How do you sign off?

[chud]

Hmm, I'm not sure I really have a standard. I use "love" when it's not out of place, depending on to whom I'm writing. I use "cheers" a fair bit, but I have a hunch that it sounds off coming from an American if writing to a British correspondent. If near a holiday (and appropriate), "happy <whatever>" works. "Thanks" will do for a lot of business correspondence.

 

I generally tend to adopt a pretty casual, conversational tone in letters, so I'll almost always use something like "take care" before a more formal-sounding "sincerely yours." In fact, I don't think I've ever used anything ending in "yours."

[Deirdre]

Thanks to Pendragon for the shadings of formality.

 

I've noticed that "Respectfully submitted" is common at the end of motions in court.

[fatehbajwa]

Informal ones i use...

 

Take good care,

 

Thinking of you,

 

Namaste',

(i found this word while reading about Buddhism. It basically means "the sacred within me recognizes and honors the sacred within you". Probably my favorite sign off)

 

~Jasper

 

Thought I would just pass the correct info.........(From WiKipedia and also from my common knowledge since I am from India)....

 

"Namaste

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Namasté or Namaskar (नमस्ते [nʌmʌsˈteː] from internal sandhi between namaḥ and te) is an Indian greeting or parting phrase as well as a gesture. It is commonly used by Hindus and Buddhists.

 

Taken literally, it means "I bow to you". The word is derived from Sanskrit (namas): to bow, obeisance, reverential salutation, and (te): "to you".[1]

 

When spoken to another person, it is commonly accompanied by a slight bow made with hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointed upwards, in front of the chest. The gesture can also be performed wordlessly and carry the same meaning.

[Deirdre]

I think it's translated in concept rather than in literal meaning, especially for Americans. We're not used to bowing, so we need a reason.

[fatehbajwa]

I think it's translated in concept rather than in literal meaning, especially for Americans. We're not used to bowing, so we need a reason.

 

The reason here is simple enough.............respect for the other person.

[HDoug]

Speaking of bowing, I've noticed Buddhists signing off, "In gassho" with gassho being the palms together bow.

 

Here in Hawaii, it's not uncommon to sign off, "Mahalo a nui loa," which means thank you very much, or "a hui hou," until we meet again.

 

Doug

[suddenshiv]

Informal ones i use...

 

Take good care,

 

Thinking of you,

 

Namaste',

(i found this word while reading about Buddhism. It basically means "the sacred within me recognizes and honors the sacred within you". Probably my favorite sign off)

 

~Jasper

 

Thought I would just pass the correct info.........(From WiKipedia and also from my common knowledge since I am from India)....

 

"Namaste

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Namasté or Namaskar (नमस्ते [nʌmʌsˈteː] from internal sandhi between namaḥ and te) is an Indian greeting or parting phrase as well as a gesture. It is commonly used by Hindus and Buddhists.

 

Taken literally, it means "I bow to you". The word is derived from Sanskrit (namas): to bow, obeisance, reverential salutation, and (te): "to you".[1]

 

When spoken to another person, it is commonly accompanied by a slight bow made with hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointed upwards, in front of the chest. The gesture can also be performed wordlessly and carry the same meaning.

 

The Tamil (and Telugu and Malayalam as well) version of "Namaste" is "NAMASKARAM", while in Kannada we say "NAMASKARA" !

(Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada are all South Indian languages.)

 

[rogerb]

I am with Chud on this, I itend to say what ai feel is appropriate to my relationship with that person.

 

I used to teach people to write more as they speak, so, as guidance, ask yourself how you'd end a conversation with that correspondent:

"Take Care", "Love to the family", "See you/talk to you soon", "Please keep in touch" are things I might say to friends(and "Cheers" to drinking pals!), but for people like one or two on in FPN from whom I've had good email advice, but whoa re relatively new to my acquaintance, I'd probably use "Kind Regards", because that's just how I feel about them.

(I wouldn't say "Kind regards" to them, probably more likely "Thanks for your help, 'Bye", or something similar...."Take Care" is my good old standby!)

 

If the correspondent has done something for you (especially, but not necessarily, for which you haven't paid!), then I think it is nice to end with some sort of thanks...... if you've asked a lot then it might be thoughtful to say "Thank you for taking the trouble to sort this out...".

It's courteous without being formal and 'ritualistic'....that person is more likely to remember you in a positive way. (You may need more help in the future!)

 

[Jasper]

Informal ones i use...

