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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Letters and greetings
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MrsBeaky
Shipmate
# 17663
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Posted
Here in Kenya people in the Anglican church write their letters with an abundance of Christian greetings. They also call one another "Reverend"(if they are ordained) as a sign of respect.
I have become so acclimatised to this that writing letters/ emails to people in Europe or North America has become a veritable minefield....
This has got me thinking about how one starts and in particular how one ends written communication other than the formal.
I'm fine with "Yours faithfully" etc. but I'd be interested to know which greetings are favoured and which are abhorred by other shipmates.
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"It is better to be kind than right."
http://davidandlizacooke.wordpress.com
Posts: 693 | From: UK/ Kenya | Registered: Apr 2013
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Twilight
Puddleglum's sister
# 2832
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Posted
Dear Mrs. Beaky,
I'm glad to see your topic and hope it evolves to include e-mail correspondence, where I usually begin with "Hi Beaky."
If I was writing to a minister I would start with, "Dear Pastor Smith,' Or "Dear Mother Joan," if I knew her well and she was Anglican.
Christian closings such as, "Yours In Christ," are something I've never done but like to receive.
I have a feeling I'm way out of date in this area, even unto sending handwritten letters in cursive.
Yours truly,
Twilight
Posts: 6817 | Registered: May 2002
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
I'm the secretary for the local Anglican Cemetery Committee and I always begin collective e-mails with "Dear Committee Members" and finish with "Regards, Piglet"
If I'm e-mailing to an individual, I usually start with "Hello Whoever", or Hello Fr. Whoever" if it's one of the clergy.
Personal e-mails - "Hello Whoever"
If we get round to finishing the Dreaded Christmas Letter™ ![[Hot and Hormonal]](icon_redface.gif) the greeting and signatures will be hand-written.
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Caissa
Shipmate
# 16710
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Posted
Most of my writing is via email. If I know the individual it is usually "Hi (first name)" and if I do not know the person well "Hi (title) (last name") I sign all of my emails "Cheers". In letters, the few I write, I use "Dear (appropriate name based on familiarity)" and close with "Sincerely" followed by my name. I add my title and degrees if it is business correspondence.
Posts: 972 | From: Saint John, N.B. | Registered: Oct 2011
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
Dear sir ... Yours faithfully (formally), Dear Mr/Mrs ... Yours sincerely (less formal) and 'Regards' (everything else, except personal friends in personal capacity).
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
We discovered that my son had never written a social letter (other than Christmas and birthday thank yous, which usually involved me standing over him until they were done) when he went to University and started writing to his sister. He finished his letters with phrases such as "I remain, my dear sister, your most affectionate brother" and used other phrases such as "You will please excuse the brevity of this letter but I fear I must hurry to catch the post."
Apparently they'd never been taught to write a social letter at school, so everything he knew about letter-writing came from Jane Austen.
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
The Scottish education system has obviously gone to the dogs since my day ... ![[Killing me]](graemlins/killingme.gif)
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Pigwidgeon
Ship's Owl
# 10192
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Posted
My greeting and sign-off vary a great deal, depending on the recipient.
What has been puzzling me recently are emails signed "Best" followed by the sender's name. Best what?
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"...that is generally a matter for Pigwidgeon, several other consenting adults, a bottle of cheap Gin and the odd giraffe."
~Tortuf
Posts: 9835 | From: Hogwarts | Registered: Aug 2005
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Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
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Posted
All the best? Best wishes? Best of luck? Best be going now? Number of the best?
I find the omni-use of 'Cheers' as greeting, sign-off, thank you, acknowledgment as well as toast puzzling. When did that start?
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
Dear Mrs/ Mr/ Reverend/ = Yours sincerely
Dear Sir/ Madam = Yours faithfully
Dear Duchess = Yours sincerely
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Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
Posts: 4950 | From: somewhere in England... | Registered: Sep 2012
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MrsBeaky
Shipmate
# 17663
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Posted
I agree "Best" and "Cheers" just don't work for me.
"Yours faithfully/ sincerely" are fine until the relationship moves on and then I go into rampant confusion.....
I can't sign off "Love" as I would to a friend to a vicar but as we are now on first name terms what on earth can I do?
I'd love to settle on an appropriate, less formal, friendly but not cheesy greeting.
