All day / all day long

Question

Is there any difference between these expressions: all day and all day long? Is the usage and the meaning exactly the same?

MountainHiker · Accepted Answer

Is there any difference between these expressions: all day and all day long? Is the usage and the meaning exactly the same?

They seem the same to me. There might be an example of where they differ, but I can not think of any. I'll be interested to see what others say.

"All day long" seems to add a little emphasis.

1) The rock concert will last all day. (probably a festival or something.)

2) The rock concert will last all day long, and I can hardly wait to go. (It is going to last ALLL Day, wow)

To me, this somewhat similar to...

3) As you said, "this is an interesting example."

4) As you yourself said, "this is an interesting example."

The "yourself" in (4) is completely redundant. Yet, it adds an extra punch. Perhaps, "long" is like that too, it adds a little punch?

Note, you don't say, "all day short".

For what it is worth, "all day long" is a popular phrase. On google, it has over 600,000 hits.

Hope that helps.

All day / all day long

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