 

Take good care,

 

Thinking of you,

 

Namaste',

(i found this word while reading about Buddhism. It basically means "the sacred within me recognizes and honors the sacred within you". Probably my favorite sign off)

 

~Jasper

 

Thought I would just pass the correct info.........(From WiKipedia and also from my common knowledge since I am from India)....

 

"Namaste

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Namasté or Namaskar (नमस्ते [nʌmʌsˈteː] from internal sandhi between namaḥ and te) is an Indian greeting or parting phrase as well as a gesture. It is commonly used by Hindus and Buddhists.

 

Taken literally, it means "I bow to you". The word is derived from Sanskrit (namas): to bow, obeisance, reverential salutation, and (te): "to you".[1]

 

When spoken to another person, it is commonly accompanied by a slight bow made with hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointed upwards, in front of the chest. The gesture can also be performed wordlessly and carry the same meaning.

 

Thanks for the literal translation. And, i think, literal translations are open to a certain amount of interpretation. The definition that i used is, in my mind, a fair description of 'reverential salutation'. Also, i didn't come up with that definition on my own...it came from the book "Circling the Sacred Mountain" (Mt. Kailash) by Robert Thurman and Tad Wise. For me, it creates a really nice 'visual'...more so than any of the descriptive words in the literal translation. And as an artist i am way more interested in visuals than words. Or, i should say...words are important and impact me when they create a visual.

Namaste',

Jasper

[Clydesdave]

I like to sign off on formal or business correspondence with "At Your Service". I have a different taste for e-mails where unless it is something I am forwarding (which I never, never do) I sign off with "I hope this serves you".

 

 

[Hélène]

email:

 

-Hélène

 

or

 

Hélène

 

English:

 

Love, (to family or boyfriend)

 

Peace,

 

Sincerely, (anyone else)

 

French:

 

à bientôt.

à plus.

gros bizous. (someone I use tu with)

bisous. (someone I use tu with)

bisous à tous. (someone whose family I know and I use tu with)

bisous à toute la famille. (someone whose family I know and I use tu with)

 

(I normally write casual letters in French and both casual and formal letters in English)

(bisous literally means kisses)

[Heirphoto]

If I lived a hundred years ago...

 

Your humble and obedient servant,

 

 

More uniquely and impersonally...

 

Anthony Miller, sends

 

 

Respectfully,

Tony

[captnemo]

Haha, actually I still use that one when writing in Spanish. In Spanish it is not unusual to continue to use the ancient and highly respectful forms, and I enjoy that, and so do the people I write to. Often we add phony titles (Baron, Count, Countess), etc. But I often sign off with: Su humilde servidor, or a more intense version, Vuestra muy humilde servidor, (as though addressing royalty). Otherwise a very common one is Un abrazo (a hug, which is appropriate for males or females who are good friends.)

 

But in English my sign-off varies widely depending on who I am writing to. An acquaintance gets Best regards, or Yours truly. A not-so-friendly business letter gets Sincerely. Some get Love, some get Peace out, or Ciao babe! It depends on who the recipient is.

[wvbeetlebug]

Family/Friends: Love, In Christ, Your Friend

Work: Respectfully or Respectfully Submitted

[Celeste]

Mortgage Company: "A Pestilance Upon Your House,"

 

 

You know, that made me laugh until I realized that my house is their house...

[kopio]

Family and close friends = Love

 

Greek Buddies = χαρις και ειρηνη σοι (grace and peace to you)

 

Christian friends = In Christ

 

Jewish friends= שלומ

 

OR, if I'm feeling funny = TTFN (ta ta for now)

 

Impersonal letters = regards, or warmly,

[John Cullen]

Try Peace, Out if you want to be more contemporary.

 

Later, Gator, if you want a vintage flavor to your letter.

[kopio]

Try Peace, Out if you want to be more contemporary.

 

Later, Gator, if you want a vintage flavor to your letter.

 

How about "Mañana Iguana"? ala Bobby McFerrin

 

[HDoug]

How about "Ciao for now." Which I never use but a cute friend does because she can get away with it.

 

Doug

[dvorak]

This is something that I take far too seriously for some reason. I always try to make the last group of words on the page into an *actual* sentence. So, my peers, I might respond to you

 

Within the Fellowship of the Wet Nib,

 

Brent

 

P.S. although, I also find this to be a useful time to poke one at oneself - and I'd be remiss if I did not point out someone I'd copied frequently

 

Red Beans and Ricely Yours,

(The Way The Great Sachemo used to sign his letters)

 

(If you live the outside North America, or otherwise don't know the name of Louis Armstrong, I'd encourage you to hunt about the internet - he was a master of his craft)

 

In any case I try to custom fit every one - no standard sign off... dunno why...

 

Brent