Here they sign off and start emails or letters with things like
"Many Christian Greetings"
"With warm Christian greetings"
A priest I know in the UK signs off with "Love in Christ"
My favourite was from a man I once knew who I later discovered was at the same time spreading completely unfounded rumours about me who signed off an message to me with "Every blessing" ![[Ultra confused]](graemlins/confused2.gif)
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"It is better to be kind than right."
http://davidandlizacooke.wordpress.com
Posts: 693 | From: UK/ Kenya | Registered: Apr 2013
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
If I'm writing to someone I haven't had any contact with before I'll start with "Dear [firstname] (if I may?)" or "Dear [title and surname]". I don't actually like starting letters with "Dear..." but it is the convention for formal correspondence.
I'd never begin an email to a new business contact with "Hi [firstname]". "Hi" is for people I already know and am on familiar/first-name terms with.
In emails I'll sign off with "Best wishes" or "Best regards". I have sometimes been guilty of "Best" but it isn't always an appropriate sign-off, if, for example, you have to tell a business contact something you know they won't particularly like. ("Sorry, but it will now cost you twice as much. Best, Ariel.")
"Regards" is kept for people who have already signed off their email to me that way, I always think it looks a bit cold. I do sometimes put "Cheers" in emails to colleagues if it is something to be cheery about. It functions as a cross between "thank-you", "good news" and "all the best".
I've seen "Kindest" (and even "KR") but hate that and don't use them.
Letters will be ended with "Yours sincerely" in most cases as I don't write personal letters any more - most people have moved to email these days.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
I find the omni-use of 'Cheers' as greeting, sign-off, thank you, acknowledgment as well as toast puzzling. When did that start?
In the late 80s, I think - that was when I first came across it being used as an all-purpose sort of word.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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no prophet's flag is set so...
Proceed to see sea
# 15560
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Posted
The word "Best" by itself is something that I don't like at all. In emails particularly, I see:
"Best -whomever
<address of 3 or 4 lines including telephone number>
<employed position>
<how they are the academic chair of something rather excellent>
<warnings about how I will go straight into jail or the lake of fire if I an email "Best -whomever" sent to me, because it would be my fault that me email received this faultily sent email wouldn't it. The really really impressive people have the warnings in French and English, and you cannot compete with that.>"
I sign emails with a -"No Prophet" and letters with a "Yours truly". I cannot bring myself to do a "Yours sincerely" which appears to be rather popular. Not a "Kindest regards". Because of my insincerity and cruelty I suppose.
[ 02. December 2014, 18:05: Message edited by: no prophet's flag is set so... ]
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Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety.
\_(ツ)_/
Posts: 11498 | From: Treaty 6 territory in the nonexistant Province of Buffalo, Canada ↄ⃝' | Registered: Mar 2010
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St. Gwladys
Shipmate
# 14504
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Posted
Letters are "Dear...". If it's Sir or Madam, than it's Yours faithfully, if Dear (name), then it's "Yours sincerely. I was taught that you shouldn't have 2 s's - so Sir shouldn't be finished with sincerely.
I keep to this for formal email - if it's to a friend, it'e usually Hi (name), and ends with my first name.
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"I say - are you a matelot?"
"Careful what you say sir, we're on board ship here"
From "New York Girls", Steeleye Span, Commoners Crown (Voiced by Peter Sellers)
Posts: 3333 | From: Rhymney Valley, South Wales | Registered: Jan 2009
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Emma Louise
Storm in a teapot
# 3571
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Posted
I remember a Christian friend who used to finish, "in his grip"!!!
I've been out of work a few (lots) of years and then when I returned last year was amazed to find people use "hi" in emails to people they don't know.
I still don't quite know how to finish emails to colleagues/job applications/etc....
I learnt Dear x and yours sincerely at school... And would write Dear or Hello to close friends and finish with Love.
I see Regards, Kind Regards, etc and don't really know the differences or which to use!
Posts: 12719 | From: Enid Blyton territory. | Registered: Nov 2002
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Magersfontein Lugg
Shipmate
# 18240
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Posted
I begin 'Dear....' and often do that with e mails too.
Yours faithfully - to unknown people
Yours sincerely ... to people I know.
But both a little formal.
Usually
Best wishes
or Kind regards
to end for folk I know but not close family
Never 'Yours in Christ' which I dont really know what it means and strikes me as a certain type of Christian jargon which personally I dislike.
Posts: 104 | From: Bottle Street | Registered: Oct 2014
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betjemaniac
Shipmate
# 17618
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Posted
At Dartmouth we had weekly "defence writing" assignments on a Sunday evening where we had battered into us the various ways of writing formal/official/Demi-official/routine/social/thank you/memoranda/note and social letters. All on plain paper with a one inch margin all the way round (rubbed out when you finished, text written in fountain pen. This was 12 years ago. It's now second nature (thank God).
