Re: my hat goes off to you

[MrPedantic]

As a footnote:

Eg2 (In their house, just Dad just gave his daughter a favour.)

Daughter: Dad, could you teach me to ride a bicycle?

Dad: No problem.

Daughter: Hats off to you. (I don't think it is very appropriate since the daughter could not stand for the opinions of the others'. If they didn't have any relatives who might appreciate the father's favour.)

"Hats off!" would generally not be used in the context of a close relationship, of the kind that you might presuppose between a daughter and a father: it suggests a respectful gesture.

The phrase comes in several styles:

1. Hats off!
2. Hats off to X!
3. Hats off to X for doing Y!
4. Hats off, gentlemen!

It can be understood as an ellipsis for:

5. (Everybody who hears/reads this: take your) hats off!

But since "everybody" here only exists in the speaker's imagination, the phrase can still be used even where one person wishes to show respect to one other person.

Best wishes,

MrP

[thedaffodils]

Hello MrP,

Thank you very much for your help.