Q: Are the expressions “Thank you kindly” and “Is she doing poorly?” dated?
A: These phrases may sound old-fashioned, but they are still in use and have seen a resurgence recently.
The phrase “Thank you kindly” dates back to the 16th century in Middle English, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. It means “to thank very much; (also) to thank politely.”
The word “thank” originated in Old English as þancian or ðoncian, meaning “to give thanks.”
As for “poorly,” it first appeared in Middle English as povreliche, meaning “inadequately, imperfectly, unsatisfactorily.”
The adjective “poorly” meant “unwell, in ill health” when it first emerged in the 16th century, according to the Oxford English Dictionary.
A search with Google’s Ngram Viewer shows that the usage of these expressions declined in the late 19th century but experienced a revival in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Overall, while these phrases may seem outdated, they are still in use and have made a comeback in recent times.
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