Told someone “Godd day” as a farewell after hearing someone tell me “Good day” as a greeting. This made start thinking why why wishing someone good fortunes depending on the time of day is either a greeting or a farewell.
I’ve never heard some tell me good morning as a farewell not telling me good night as a greeting.
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Traditionally, you would greet people during the morning and say farewell to them later in the day or at night. You wouldn’t be meeting people for the first time at night or saying goodbye to someone in the morning.
I’ve heard plenty of people use good day as a farewell (“Have a good day!” or if you’re British offering an indignant farewell, “Good DAY to you!”). Good night is less common as a greeting for sure, but Good Evening is very common as a greeting. I don’t know how many times I’ve met up with people for drinks late and night and greeted them with a hearty Good Evening.
Good day can be and occasionally is used as a greeting. Good night is a farewell because historically, people do not greet each other at night, as it is a time where conversation ends and people go sleep.
Depending on context and tone, each phrase is actually short form for a longer phrase.
Good day = it’s a good day today
Good day = have a good day
Good afternoon = it’s a good afternoon
Good night = have a good night
Something like that.
Another example:
See ya = I will see you later
Have a good day/night doesn’t have different meanings based on context. Therefore wishing someone a good day can be used as a greating or a farewell. It just means “have a good day”.
Good Morning!” said Bilbo, and he meant it. The sun was shining, and the grass was very green. But Gandalf looked at him from under long bushy eyebrows that stuck out further than the brim of his shady hat.
“What do you mean?” he said. “Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?”
“All of them at once,” said Bilbo. “And a very fine morning for a pipe of tobacco out of doors, into the bargain.
…
“Good morning!” he said at last. “We don’t want any adventures here, thank you! You might try over The Hill or across The Water.” By this he meant that the conversation was at an end.
“What a lot of things you do use Good morning for!” said Gandalf. “Now you mean that you want to get rid of me, and that it won’t be good till I move off.
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