Why 'thank you for a wonderful dinner'?

[Haihao]

Hi,

I have an 'unsatisfactory understanding' on my mind and would like to ask for your help.

Suppose I was invited to a dinner party. When the party was over or it was time for me to leave, I would say to the host and/or hostess something like:

'Thank you very much indeed for a wonderful dinner.'

I know 'a wonderful dinner' is natural and right but I wonder why 'the wonderful dinner' is not even though here the dinner is over and definite.

Thank you.
haihao

[Conchita]

Saying "Thank you for the wonderful dinner is right, too, but "thank you for a wonderful dinner" is the usual expression, somehow. You can also say: "Thank you for the lovely meal".

[Yankee]

Hi Haihao

I don't consider the use of 'the' to be wrong or even particularly unusual in your sentence.

Amy

EDIT:
Oops! I didn't see Conchita's post before I posted...
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Prezbucky]

Both wordings are fine... "...a wonderful dinner" is a bit more common, but I hear "...the wonderful dinner" once in a while (at least) too.

I'm often the one saying it. I vacillate between the two. The choice (maybe... who can explain the brain?) depends on the state of my synapses at that exact moment. hehe

Conchita gave us another good example of after-dinner compliments.
_________________
Billie Jean is not my lover. Hee.

[Alan]

Hi Haihao,

Let's put it like this: As you leave, you say; Thank you for a wonderful dinner - suggesting one wonderful dinner. If you write later, you say: Thank you very much for the wonderful dinner you gave us last week.

A
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple