What does “Many, many happy returns of the day” mean in context of a birthday?
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Today I saw a birthday card which says:
Many, many happy returns of the day.
Can you help me understand what it means?
meaning expressions
edited Sep 3 '11 at 18:20
Daniel
46.9k58229351
asked Sep 3 '11 at 4:22
Farm
174115
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up vote
13
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Today I saw a birthday card which says:
Many, many happy returns of the day.
Can you help me understand what it means?
meaning expressions
edited Sep 3 '11 at 18:20
Daniel
46.9k58229351
asked Sep 3 '11 at 4:22
Farm
174115
Hello SPP, welcome to EL&U. The meaning of this expression is explained both by online dictionaries and has its own Wikipedia page.
– F'x
Sep 3 '11 at 9:04
Sounds too formal, if you ask me. But it looks good in print.
– user26251
Sep 19 '12 at 12:20
add a comment |
up vote
13
down vote
favorite
up vote
13
down vote
favorite
Today I saw a birthday card which says:
Many, many happy returns of the day.
Can you help me understand what it means?
meaning expressions
edited Sep 3 '11 at 18:20
Daniel
46.9k58229351
asked Sep 3 '11 at 4:22
Farm
174115
Today I saw a birthday card which says:
Many, many happy returns of the day.
Can you help me understand what it means?
meaning expressions
meaning expressions
edited Sep 3 '11 at 18:20
Daniel
46.9k58229351
asked Sep 3 '11 at 4:22
Farm
174115
edited Sep 3 '11 at 18:20
Daniel
46.9k58229351
asked Sep 3 '11 at 4:22
Farm
174115
edited Sep 3 '11 at 18:20
Daniel
46.9k58229351
edited Sep 3 '11 at 18:20
Daniel
46.9k58229351
edited Sep 3 '11 at 18:20
Daniel
46.9k58229351
46.9k58229351
asked Sep 3 '11 at 4:22
Farm
174115
asked Sep 3 '11 at 4:22
Farm
174115
asked Sep 3 '11 at 4:22
Farm
174115
174115
Hello SPP, welcome to EL&U. The meaning of this expression is explained both by online dictionaries and has its own Wikipedia page.
– F'x
Sep 3 '11 at 9:04
Sounds too formal, if you ask me. But it looks good in print.
– user26251
Sep 19 '12 at 12:20
add a comment |
Hello SPP, welcome to EL&U. The meaning of this expression is explained both by online dictionaries and has its own Wikipedia page.
– F'x
Sep 3 '11 at 9:04
Sounds too formal, if you ask me. But it looks good in print.
– user26251
Sep 19 '12 at 12:20
Hello SPP, welcome to EL&U. The meaning of this expression is explained both by online dictionaries and has its own Wikipedia page.
– F'x
Sep 3 '11 at 9:04
Hello SPP, welcome to EL&U. The meaning of this expression is explained both by online dictionaries and has its own Wikipedia page.
– F'x
Sep 3 '11 at 9:04
Sounds too formal, if you ask me. But it looks good in print.
– user26251
Sep 19 '12 at 12:20
Sounds too formal, if you ask me. But it looks good in print.
– user26251
Sep 19 '12 at 12:20
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
24
down vote
accepted
Part of the phrase has been truncated. The full statement would read:
"[I hope you have] many happy returns of the day."
"The day" is your birthday, and if it returns "many times" it means that you will live to be quite an old person.
answered Sep 3 '11 at 4:34
Kyle Pearson
2,2651216
add a comment |
up vote
2
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Wikipedia explains the phrase as follows:
The term itself refers to the passing year. Since the 18th century this has been used as a salutation to offer the hope that a happy day being marked would recur many more times. It is now primarily used on birthdays; prior to the mid 19th century it was used more generally, at any celebratory or festive event.
Current usage is often as a more formal option than 'Happy Birthday'. It is also often to be found on greetings cards.
[...]
An alternative explanation is that "returns" here is used in the sense of "yield" or "profit" that it is still found in "investment returns". Therefore "many happy returns of the day" would be a wishing a person a rewarding day, full of happiness.
The first explanation implies we are wishing that their birthday will return many more times - in other words, "May you live long".
edited 4 mins ago
Nicolas Raoul
83641634
answered Sep 3 '11 at 4:34
John
20928
4
Your "another meaning" is the same as the meaning in the first paragraph you quoted.
– ShreevatsaR
Sep 3 '11 at 4:47
add a comment |
protected by RegDwigнt♦ Sep 19 '12 at 12:58
Thank you for your interest in this question.
Because it has attracted low-quality or spam answers that had to be removed, posting an answer now requires 10 reputation on this site (the association bonus does not count).
Would you like to answer one of these unanswered questions instead?
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
24
down vote
accepted
Part of the phrase has been truncated. The full statement would read:
"[I hope you have] many happy returns of the day."
"The day" is your birthday, and if it returns "many times" it means that you will live to be quite an old person.
answered Sep 3 '11 at 4:34
Kyle Pearson
2,2651216
add a comment |
up vote
24
down vote
accepted
Part of the phrase has been truncated. The full statement would read:
"[I hope you have] many happy returns of the day."
"The day" is your birthday, and if it returns "many times" it means that you will live to be quite an old person.
answered Sep 3 '11 at 4:34
Kyle Pearson
2,2651216
add a comment |
up vote
24
down vote
accepted
up vote
24
down vote
accepted
Part of the phrase has been truncated. The full statement would read:
"[I hope you have] many happy returns of the day."