We were issued a 200-odd page manual of defence writing, whic went into exhaustive detail (even to the extent of which corner to turn down when leaving calling cards), to read and inwardly digest, it's still something I consult now.
Formats were always my favourite - I resort to them when I wan to write patronising letters to utility companies.
They always begin:
Sir,
I have the honour to......
And conclude:
I have the honour to remain,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
Betjemaniac
I usually find this guarantees a fast response.
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And is it true? For if it is....
Posts: 1481 | From: behind the dreaming spires | Registered: Mar 2013
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Twilight
Puddleglum's sister
# 2832
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by North East Quine:
We discovered that my son had never written a social letter (other than Christmas and birthday thank yous, which usually involved me standing over him until they were done) when he went to University and started writing to his sister. He finished his letters with phrases such as "I remain, my dear sister, your most affectionate brother" and used other phrases such as "You will please excuse the brevity of this letter but I fear I must hurry to catch the post."
Apparently they'd never been taught to write a social letter at school, so everything he knew about letter-writing came from Jane Austen.
I think he's being ironic and pretty darn adorable.
Posts: 6817 | Registered: May 2002
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jedijudy
Organist of the Jedi Temple
# 333
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by North East Quine:
We discovered that my son had never written a social letter (other than Christmas and birthday thank yous, which usually involved me standing over him until they were done) when he went to University and started writing to his sister. He finished his letters with phrases such as "I remain, my dear sister, your most affectionate brother" and used other phrases such as "You will please excuse the brevity of this letter but I fear I must hurry to catch the post."
Apparently they'd never been taught to write a social letter at school, so everything he knew about letter-writing came from Jane Austen.
I love your son!
My formal messages usually start "Dear So-an-So" and end "Regards, jedijudy". My informal ones and ones to friends (and Shipmates, as some of you will have noticed) start "Hi Name!" and usually end with "Hugs! judy". With lots of exclamation points in between. I got an outrageous amount of "!!!" many years ago when they were on sale, so I'm pretty extravagant with them. ![[Biased]](wink.gif)
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Jasmine, little cat with a big heart.
Posts: 18017 | From: 'Twixt the 'Glades and the Gulf | Registered: Aug 2001
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Enoch
Shipmate
# 14322
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by North East Quine:
... when he went to University and started writing to his sister. He finished his letters with phrases such as "I remain, my dear sister, your most affectionate brother" and used other phrases such as "You will please excuse the brevity of this letter but I fear I must hurry to catch the post."
Apparently they'd never been taught to write a social letter at school, so everything he knew about letter-writing came from Jane Austen.
It's good to hear the art of letter writing has the hope of a revival. I hope you can look forward to receiving letters from him in which you are addressed as 'my most esteemed female progenitor'.
Twilight, is it really usual to address female clergy as 'Dear Mother'? It may be that here, many of those who most like to be addressed as 'Father' are FiF types, or it may just be that I move in circles that are too low, but I've never encountered any female clergy who are normally either addressed or referred to as 'Mother .... '. Over here 'Mother' tends to be reserved to heads of convents.
It's probably my age, but I get a bit irritated by 'Hi'. It's casual, and presumes on one's benevolence. I don't use it and I certainly don't like people I hardly know, yet alone strangers, addressing me as 'Hi'.
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Brexit wrexit - Sir Graham Watson
Posts: 7610 | From: Bristol UK(was European Green Capital 2015, now Ljubljana) | Registered: Nov 2008
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Twilight
Puddleglum's sister
# 2832
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Posted
Dearest Brother Enoch,
It's a bit strange to me, too, but my new Episcopalian pastor said we could call her, June, Pastor June, or Mother June, as we liked.
Perhaps she's just that agreeable.
I remain your devoted shipmate,
Twilight
Posts: 6817 | Registered: May 2002
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Albertus
Shipmate
# 13356
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Posted
I find that 'with all good wishes' conveys a tone of slightly distant benevolence, which can be very useful.
Posts: 6498 | From: Y Sowth | Registered: Jan 2008
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Uncle Pete
Loyaute me lie
# 10422
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Posted
I fear my business letters are somewhat stodgy, but, hey, it works.
Letter and emails to people I know well end with "Love" "Love and Hugs" Hugs or some such.
