Introduction

Abstract

The terms ‘thank you’ or ‘thanks’ which express gratitude and appreciation, are ubiquitous in daily life, but what exactly do gratitude and appreciation mean and accomplish in social encounters? ‘Thank you’ or ‘thanks’ frequently occur in face-to-face encounters, in emails and telephone conversations. Are they universal feelings or signs signifying certain messages across languages and cultures? The breadth of occasions and uses for the term can be seen in the range of ‘thank you’ cards that greeting card retailers produce and sell so widely This prevalence reflects the importance of the expression in our social lives.