Does 'Thanks a lot' sound sarcastic to Britons?

[thedaffodils]

I read a thread about 'thanks' in another forum. Some Britons commented that 'Thanks a lot', 'Thanks a million' sound a bit sarcastic to them, because those expressions sound like 'Thanks for nothing.' They said 'Many thanks', 'Thank you' and 'Thanks' are safe.

But I happened to know Tdol, the administrator of UE and a Briton, wrote 'Thanks a lot' in a post of his.

I wonder whether 'Thanks a lot' really sounds sarcastic to some of Britons. Could some Britons answer this question of mine? Many thanks!

[Baffled]

I think it's contextual.

Let's say you burnt my house. If I react by saying, "Thanks a lot," an element of sarcasm can certainly be detected in any part of the world.

[bhaisahab]

I read a thread about 'thanks' in another forum. Some Brittons commented that 'Thanks a lot', 'Thanks a million' sound a bit sarcastic to them, because those expressions sound like 'Thanks for nothing.' They said 'Many thanks', 'Thank you' and 'Thanks' are safe.

But I happened to know Tdol, the administrator of UE and a Britton, wrote 'Thanks a lot' in a post of his.

I wonder whether 'Thanks a lot' really sounds sarcastic to some of Brittons. Could some Brittons answer this questions of mine? Many thanks!

'Thanks a lot' can sound sarcastic, as Baffled has said, it depends on context. I don't think 'thanks a million' sounds sarcastic however.

[thedaffodils]

Hi guys,

Thank you very much for your replies.

[BobK]

'Thanks a lot' can sound sarcastic, as Baffled has said, it depends on context. I don't think 'thanks a million' sounds sarcastic however.

But while 'thanks a lot' depends on context, there are two versions of 'thanks a lot' that are usually (if not always) sarcastic: 'thanks a bunch' and 'thanks a bundle'. In the TV series Dinnerladies a character coined a new usage, with acoustic echoes of 'thanks a bundle': 'Thanks a bog-roll'. This was definitely sarcastic (and hostile).

b

[thedaffodils]

Hi BobK,

Thank you for your comment.

'Thanks a bog-roll' is interesting. I just got the definition of 'bog-roll' as below from the Internet.

bog roll
Brit. Slang.
Toilet paper. Bog - toilet. Roll - roll of paper.

Source: Urban Dictionary
Urban Dictionary: bog roll

I'd like to copy it here in case any learners don't understand it either.

[BobK]

Hi BobK,

Thank you for your comment.

'Thanks a bog-roll' is interesting. I just got the definition of 'bog-roll' as below from the Internet.


Source: Urban Dictionary
Urban Dictionary: bog roll

I'd like to copy it here in case any learners don't understand it either.

Not so fast I wouldn't copy it if I were you. It's not idiomatic, it just suited the character - an apathetic, under-achieving teenager called Twink (a misnomer as it suggests 'Twinkletoes' or 'Tinkerbell' - definitely not appropriate to this rather large and slow-witted character). I suppose it may become idiomatic in due course, but at present it's usually quoted in the speech only of fans (of this very British comedy - which'll discourage any quick adoption by American English).

b

[thedaffodils]

Not so fast I wouldn't copy it if I were you. It's not idiomatic, it just suited the character - an apathetic, under-achieving teenager called Twink (a misnomer as it suggests 'Twinkletoes' or 'Tinkerbell' - definitely not appropriate to this rather large and slow-witted character). I suppose it may become idiomatic in due course, but at present it's usually quoted in the speech only of fans (of this very British comedy - which'll discourage any quick adoption by American English).

b

Thank you for your suggestion, BobK.