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Even more so than I was before
Posts: 20466 | From: No longer where I was | Registered: Sep 2005
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Lamb Chopped
Ship's kebab
# 5528
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Posted
I end with "Sincerely" most of the time, having a guilty feeling about the warmer stuff when it's to a person I don't know.
Business letters written in a rage begin with "Sir:" or "madam:" with excursions into French if I need the pluals, and end with some variant of " I have the honor to remain / Your most humble and obedient servant / LC" and are signed with all the initials I can rake up and a paraph. This generally terrifies people for some reason.
Letters to foreign ambassadors regarding Christians sentenced to die for their faith draw very heavily on the more florid salutations I've gleaned from a life of reading Vietnamese immigration letters, and are rife with a series of appeals to honor and personal esteem. These also get fancy valedictions but not done tongue in cheek.
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Er, this is what I've been up to (book).
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down!
Posts: 20059 | From: off in left field somewhere | Registered: Feb 2004
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Evangeline
Shipmate
# 7002
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
Dear sir ... Yours faithfully (formally), Dear Mr/Mrs ... Yours sincerely (less formal) and 'Regards' (everything else, except personal friends in personal capacity).
Yes this is what I do and what I was taught to do.
A letter that begins with Dear Sir, should never end with "Yours Sincerely"-as they taught us in primary school the two "s" s should never go together!
Posts: 2871 | From: "A capsule of modernity afloat in a wild sea" | Registered: May 2004
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Augustine the Aleut
Shipmate
# 1472
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Posted
I normally treat e-mail as an electronically conveyed letter-- especially if it be a business communication.
Formal letters get formality; a recent binge of complaints (and a compliment) to ministers went out to Dear Mr (or Ms) X and, as I don't know any of the current crowd, ended Yours Truly. The few former ministers I know socially get addressed as Comrade Privy Councillor, and this seems to amuse them. Clergy get whatever their degree is supposed to give them, but if they are good friends I go for baroque with Worthy and Estimable and Reverend Sir or something of that like. When annoyed with them, clergy get Sir or, as a special insult, Dear Firstname. Bishops always get My Lord, especially if they don't like it.
Utilities and banks get Sir, and no finishing comments, just my signature and name. They should consider themselves lucky I am not sending them a molotov cocktail.
I prefer Hola to Hi as the extra syllable makes it more formal. A good friend of mine uses Best in closing, and I have yet to figure it out. Another, of Icelandic origin, promises that she is yours until Hekla freezes over. An Irish friend uses Gaelic salutations and closings and I have always been nervous about asking for a translation.
Posts: 6236 | From: Ottawa, Canada | Registered: Oct 2001
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Lamb Chopped
Ship's kebab
# 5528
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Augustine the Aleut:
An Irish friend uses Gaelic salutations and closings and I have always been nervous about asking for a translation.
How wise!
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Er, this is what I've been up to (book).
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down!
Posts: 20059 | From: off in left field somewhere | Registered: Feb 2004
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MrsBeaky
Shipmate
# 17663
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Posted
This is all great, thank you everybody.
One thing I have also learned to do is to take my lead from the person who wrote to me if they initiated the exchange.
I also treat emails as I would handwritten letters using the same formal or informal address as I would when sending a note/ card/ letter.
Another related question:
if you are writing to a priest you have never met and do not know his preferences how would you address him in the UK? The waters have been muddied for me here. When people meet the the Bishop here they call him "Baba Scofu" (Father Bishop) and when they write to him they use all sorts of forms of address and the same with priests.
I also find that certain people I know don't seem to try to match their greetings to the person they are writing to thus sending fuzzy Christian messages to people they don't know at all- all a bit odd!
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"It is better to be kind than right."
http://davidandlizacooke.wordpress.com
Posts: 693 | From: UK/ Kenya | Registered: Apr 2013
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Piglet:
The Scottish education system has obviously gone to the dogs since my day ...
In fairness to the Scottish education system, it's perfectly possible that they were taught letter writing, but the North East offspring was day dreaming in class that day.
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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Albertus
Shipmate
# 13356
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by MrsBeaky:
...
Another related question:
if you are writing to a priest you have never met and do not know his preferences how would you address him in the UK? ..
' Dear Mr X' (or Dr X or Canon X, if you know this is appropriate) would be perfectly correct in all cases, and formally unobjectionable. Although it might seem a little chilly to some people, it is what I would do if in doubt. Then in any further correspondence you can adapt your salutation depending on, for example, the level of formality with which the priest addresses you.
