When I write an e-mail in the English language, I invariably start with "Hoi". Hoi is a Dutch rather informal
salutation. Given that I am known for being part of the "Wiki world", this informality is accepted. One of the reasons for using this Dutch word that is generally understood is, that it makes clear that I am not a native speaker of the English language.
At the end of my blogs and e-mails I invariably thank for the effort people take in reading what I had to say. In my appreciation this makes my writing both informal and friendly.
Today I learned that
Ivan had blogged about the salutation I use in my e-mails. I used
Google translate to understand what he wrote..
Thanks,
GerardM
1 comment:
I often wonder about the best salutations to use and miss the days of "I have the honour to remain, sir, your most humble and obedient servant", but even with the more limited set of English salutations available in the present day it is still hard to judge the exact connotations of any given salutation formula for a non-native speaker.
For example, for me the informality of "Hoi" didn't really come through at all, it sounded more like "Hey you" and paired with the thanking at the end some of your letters gave the impression of speaking from self-imposed authority that will admit no contradiction. I guess this post puts an end to such impressions.
Post a Comment