TransWikia.com

How to wish someone "good luck" without implying that luck is involved?

English Language & Usage Asked on August 27, 2021

When you wish someone to succeed, the standard phrase seems to be "Good luck!" For instance, here is a definition borrowed from Merriam-Webster:

good luck [idiom]:

  1. —used to say that one hopes someone will succeed. • We’re sorry that you’re leaving. Good luck in your new job.

What I don’t like about this phrase is that it implies that the wished-for success is a matter of luck as opposed to all the other factors, such as the effort put in by everyone involved. In fact, if one was to interpret "good luck" literally in the example above, it is pretty offensive: you’re basically saying that whether or not the person you’re speaking to succeeds in their new job is a matter of luck rather than their hard work, skill, wise choice of the new employer, and so on. Of course, I’m not assuming anyone would interpret it like this unless they’re just learning the language or are trying to be picky (the image of Gandalf musing on the meaning of "Good morning!" comes to mind).

In my native language (Polish) the usual phrase used in place of "Good luck!" is "Powodzenia!" which translates roughly to "I wish you success!". I like this frame of mind much more – you’re expressing the hope for success and not making any judgements about how the success is achieved. Unfortunately, "I wish you success!" doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, and I feel like it would be awkward to use in a conversation.

Is there another well-established phrase that can be used in place of "Good luck!" which does not imply that luck is actually relevant to the situation?

2 Answers

A similar expression that doesn't involve luck is all the best.

[Merriam-Webster]

used to wish someone happiness and success · We wish you all the best in your new job.

It can also be used on its own and understood in context.

Answered by Jason Bassford on August 27, 2021

Break a leg

used to wish good luck especially to a performer

[Merriam-Webster Dictionary]

Answered by user57854437 on August 27, 2021

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question

Get help from others!

© 2024 TransWikia.com. All rights reserved. Sites we Love: PCI Database, UKBizDB, Menu Kuliner, Sharing RPP