[ 03. December 2014, 11:39: Message edited by: Albertus ]
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My beard is a testament to my masculinity and virility, and demonstrates that I am a real man. Trouble is, bits of quiche sometimes get caught in it.
Posts: 6498 | From: Y Sowth | Registered: Jan 2008
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Welease Woderwick
Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424
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Posted
I have recently started a correspondence with a boy from my class in school [an amazing number of years ago] who is now a woman of my age in a lesbian relationship - the wonders of modern surgical techniques! I was aware he was transgendered when we were at school as he shared this with me in strictest confidence one day in the mid-1960s.
We have very quickly moved on to finishing our messages Love - WW or equivalent which I found surprising at first. I start almost all letters Dear ..... and almost all e-mails Hi ..... - I occasionally will use an affected Affectionately yours ..... just for fun.
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I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
Fancy a break in South India?
Accessible Homestay Guesthouse in Central Kerala, contact me for details
What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?
Posts: 48139 | From: 1st on the right, straight on 'til morning | Registered: Sep 2005
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Augustine the Aleut
Shipmate
# 1472
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Posted
One of my married-into-Orthodoxy friends in Washington state is in a parish which has received a convert priest-- who has become super-Russian in his adherence to every minor tradition. He accordingly signs his letters "Unworthy Priest X." My contact has taken this as an invitation to address reply correspondence to "Unworthy Priest X," and is wondering if he should try that more universally.
Posts: 6236 | From: Ottawa, Canada | Registered: Oct 2001
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Pomona
Shipmate
# 17175
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by betjemaniac:
At Dartmouth we had weekly "defence writing" assignments on a Sunday evening where we had battered into us the various ways of writing formal/official/Demi-official/routine/social/thank you/memoranda/note and social letters. All on plain paper with a one inch margin all the way round (rubbed out when you finished, text written in fountain pen. This was 12 years ago. It's now second nature (thank God).
We were issued a 200-odd page manual of defence writing, whic went into exhaustive detail (even to the extent of which corner to turn down when leaving calling cards), to read and inwardly digest, it's still something I consult now.
Formats were always my favourite - I resort to them when I wan to write patronising letters to utility companies.
They always begin:
Sir,
I have the honour to......
And conclude:
I have the honour to remain,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
Betjemaniac
I usually find this guarantees a fast response.
Defence writing! What a marvellous term.
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Consider the work of God: Who is able to straighten what he has bent? [Ecclesiastes 7:13]
Posts: 5319 | From: UK | Registered: Jun 2012
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JoannaP
Shipmate
# 4493
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Evangeline:
A letter that begins with Dear Sir, should never end with "Yours Sincerely"-as they taught us in primary school the two "s" s should never go together!
Whereas I was taught in secondary school that one is faithful to one's Madam - and sincere to a surname.
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"Freedom for the pike is death for the minnow." R. H. Tawney (quoted by Isaiah Berlin)
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Benjamin Franklin
Posts: 1877 | From: England | Registered: May 2003
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Angloid
Shipmate
# 159
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Posted
Emails are a problem. 'Dear...' seems too formal in most cases; 'Hi' too American. 'Hello' strikes me as odd. Some people begin them with simply one's name which seems a bit brusque. My default is 'Hi' but I know not everyone is happy with it.
Conclusions: I usually go for 'best wishes'; for friends who are at least in some degree religious, 'Love and God bless'. Close family members get 'love' or sometimes 'lots of love.' 'Ciao' for Italophiles.
Posts: 12927 | From: The Pool of Life | Registered: May 2001
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Egeria
Shipmate
# 4517
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Posted
When sending an e-mail to a colleague with whom I haven't corresponded before, I use "Dear Mr./Ms..."
If I don't know the name, I start with "Dear Colleague." And if it's someone I have exchanged e-mails with, and they've taken an informal tone, I may start with "Hi, Cindy," or "Dear Bill" or whatever the name may be.
At work, I usually end with "Sincerely," and if it's a matter of an unfilled request I may say "Regretfully."
What I find very annoying is the lack of salutation at the beginning of many e-mails. Our administration starts with "XXX Colleagues," or "XXX Staff," where XXX is the name of the department or division. It does not take long to type "Dear XXX Colleagues." Does it? (Even it they began with "To all staff," it would be more courteous.) Neither do I like receiving e-mails that start simply "Egeria," because it is so curt, it sounds very rude.
For closing salutations to friends, I do use "all the best," or even "Cheers," both used by a favorite professor of mine (now, alas, gone to that great research institute on the other side of the veil). But I don't use "cheers" except with friends.
