Do you consider saying "thank you" a word or sentence?

egankn

My mom was saying it was DD's first sentence but I consider it a word...

CalinsBride

I consider it a word.

At MOST it's a phrase.

monkeyqueen

hmmmm.....it's a word.    It has an implied subject, but the actual words spoken just have a verb and an object.        I don't know......

Chrysallys

I would consider it a phrase.

MrsJMB

I think it's a word as well.  "more ___ please" counts as a sentence in my book.  Thank you counts as a word.

katekirschner

It is a phrase. Use of stringing two words together.

whirli

DD probably thinks it's a two syllable word. I doubt she realizes it's two different words since we say them together constantly.

sunnyday016

When LOs say it, I'd consider it a word because it's a single idea. They hear and use the word together.  

vaness77

Technically, it is a sentence.

DEBBIE33CASEY

Chrysallys:

I would consider it a phrase.

this

susanmosley

In language acquision terms, it is considered a word.  A child learns it as one chunk. They aren't combining words to create new meaning.  It isn't as though they learn "thank" & "you" & then choose to put them together to express a new thought. Thank you mom or thank you joe would be considered sentences.

but technically "thank you" is a complete sentence

mavs_girl07

It's a word, not a phrase or a sentence.  Phrases are things they put together themselves "more please" "bye mommy", etc.  Things like thank you count as a word.

Ridgebackmom

I'm thoroughly confused LOL

*word*

cranberry27

susanmosley:

In language acquision terms, it is considered a word.  A child learns it as one chunk. They aren't combining words to create new meaning.  It isn't as though they learn "thank" & "you" & then choose to put them together to express a new thought. Thank you mom or thank you joe would be considered sentences.

but technically "thank you" is a complete sentence

Speech therapist agrees.  If I were testing your child, I could not count "thank you" as combining words.  

"I love you" is in the same boat - they usually think it's one word.  They don't get that it's I love you vs. You love me vs. dogs love bones.  They just know to say "Iloveyou" and get a hug.

Similarly, lots of kids think LMNOP is one letter or a single word because people say it fast and connected.  My kindergarten teacher friends hate that one.