Why "way to go"?

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Everyone knows what this means, by why does it mean this? Way to go? Does this literally just mean "you have demonstrated a positive method of accomplishing something. Congrats."? Seems kind of desperate.

― dleone (dleone), Thursday, 10 April 2003 18:35 (twenty-two years ago)

You're right. "Congrats" does make a lot more sense.

― Nick A. (Nick A.), Thursday, 10 April 2003 18:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe some ppl think it's a cool way of saying congrats. I wouldn't use it though. I'd just say "well done".

― ali (ali), Thursday, 10 April 2003 18:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Being the pseudo-hippie that I am, I often say "right on". Prob'ly too often.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 10 April 2003 18:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Jolly well done you!

― Matt (Matt), Friday, 11 April 2003 01:21 (twenty-two years ago)

What about "way to be!"?

― Chris P (Chris P), Friday, 11 April 2003 01:22 (twenty-two years ago)

"way to go" and "way to be" are almost never, ever uttered in a sincere fashion, in my experience. It's always like "oh, you got a second DUI, huh? Way to GOOOOO!"

― Millar (Millar), Friday, 11 April 2003 01:26 (twenty-two years ago)

it's "what a way to go and do that thing you just did exceptionally well!" shortened.

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 11 April 2003 01:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I've heard both "way to be" and "way to go" uttered sincerely, but "way to be" is so ridiculous that it always makes me giggle. Is it a West coast-ism?

― Chris P (Chris P), Friday, 11 April 2003 01:31 (twenty-two years ago)

"way to be" is one of those phrases they put on stickers to give to grade schoolers who make A's on spelling tests and math assignments. I can't imagine what I would do if someone said that to me and weren't being at least a little ironic.

― Millar (Millar), Friday, 11 April 2003 01:34 (twenty-two years ago)

"Congrats" seems sort of phoney to me, or insincere. "Well done" sounds a little too formal. "Way to be" sounds patronizing. "Way to go" is a phrase I use all the time (and is therefore great!), and since I am almost completely free of malice, always meant sincerely. It is a phrase often uttered sarcastically, though, and can be overused.

― Bryan (Bryan), Friday, 11 April 2003 03:51 (twenty-two years ago)

May be a regional thing, though, as was suggested for "way to be".

― Bryan (Bryan), Friday, 11 April 2003 03:52 (twenty-two years ago)

If you're Nick Drake, it's "Way to blue."

― nickn (nickn), Friday, 11 April 2003 06:32 (twenty-two years ago)

I wonder which phrase I'd use if I ever decided to not be a miserable shit and started being happy for other people's successes?

Quite a dilemma!

― ChristineSH (chrissie1068), Friday, 11 April 2003 12:07 (twenty-two years ago)

"Smooth move, Ex-Lax."

― hstencil, Friday, 11 April 2003 12:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Nice play, Shakesspeare.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Friday, 11 April 2003 12:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Somebody I worked with in Denver said "way to go" a lot. He also referred to Excel formulas that weren't working as "kinda funky".

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 11 April 2003 12:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Must not've been an accountant. We call them (and this is the technical term) 'fucked'.

― Bryan (Bryan), Friday, 11 April 2003 12:47 (twenty-two years ago)

It must be a universal term for knackered excel formulas in accounts depts!!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 11 April 2003 12:58 (twenty-two years ago)

that isn't the worst, what about 'attaboy'

― dave q, Friday, 11 April 2003 13:08 (twenty-two years ago)

"You go, girl!"

― Nick A. (Nick A.), Friday, 11 April 2003 13:13 (twenty-two years ago)

both 'attaboy' and 'way to go' seem like they need to be punctuated with ass-slapping.

― cprek (cprek), Friday, 11 April 2003 13:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I love 'you go girl!' the first time i heard someone say it in the USA i was like 'hey I'm in the USA!'

― dave q, Friday, 11 April 2003 13:16 (twenty-two years ago)

What do you say now that you hear it in London? If you hear it there.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 11 April 2003 13:49 (twenty-two years ago)

"You go, grey-coloured lift lorry!"

― Nick A. (Nick A.), Friday, 11 April 2003 13:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Is that that UK garridge lingo I hear the kids talking about so much lately?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 11 April 2003 14:02 (twenty-two years ago)

sheesh.

everyone knows "YAY!" is where it's at, yo.

― g-kit (g-kit), Friday, 11 April 2003 14:36 (twenty-two years ago)

I've always liked the Aussie version: "Good on ya"

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 11 April 2003 14:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually, all of these would be well-served with some ass-slapping punctuation.

― cprek (cprek), Friday, 11 April 2003 14:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Shouldn't the full Aussie version be "Good on ya, sport!"

(waits to get slapped by a passing Australian)

― caitlin (caitlin), Friday, 11 April 2003 14:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Or is "Good on ya, sport!" the equivalent of "Way to go, dude!"

― caitlin (caitlin), Friday, 11 April 2003 14:56 (twenty-two years ago)

"Dude!"

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Friday, 11 April 2003 14:58 (twenty-two years ago)

I think it's supposed to be "way to have a think--coming at you"

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Friday, 11 April 2003 14:58 (twenty-two years ago)

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