I think "best" is just an abbreviation of "all the best" or "best wishes." It doesn't bother me nearly as much as the opening gruffness noted above.
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"Sound bodies lined / with a sound mind / do here pursue with might / grace, honor, praise, delight."--Rabelais
Posts: 314 | From: Berkeley, CA | Registered: May 2003
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la vie en rouge
Parisienne
# 10688
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Posted
If you think English letters are complicated, in French, land of florid prose, “formules de politesse” (politeness formulas), are they are known, are a veritable minefield.
There are specific protocols for every different kind of officialdom. There are distinct terms for a Judge, a government minister, a registrar, etc. etc. etc. and you need to use the right one for each.
Signing off takes about three hours. Where in English you write “yours sincerely” or “yours faithfully” and have done, in French, you need to write a whole flowery great sentence, reusing exactly whatever term of address you put at the top of the letter. Thus:
quote:
Je vous prie de croire, Chère Madame, à l’expression de mes salutations distinguées/mes sentiments les meilleurs/ma considération distinguée
(Please believe, Dear Madam (or whatever you used at the start), in the expression of my distinguished greetings/my best feelings/my distinguished consideration)
As at the start, there are distinct protocols for which one of these you should use when addressing whom. Furthermore, a gentleman should never offer his feelings to a lady with whom he is not romantically involved.
You can get crib sheets with all of this on to help you find the right terms for the right people, and they are pages long.
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Rent my holiday home in the South of France
Posts: 3696 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Ferijen
Shipmate
# 4719
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Posted
I remember learning those huge long sign offs in French at school/sixth form.
//now just about all forgotten...
Posts: 3259 | From: UK | Registered: Jul 2003
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Sir Kevin
Ship's Gaffer
# 3492
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Posted
Dear Fr. Kurt....
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If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Writing is currently my hobby, not yet my profession.
Posts: 30517 | From: White Hart Lane | Registered: Oct 2002
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JoannaP
Shipmate
# 4493
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Angloid:
Emails are a problem. 'Dear...' seems too formal in most cases; 'Hi' too American. 'Hello' strikes me as odd. Some people begin them with simply one's name which seems a bit brusque. My default is 'Hi' but I know not everyone is happy with it.
I agree that 'Dear...' seems too formal for an email; if I know the person's name, I will use that (in the gruff way that upsets Egeria ). If I don't know their name, my preference is 'Good morning/afternoon' but I am not sure what to say when I am writing in the evening. 'Hello' or 'Hi' feel too informal to use with a stranger.
I generally just end with my name, adding 'Love' to friends & family.
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"Freedom for the pike is death for the minnow." R. H. Tawney (quoted by Isaiah Berlin)
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Benjamin Franklin
Posts: 1877 | From: England | Registered: May 2003
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MrsBeaky
Shipmate
# 17663
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Posted
I've just checked my emails from the last two days and have received the following salutations:
Dear....thank you so much
Dear....Best wishes
Greetings friend.....Love
Hello........Best
Which seems to confirm much of the what others here have said.It is quite hard I've decided to strike the right note between being warm without becoming cringe-worthy when entering the middle ground between formal and friendship!
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"It is better to be kind than right."
http://davidandlizacooke.wordpress.com
Posts: 693 | From: UK/ Kenya | Registered: Apr 2013
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
When the children send me emails (which usually means they want something) they sign off with LUGS - which stands for Love and Hugs.
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Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
Posts: 4950 | From: somewhere in England... | Registered: Sep 2012
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Leorning Cniht
Shipmate
# 17564
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Posted
When, in the increasingly distant past, I turned 18 and became eligible to vote, I received a letter from a local prospective parliamentary candidate congratulating me on reaching my legal majority, and, in the mode of such letters, assuring me that, just like me, said candidate was concerned about issues A, B and C, and would take actions X, Y and Z to address them if elected.
She chose to begin her letter "Dear Firstname", an impertinence that guaranteed that she would never have my vote.
So put inappropriate familiarity at the top of my personal blacklist.
Posts: 5026 | From: USA | Registered: Feb 2013
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venbede
Shipmate
# 16669
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Posted
I can remember on another message board discussing this and a younger gay man and self agreeing that "Cheers" is hopelessly straight.
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Man was made for joy and woe;
And when this we rightly know,
Thro' the world we safely go.
Posts: 3201 | From: An historic market town nestling in the folds of Surrey's rolling North Downs, | Registered: Sep 2011
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