"Take care." When somebody says that to you, assuming it's not a first-degree

[raccoon]

relative, what does it say to you?

Is it just me, or is it the same as, "Bless your heart!" Which means, "You stupid idiot."

[av8rdave]

1. I throw it out occasionally at work....

You're supposed to stand in the cockpit door and say goodbye to the passengers as they deplane. You can only say "goodbye" so many times without sounding like a robot. It usually goes something like,

"goodbye"
"thanks for flying with us"
"have a great day"
"take care"
"watch your step"

repeat ad nauseum

Most people don't hear it anyway, I think.

[LeftyFingerPop]

2. In my part of the world...

it is a gentle way of saying good bye to someone. If it is said with sincerity, I think it is quite nice.

[ThomCat]

3. I say "Take care." all the time.

I say it because I hope nothing bad happens to people.

I also often say "Get home safely," for the same reason.

:shrug:

[Flaxbee]

15. I say it all the time, too

because I want people to take care, not to hurt themselves or others. I don't like a lot of mindless chatter, but to me, "take care" actually means something.

[Sugar Smack]

4. My family likes to say, "Be good".

:)

[Connonym]

7. When I drop my kids off at school every day I say "love ya, make smart choices"

it's partially a running gag from a movie we saw but, of course, I hope they will make smart choices

[johnnie]

5. I say it all the time

I sign my letters and emails with it. Damn, I hope all those people don't think I am an ass for saying it. I mean it as "Take care".

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. It's really shorthand for "Hitler didn't go far enough, you freakin' pond scum"

At least, that's how I take it.

Seems to get me into a lot of fights, too, when I agree with them - I think that people who say that phrase are just plain violent, and I wish there were a way to pre-avoid them.

[ThomCat]

17. ROFL!

:rofl:
:rofl:
:rofl:
:rofl:


Thank you for that!

[Bucky]

8. Or you're getting on an airplane.

Or they're offering you a care.

Or they're offering you some air and you misunderstood their meaning.

The context could totally change what is meant by a phrase that innocuous.

[supernova]

9. Not meant that way

Context is every thing.

It's quite a common parting around here and sincerely meant. Least, I've never met anyone who meant it insincerely. :shrug:

They are expressing their desire that nothing unfortunate happens to you.

I often tell people "have a safe trip home!" if they have a long way to go and we are parting very late or the weather is bad, and so on.

[RedCappedBandit]

10. I never took it to be offensive..

People around here say take care quite often, actually..

[FloridaJudy]

11. It's an abbreviation

For "Let's be careful out there".

[MANative]

12. Said this to my UPS guy not 10 minutes ago as he

dropped off a package containing some lovely bottles of wine from my dear brother. I really meant it as a sincere parting comment - it's icy out there! He didn't seem offended. :shrug:

[MissMillie]

13. it's you

"take care" is someone wishing you well.

[Jokerman]

14. "Drive fast, take chances."

Does that sound more sincere?

[yellowcanine]

16. It is just an expression. I would not read too much into it. In our family we always remind each

other to "Be careful." It amounts to the same thing. It is affectionate in that case, but if a non relative acquaintenance or even a stranger said it to me I would think nothing of it - anymore than I would a sales clerk calling me "Honey" or "Sweetie".

[Ellen Forradalom]

18. "Have a good day. Catch you round."

[Cabcere]

19. I've never run across that interpretation of it before

:shrug: When I use it (and when people I know use it), it's always meant as good wishes - kind of like "Be well," in that it means you're wishing them health and happiness. :shrug: I don't know, maybe it's a cultural thing? :hi:

[redqueen]

20. It says, "be careful, I care about you."

But I'm a fucking idiot, so... can't go by me.

[Book Lover]

21. It says to me that we have huge regional differences in this nation...

Like, when did "Bless your heart" start to mean "You stupid idiot"?

[redqueen]

23. I missed that memo, too.

And I was born & raised in the South...

I think it has more to do with the manners you were raised with than where you're from, really.

[Gormy Cuss]

22. Are you calling me out?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=7262941&mesg_id=7263047

:P

When I say it, I mean "I hope that this is the worst of it and that nothing else goes wrong before the current problem is resolved."

[raccoon]

26. Nope---it was someone in RL I was wondering about. :-) nt

[DarkTirade]

24. Well if it's a fellow geek, I'll usually assume they're quoting from Cowboy Bebop. :P

[Arkansas Granny]

25. I use it quite often. I always took it to mean "take care of yourself"

or "be careful". I've never heard anyone use it in a derogatory sense.