Is the word "merry" becoming archaic?
Aside from “merry Christmas”, how often do you use the word merry or see it used by others? Fox news thinks that saying “happy holidays” instead of “merry Christmas” is part of a mythical war on Christmas. Maybe it is in part simply a linguistic change in addition to a recognition that not everybody is a Christian and a preference for a pleasant sounding alliteration.
As a side note, the meaning of the word merry has been watered down over the years. For example, the first line of the popular carol should be punctuated as “Rest ye merry, gentlemen…” and not “Rest ye, merry gentlemen…” The current meaning is not the one originally intended is such phrases as merry old England, Robin Hood and his merry men and the “Eat, drink and be merry” quotation from Ecclesiastes. Link
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I don’t recall ever hearing anyone say “merry” without “Christmas” and my memory goes back to the 1960s.
So yes, it’s archaic.
I still say “Merry Christmas”, but I also say “Happy Holidays” (as my new profile picture shows. Ha) and I feel that the latter is all-encompassing.
But like @jaytkay said, I only use the word “merry” when it’s Christmastime and I’ve also never heard it said outside of this time of year.
Eat drink and be merry. Probably I have said that a few times in my life like I have other expressions.
Mostly, I use merry with the word Christmas.
Trivia: if you say merry, Mary and marry all differently you are probably from the northeastern US if you are American.
I think the word is still recognized, and used. For one thing it figures prominently in basic nursery rhymes, and is sprinkled about on things familiar to us all – merry-go -round for instance. It’s a difficult thing to assess, since I suspect that I myself am archaic. There is also the distinct possibility that it isn’t so much “merry” that’s fading as literacy itself. As with so many other English words, I can’t think of another word that quite matches merry in meaning. There’s jolly, which might be viewed as equally obsolete, but the feel of the 2 isn’t the same.
I actually like the British saying: “Happy Christmas.”
I do occasionally still say merry.
Be that way, then.
Have a Gay Holiday instead. See if I care…
I like merry better than happy, because it implies festivities. To me it does anyway.
Merry is now a seasonal word for most.
Happy Halloween.
Happy Valentines Day
Happy Fourth
Happy Easter
Happy St._____
You get the idea.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Two Happy’s in a row and we’d be freaking delirious !
Merry seems more “active” than happy. Merry implies participation.
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