"See You Later" (1869, 1875); C U L8er (1990)

Fri Jan 28 03:04:20 UTC 2005

Ben Zimmer writes:
...
Here are a few more early cites, suggesting that "see you later" came  to
be recognized as an idiomatic American sendoff in the  1880s:

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1881 _Bucks Co. Gazette_ (Pa.) 10 Feb. 1/3 "Tain't  six -- that's a fact,"
said one of the young fellows. "Come along,  boys; Miss Dustin's right. See
you later." With this and a laugh they  walked away.
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...
...
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Wright American Fiction has one cite from 1869 and several from 1875.  I 
wouldn't date "see you later" later than 1875.
...
...
(WRIGHT AMERICAN FICTION)
...,
Stephens, Ann S. (Ann Sophia), (1810-1886): Ruby Gray's  Strategy Stephens 1 
match in 1 of 399  pages
...
_CHAPTER XIV._ 
(http://www.letrs.indiana.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?type=simple;c=wright2;cc=wright2;sid=584a34c82834398a5ac9f94271501145;rgn=div1;q1=see%20you
%20later;cite1restrict=title;cite2restrict=title;cite3restrict=title;firstpubl
1=1850;firstpubl2=1875;submit=Submit%20search;view=text;idno=Wright2-2372;node
=Wright2-2372:17)    
    *   was able; but he pleaded great haste to be gone, and said  I might 
tell you that he would be sure to see you  later in the evening at your own 
house." / "Did he? Did he  promise that?" / "Yes,    

...

...
Fleming, May Agnes, (1840-1880): A Mad  Marriage Flemin 2 matches in 2 of 455 
 pages
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_PART THIRD._ 
(http://www.letrs.indiana.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?type=simple;c=wright2;cc=wright2;sid=584a34c82834398a5ac9f94271501145;rgn=div1;q1=see%20you%
20later;cite1restrict=title;cite2restrict=title;cite3restrict=title;firstpubl1
=1850;firstpubl2=1875;submit=Submit%20search;view=text;idno=Wright2-0913;node=
Wright2-0913:4)   
_CHAPTER XII._ 
(http://www.letrs.indiana.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?type=simple;c=wright2;cc=wright2;sid=584a34c82834398a5ac9f94271501145;rgn=div2;q1=see%20you
%20later;cite1restrict=title;cite2restrict=title;cite3restrict=title;firstpubl
1=1850;firstpubl2=1875;submit=Submit%20search;view=text;idno=Wright2-0913;node
=Wright2-0913:4.12)   
    *   You have heard of me—I am the Prince Di Venturini. For you,  madame," 
with a low bow, "I shall see you  later." / Before either could speak he 
turned, made his way  through the throng, and qui 
_CHAPTER XIV._ 
(http://www.letrs.indiana.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?type=simple;c=wright2;cc=wright2;sid=584a34c82834398a5ac9f94271501145;rgn=div2;q1=see%20you
%20later;cite1restrict
=title;cite2restrict=title;cite3restrict=title;firstpubl1=1850;firstpubl2=1875;submit=Submit%20search;view=text;idno=Wright2-0913;node
=Wright2-0913:4.14)   
    *   "Nothing, madame; but that he would see you  later at the reception." 
/ So madame knew he was coming, and  was prepared for all chanc  
    *   ...

