I’ve found it hard to know what to say when signing off in an e-mail, so this article discussing different ways to do it was quite helpful. They discourage the use of “sincerely yours” though, and I disagree with their reasoning. I think it’s a perfectly valid way to end an e-mail. Of course it always depends on the author and the recipient, so it’s nice to have a few to pick from, but I see no reason to discount “sincerely yours” entirely. In any case, I typically use my name or “Cheers” so to add some variety here are a few options:
Later
Bye
Yo
Ciao
Check it
With esteem
Take care
Ta-ta
I’ve always been fond of TTFN. Classic Pooh is always appropriate.
Being the hopeless romantic that I am, I’m much more attracted to: “Intensely Yours, [name]; Longingly, [name]; or More-Love-I-Could-Not-Hold-and-There-Is-None-For-Any-But-You, [name].”
P.S. The link to article didn’t work for me. Hugs, love-addict. :)
I use “Love” for my family and beloved, though sometimes my beloved gets “lovelove” if it’s just a short note. I use “Hugs” for friends and often no closing for others. If it’s appropriate, I’ll use “Thanks” as well.
I’m going to start using the Check it and Ta-ta. It’s much more amusing then the typical Buh-bye currently used.
I’ll be honest. C-Ya L8R, Tootles, and acronyms are appalling. My stomach turns when I see these. Trying to figure out that PDAR means “Please distroy after reading” and not “Pass da apple Rob” is just too time consuming. By the time you figure out what the acronym is, everyone over your shoulder has already enjoyed the letter. Their simply ridiculous. To prove my point to a few acronym abusers, I would use a series of letters that meant nothing, just to see what they would say. For instance: OMTSM
I do like the Brazilian Portuguese version of a farewell.
tchau my friends
OMTSM = Oh my, that sounds marvelous.
Kristine: I just tried the link again and it worked. What error do you get?
I have to say that I agree with Scott Adams on this one. Most of my emails close with just my name.
OMTSM could mean: Off my toe sexy man.
Or “Oars May Thwack Silly Mel”
You should have gotten this one Dan. “hoy” (goodbye) is the opposite of “ahoyhoy” (hello).
Shouldn’t it just be ahoy for the greeting then? Saying ahoyhoy is like saying “Hello goodbye” in a single breath.
I use something different on every email, depending on my feisty meter.
Favorites are the “yearbook sign-offs”:
LYLAS, (love ya like a sister)
Stay Sweet,
and of course, Class of ’87 rules!
Hi there !
I’m sorry but I still don’t know what “Toodles” mean ! An american friend of mine signed off with that word but I have no idea what it means! Could anyone please help me out?
Merci beaucoup !
Linda: Toodles is just another way of saying goodbye. I don’t believe there’s an exact equivalent in French.
perhaps ciao is similar in French
Toodles.
Hi there,
Do you have any knowledge of the origin or meaning of “Toodles”. When much younger my dad (born in 1919)named our cat Toodles and because he died when I was very young I had no opportunity to ask him where he got the name from.
The “Toodles” referred to here as I understand it as a goodbye would be “Toodle Ooh” ? Is Toodles then a variation of that?
Many thanks,
Dave Evans- Cape Town, South Africa.
That’s correct, toodles is simply a variation on Toodle-ooo.
That article cited above explains toodles. It’s a bastardization of “a toute a l’heure,” or “see you later” in French.
I always say Toodles with my boyfriend. i just can’t say bye to him so we settled on Toodles :-P
Never understood that Toodles stuff. Sounds funny. I don’t use it. But it is a little bit cute.
More discussion on e-mail signoffs can be found at cognitive daily.