Etymology:

The words 'Thank You' is used to express gratitude for help received or expected to be received. The foundation of thank you was laid in ancient religions including Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam etc. The feeling of gratitude was expected to reinforce positive behavior in the respondents. The word 'Thanks' is derived from old Proto – German 'thankojan'. The first usage of the word 'Thank You' was in 1400 AD.

Response to a Thank You:

When a person thanks you in English, you are expected to say the following:

A. Formal:

Sanjay: Thank you so much for nominating me.

You: You are welcome/ you deserve it/ Glad to help/ it's my pleasure.

B. Informal:

Suraj: Thanks man for helping me out.

You: No problem/ it is nothing/ don't mention/ it was my pleasure/ See you later/ anytime.

The common factor in any situation involving thanks is that it is to be said by giving a bright smile. Let the recipients know that you are happy to help them out. It also helps to build long lasting rapport with your friends, colleagues and others.

At times, the situation may be a hectic one where you may not get a chance to respond. In such scenarios, it is enough to just smile and nod. This simple sign language can help to build relations between human beings.

Many people make the mistake of just walking away. It is an insult to the person who has expressed gratitude to just ignore the compliments. Be sure to reciprocate the gesture in an appropriate manner.

For your information, below are different ways to say thank you and its response in different languages.

1. Afrikaans

Thank You – Dankie/ Baie Dankie

You are Welcome – Dis 'n plesier

2. Albanian

Thank You – Faleminderit

You are welcome – Ju Lutern

3. Basque

Thank You – Eskerrik asko

You are welcome – Ez da eser

4. French

Thank You – Merci/ Merci beaucoup

You are welcome – De rien/ Avec plaisir

5. Finnish

Thank You – Kiitos/ Kiitoksia oikein paljon

You are welcome - Eipä kestä/ Eipä kestä kiittää

6. German

Thank You –       Danke/ Danke schön

You are welcome – Bitte/ Bitte schön

7. Spanish

Thank You –       Gracias/ Muchas gracias

You are welcome – De nada/ No hay de qué

8. Italian

Thank You –       Grazie/Molte grazie

You are welcome – Prego

9. Khasi

Thank You –       Khublei

You are welcome – Ymleilei

10. Malay

Thank You –       Terima kasih

You are welcome – Sama-sama

11. Maldivan

Thank You – Shukuriyaa

You are welcome – Maruhabaa

The above examples give you an idea on how a thank you is reciprocated around the world. It will give you an idea on how to be an ideal human being in any part of the world. You should specifically concentrate on English conversational aspect of showing gratitude as it is a global language. You can practice English conversations with the help of an online English tutor or with a friend. You can even take the help of free English lessons available over the internet for guidelines and practice. Consistent learning and practice is absolutely necessary to gain improvement over spoken English.

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