Use of “please call again” in a high street shop
The 1963 Broadway musical "She loves me" is set in a Budapest parfumerie in 1934.
In the play, every time a customer leaves the shop, the employees sing a short jingle:
Thank you madam, please call again. Do call again, madam.
I was wondering why the verb "call" is used, considering that the business serves casual customers that don't book appointments.
Does "call" have a special meaning in this historical, geographical or gergal context?
word-usage
asked 6 hours ago
Nicola SapNicola Sap
28119
add a comment |
The 1963 Broadway musical "She loves me" is set in a Budapest parfumerie in 1934.
In the play, every time a customer leaves the shop, the employees sing a short jingle:
Thank you madam, please call again. Do call again, madam.
I was wondering why the verb "call" is used, considering that the business serves casual customers that don't book appointments.
Does "call" have a special meaning in this historical, geographical or gergal context?
word-usage
asked 6 hours ago
Nicola SapNicola Sap
28119
1
See Oxford sense 6.
– Andrew Leach♦
4 hours ago
You don't see it as much of late, but 20-30 years ago it would not be unusual to see, in the US, a sign hanging near the exit that said "Thank you -- Please call again".
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
add a comment |
The 1963 Broadway musical "She loves me" is set in a Budapest parfumerie in 1934.
In the play, every time a customer leaves the shop, the employees sing a short jingle:
Thank you madam, please call again. Do call again, madam.
I was wondering why the verb "call" is used, considering that the business serves casual customers that don't book appointments.
Does "call" have a special meaning in this historical, geographical or gergal context?
word-usage
asked 6 hours ago
Nicola SapNicola Sap
28119
The 1963 Broadway musical "She loves me" is set in a Budapest parfumerie in 1934.
In the play, every time a customer leaves the shop, the employees sing a short jingle:
Thank you madam, please call again. Do call again, madam.
I was wondering why the verb "call" is used, considering that the business serves casual customers that don't book appointments.
Does "call" have a special meaning in this historical, geographical or gergal context?
word-usage
word-usage
asked 6 hours ago
Nicola SapNicola Sap
28119
asked 6 hours ago
Nicola SapNicola Sap
28119
asked 6 hours ago
Nicola SapNicola Sap
28119
asked 6 hours ago
Nicola SapNicola Sap
28119
asked 6 hours ago
Nicola SapNicola Sap
28119
28119
1
See Oxford sense 6.
– Andrew Leach♦
4 hours ago
You don't see it as much of late, but 20-30 years ago it would not be unusual to see, in the US, a sign hanging near the exit that said "Thank you -- Please call again".
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
add a comment |
1
See Oxford sense 6.
– Andrew Leach♦
4 hours ago
You don't see it as much of late, but 20-30 years ago it would not be unusual to see, in the US, a sign hanging near the exit that said "Thank you -- Please call again".
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
1
1
See Oxford sense 6.
– Andrew Leach♦
4 hours ago
See Oxford sense 6.
– Andrew Leach♦
4 hours ago
You don't see it as much of late, but 20-30 years ago it would not be unusual to see, in the US, a sign hanging near the exit that said "Thank you -- Please call again".
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
You don't see it as much of late, but 20-30 years ago it would not be unusual to see, in the US, a sign hanging near the exit that said "Thank you -- Please call again".
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
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One common, but older, usage of the word "call" is to "pay a visit." Usage is typically in a phrase like "Shall we call on Fred?" which would me "Shall we pay Fred a visit?"
In the case of "Do call again, madam." the shop is simply expressing their wish that madam returns to visit the shop again.
answered 6 hours ago
Patrick HughesPatrick Hughes
27814
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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votes
One common, but older, usage of the word "call" is to "pay a visit." Usage is typically in a phrase like "Shall we call on Fred?" which would me "Shall we pay Fred a visit?"
In the case of "Do call again, madam." the shop is simply expressing their wish that madam returns to visit the shop again.
answered 6 hours ago
Patrick HughesPatrick Hughes
27814
add a comment |
One common, but older, usage of the word "call" is to "pay a visit." Usage is typically in a phrase like "Shall we call on Fred?" which would me "Shall we pay Fred a visit?"
In the case of "Do call again, madam." the shop is simply expressing their wish that madam returns to visit the shop again.
answered 6 hours ago
Patrick HughesPatrick Hughes
27814
add a comment |
One common, but older, usage of the word "call" is to "pay a visit." Usage is typically in a phrase like "Shall we call on Fred?" which would me "Shall we pay Fred a visit?"
In the case of "Do call again, madam." the shop is simply expressing their wish that madam returns to visit the shop again.
answered 6 hours ago
Patrick HughesPatrick Hughes
27814
One common, but older, usage of the word "call" is to "pay a visit." Usage is typically in a phrase like "Shall we call on Fred?" which would me "Shall we pay Fred a visit?"
In the case of "Do call again, madam." the shop is simply expressing their wish that madam returns to visit the shop again.
answered 6 hours ago
Patrick HughesPatrick Hughes
27814
answered 6 hours ago
Patrick HughesPatrick Hughes
27814
answered 6 hours ago
Patrick HughesPatrick Hughes
27814
answered 6 hours ago
Patrick HughesPatrick Hughes
27814
27814
add a comment |
add a comment |
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1
See Oxford sense 6.
– Andrew Leach♦
4 hours ago
You don't see it as much of late, but 20-30 years ago it would not be unusual to see, in the US, a sign hanging near the exit that said "Thank you -- Please call again".
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago