Query: Why the plural in Spanish "Buenas dias," etc.? (OT)

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated 12/15/2002 9:35:16 PM Eastern Standard Time,
gcohen at UMR.EDU writes:

> Why does Spanish use the plural for Buenas dias (Good day),
>  Buenas tardes (Good afternoon) and Buenas noches (Good night)?

It's "Buenos dias" (acute accent on the i, "di/as") not "buenas".  "El di/a"
is one of the rare exceptions to the rule that a noun ending in -a is
feminine.

"Buenas noches" corresponds to both "good evening" and "good night" in
English, and unlike "good night" does not necessarily imply a farewell.

My Spanish-English dictionary lists the phrase "dejar a uno a buenos noches"
meaning "to leave one in the lurch".

     - Jim Landau