"The day" is your birthday, and if it returns "many times" it means that you will live to be quite an old person.
answered Sep 3 '11 at 4:34
Kyle Pearson
2,2651216
Part of the phrase has been truncated. The full statement would read:
"[I hope you have] many happy returns of the day."
"The day" is your birthday, and if it returns "many times" it means that you will live to be quite an old person.
answered Sep 3 '11 at 4:34
Kyle Pearson
2,2651216
answered Sep 3 '11 at 4:34
Kyle Pearson
2,2651216
answered Sep 3 '11 at 4:34
Kyle Pearson
2,2651216
answered Sep 3 '11 at 4:34
Kyle Pearson
2,2651216
2,2651216
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
Wikipedia explains the phrase as follows:
The term itself refers to the passing year. Since the 18th century this has been used as a salutation to offer the hope that a happy day being marked would recur many more times. It is now primarily used on birthdays; prior to the mid 19th century it was used more generally, at any celebratory or festive event.
Current usage is often as a more formal option than 'Happy Birthday'. It is also often to be found on greetings cards.
[...]
An alternative explanation is that "returns" here is used in the sense of "yield" or "profit" that it is still found in "investment returns". Therefore "many happy returns of the day" would be a wishing a person a rewarding day, full of happiness.
The first explanation implies we are wishing that their birthday will return many more times - in other words, "May you live long".
edited 4 mins ago
Nicolas Raoul
83641634
answered Sep 3 '11 at 4:34
John
20928
4
Your "another meaning" is the same as the meaning in the first paragraph you quoted.
– ShreevatsaR
Sep 3 '11 at 4:47
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
Wikipedia explains the phrase as follows:
The term itself refers to the passing year. Since the 18th century this has been used as a salutation to offer the hope that a happy day being marked would recur many more times. It is now primarily used on birthdays; prior to the mid 19th century it was used more generally, at any celebratory or festive event.
Current usage is often as a more formal option than 'Happy Birthday'. It is also often to be found on greetings cards.
[...]
An alternative explanation is that "returns" here is used in the sense of "yield" or "profit" that it is still found in "investment returns". Therefore "many happy returns of the day" would be a wishing a person a rewarding day, full of happiness.
The first explanation implies we are wishing that their birthday will return many more times - in other words, "May you live long".
edited 4 mins ago
Nicolas Raoul
83641634
answered Sep 3 '11 at 4:34
John
20928
4
Your "another meaning" is the same as the meaning in the first paragraph you quoted.
– ShreevatsaR
Sep 3 '11 at 4:47
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
up vote
2
down vote
Wikipedia explains the phrase as follows:
The term itself refers to the passing year. Since the 18th century this has been used as a salutation to offer the hope that a happy day being marked would recur many more times. It is now primarily used on birthdays; prior to the mid 19th century it was used more generally, at any celebratory or festive event.
Current usage is often as a more formal option than 'Happy Birthday'. It is also often to be found on greetings cards.
[...]
An alternative explanation is that "returns" here is used in the sense of "yield" or "profit" that it is still found in "investment returns". Therefore "many happy returns of the day" would be a wishing a person a rewarding day, full of happiness.
The first explanation implies we are wishing that their birthday will return many more times - in other words, "May you live long".
edited 4 mins ago
Nicolas Raoul
83641634
answered Sep 3 '11 at 4:34
John
20928
Wikipedia explains the phrase as follows:
The term itself refers to the passing year. Since the 18th century this has been used as a salutation to offer the hope that a happy day being marked would recur many more times. It is now primarily used on birthdays; prior to the mid 19th century it was used more generally, at any celebratory or festive event.
Current usage is often as a more formal option than 'Happy Birthday'. It is also often to be found on greetings cards.
[...]
An alternative explanation is that "returns" here is used in the sense of "yield" or "profit" that it is still found in "investment returns". Therefore "many happy returns of the day" would be a wishing a person a rewarding day, full of happiness.
The first explanation implies we are wishing that their birthday will return many more times - in other words, "May you live long".
edited 4 mins ago
Nicolas Raoul
83641634
answered Sep 3 '11 at 4:34
John
20928
edited 4 mins ago
Nicolas Raoul
83641634
edited 4 mins ago
Nicolas Raoul
83641634
edited 4 mins ago
Nicolas Raoul
83641634
83641634
answered Sep 3 '11 at 4:34
John
20928
answered Sep 3 '11 at 4:34
John
20928
answered Sep 3 '11 at 4:34
John
20928
20928
4
Your "another meaning" is the same as the meaning in the first paragraph you quoted.
– ShreevatsaR
Sep 3 '11 at 4:47
add a comment |
4
Your "another meaning" is the same as the meaning in the first paragraph you quoted.
– ShreevatsaR
Sep 3 '11 at 4:47
4
4
Your "another meaning" is the same as the meaning in the first paragraph you quoted.
– ShreevatsaR
Sep 3 '11 at 4:47
Your "another meaning" is the same as the meaning in the first paragraph you quoted.
– ShreevatsaR
Sep 3 '11 at 4:47
add a comment |
protected by RegDwigнt♦ Sep 19 '12 at 12:58
Thank you for your interest in this question.
Because it has attracted low-quality or spam answers that had to be removed, posting an answer now requires 10 reputation on this site (the association bonus does not count).
Would you like to answer one of these unanswered questions instead?
Hello SPP, welcome to EL&U. The meaning of this expression is explained both by online dictionaries and has its own Wikipedia page.
– F'x
Sep 3 '11 at 9:04
Sounds too formal, if you ask me. But it looks good in print.
– user26251
Sep 19 '12 at 12:20