...
...
...
We should not forget "C U L8er" in internet jargon. It's an  early one.
...
...
(GOOGLE GROUPS)
...
_The  Jargon File v2.3.1 03 JAN 1991, part 9 of 11_ 
(http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.folklore.computers/browse_frm/thread/d2c0424c82b24703/9c7fe7b32
c5c5591?q=l8er&_done=/groups?as_q=l8er&num=100&scoring=d&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&as_epq
=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_ugroup=&as_usubject=&as_uauthors=&lr=&as_qdr=&as_drrb=b&as_
mind=1&as_minm=1&as_miny=1981&as_maxd=27&as_maxm=1&as_maxy=1992&safe=off&&_don
eTitle=Back+to+Search&&d#9c7fe7b32c5c5591)  
... Are  you OK? X THX Thanks (mutant of TNX) X CU l8er See you later  
(mutant of CU l8tr)
XX See also <hakspek>, <emoticon>,  <bonk/oif>. X X<tanked> adj. ...   
_alt.folklore.computers_ 
(http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.folklore.computers)  - Jan 3 1991, 8:44 pm by Eric S. Raymond - 1 message -  1 author 
...
_Bif  ?_ 
(http://groups-beta.google.com/group/news.misc/browse_frm/thread/15bcede7b1739488/2d2b476d34118eb3?q=l8er&_done=/groups?as_q=l8er&num=100&scoring=d
&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_ugroup=&as_usubject=&as_uauthors=&lr=
&as_qdr=&as_drrb=b&as_mind=1&as_minm=1&as_miny=1981&as_maxd=27&as_maxm=1&as_ma
xy=1992&safe=off&&_doneTitle=Back+to+Search&&d#2d2b476d34118eb3)  
... JEE I TINK I HEER HIM CUMMIN` HOME SO I MUST  FINIS DIS LETTER!!! BY!!! 
SEE U L8ER
ALLIG8ER!!! DID U GET IT??  SEE U LATER ALIGEITER!!! K00L HA!!! K0WABUNGA!!!! 
...   
_news.misc_ (http://groups-beta.google.com/group/news.misc)  - Oct  22 1990, 
5:02 pm by BIFF JOHNSON - 7 messages - 5 authors  ... 
    _Testing  chumly_ 
(http://groups-beta.google.com/group/hacknet.test/browse_frm/thread/7500668f75f26bd8/da34fcceeebee21c?q=l8er&_done=/groups?as_q=l8er&n
um=100&scoring=d&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_ugroup=&as_usubject=&
as_uauthors=&lr=&as_qdr=&as_drrb=b&as_mind=1&as_minm=1&as_miny=1981&as_maxd=27
&as_maxm=1&as_maxy=1992&safe=off&&_doneTitle=Back+to+Search&&d#da34fcceeebee21
c)  
Does is a toest, wat'n sonst ? No Reply, please c ya  l8er, bye   
_sub.test_ (http://groups-beta.google.com/group/hacknet.test)  - Aug  11 
1990, 8:45 am by Walter Mildenberger - 1 message - 1 author  ...
_XmFileSelectionBox  is buggy_ 
(http://groups-beta.google.com/group/comp.windows.x.motif/browse_frm/thread/7c37ddb3459b7f16/796ce252e097ce27?q=l8er&_done=/g
roups?as_q=l8er&num=100&scoring=d&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_ugro
up=&as_usubject=&as_uauthors=&lr=&as_qdr=&as_drrb=b&as_mind=1&as_minm=1&as_min
y=1981&as_maxd=27&as_maxm=1&as_maxy=1992&safe=off&&_doneTitle=Back+to+Search&&
d#796ce252e097ce27)  
... experience with this widget (I never  used it before), but it is clear to 
me that
this part of the Motif code  has *never* been tested by the dev team :-( l8er 
 ...   
_comp.windows.x.motif_ 
(http://groups-beta.google.com/group/comp.windows.x.motif)  - Aug 2 1990, 8:48 am by Riccardo Pizzi - 3 messages -  3 authors ...
_Anyone  heard Of MORIA_ 
(http://groups-beta.google.com/group/comp.sys.amiga.games/browse_frm/thread/eb08ca234d4ec767/c516f735de6825e9?q=l8er&_done=/groups?
as_q=l8er&num=100&scoring=d&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_ugroup=&as
_usubject=&as_uauthors=&lr=&as_qdr=&as_drrb=b&as_mind=1&as_minm=1&as_miny=1981
&as_maxd=27&as_maxm=1&as_maxy=1992&safe=off&&_doneTitle=Back+to+Search&&d#c516
f735de6825e9)  
... extraordinarily well-ported game  which DOES support the Amiga features 
instead
of trying to emulate  Unix's weak text version. L8er Paul   
_comp.sys.amiga.games_ 
(http://groups-beta.google.com/group/comp.sys.amiga.games)  - Jun 10 1990, 1:45 pm by Paul Douglas Stafford - 6  messages - 5 
authors ...
_Uruguay  a cynic team? (was Re: Marlboro Cup results wanted)_ 
(http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.sport.soccer/browse_frm/thread/17232d0d25eb37c/b5b73
c3943
e054fe?q=l8er&_done=/groups?as_q=l8er&num=100&scoring=d&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_ugroup=&as_usubject=&as_uauthors=&lr=&as_qdr=&as_drrb=b
&as_mind=1&as_minm=1&as_miny=1981&as_maxd=27&as_maxm=1&as_maxy=1992&safe=off&&
_doneTitle=Back+to+Search&&d#b5b73c3943e054fe)   
... PS Walter, what happened to Morena (ex-Penarol)? Are you  a
Nacional or a Penarol fan? Talk to you l8er...   
_rec.sport.soccer_ (http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.sport.soccer)  - 
Feb 13 1990, 11:00 pm by Ronald F Gruia - 15 messages  - 9 authors ...
_][e  enhancement_ 
(http://groups-beta.google.com/group/comp.sys.apple/browse_frm/thread/6a013b668aa1d84c/1468459ff0a913f4?q=l8er&_done=/groups?as_q=l8er&nu
m=100&scoring=d&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_ugroup=&as_usubject=&a
s_uauthors=&lr=&as_qdr=&as_drrb=b&as_mind=1&as_minm=1&as_miny=1981&as_maxd=27&
as_maxm=1&as_maxy=1992&safe=off&&_doneTitle=Back+to+Search&&d#1468459ff0a913f4
)  
... buffer, but of course you can send  the next cmd to the modem while the 
prgm is still
putting out to  screen, which causes the buffer to overflow sooner or l8er  
...   
_comp.sys.apple_ (http://groups-beta.google.com/group/comp.sys.apple)  -  Jun 
25 1988, 6:23 am by Paul Nakada - 8 messages - 7 authors  