and added it to his collection called Leaves of Grass in 1860. When asked, he explained it as a salutation of departure, greatly used among sailors—the sense of it is till we meet again...
Naturally, the first use of its modern usage was first caught in American literature. And yes, it was poetry. Walt Whitman, a household name for readers, wrote a poem called So Long and added it to his collection called Leaves of Grass in 1860. When asked, he explained it as a salutation of departure, greatly used among sailors—the sense of it is till we meet again...
Want to learn cool facts about English and literature? Check out the lesson below...
