Is It Happy Belated Birthday or Belated Happy Birthday? And Does It Matter?

OneEyedDiva

OneEyedDiva

SF VIP
Location
New Jersey
This is piggybacking off Rose65's post I Can't Abide, about not being able to tolerate certain language faux pas. It makes me a little crazy when people post those nice birthday greetings that say Happy Belated Birthday and I've found that most of them are worded that way. The person's birthday wasn't late, it's the greeting that is late. So I say the proper wording is Belated Happy Birthday and I will not post greetings that say otherwise. What say you?
 

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OneEyedDiva said:
The person's birthday wasn't late, it's the greeting that is late. So I say the proper wording is Belated Happy Birthday and I will not post greetings that say otherwise. What say you?
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The dictionary defines belated as coming or happening later than should have been the case. It gives this example.
"a belated apology"
Apology is the verb so belated is related to that which is happening, hence it comes before the verb. When you wish someone a happy birthday, the word wish, which is the verb, is often omitted. Therefore placing the word belated before happy birthday is grammatically correct because happy birthday has replaced the verb.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
This is piggybacking off Rose65's post I Can't Abide, about not being able to tolerate certain language faux pas. It makes me crazy when people post those nice birthday greetings that say Happy Belated Birthday and I've found that most of them are worded that way. The person's birthday wasn't late, it's the greeting that is late. So I say the proper wording is Belated Happy Birthday and I will not post greetings that say otherwise. What say you?
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I agree Belated Happy Birthday is the way to go, because the greeting is late, not the person's birthday. Having said that, I'm sure there's been a time or two over the years that I got it backwards, but the sincerity was not lessened.
 
I've given up trying to set grammar and idiom straight. "Misheard lyrics" speech is epidemic too. I swear some people never picked up a book, and learned their entire vocabulary and lexicon by (tin) ear.
 
dilettante said:
I ran into a new (to me) word the other day. It should probably be more common than it is today, as traditional roles continue to change:

suitress - A female supplicant or suitor.

Maybe even a "Word of the Day" here?
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Suitress is a new word on me too D. In fact, some of the words of the day have been too. People singing lyrics they've misheard can be a hoot.
@C50....I'm a winner too. R U going to send me a chicken dinner? :D
 
I once forgot about my older sister's birthday, and sent her birthday card out a day or two after her birthday. When she received it, she called me up and asked me if I did it on purpose or did I forget. I told her I forgot. Later in the year, I received her Christmas card on December 27th. I just knew she did it on purpose to get even. I found it rather childish and vindictive.
 
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