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sheeba · Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 1123

Can you end a mail or letter or say 'Thanking you' when you are still in the process of showing your appreciation. Does this mean that you may not be thanking somebody in the end?

I find I use this but can't see much evidence to suggest this is 'proper' English language.

Instinctively that's how I see it but maybe I'm just barmy.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

If it's a business correspondence, I'd say that was too casual unless you really have a close relationship with the person.

Keep to "thank you", or "thank you again".

MELEE · Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 2:00 pm Post subject:

Using the genrund makes it seem more informal.
I also think it's too informal for a business letter.

Thank you for your time,
Thank you for your attention,
Or if you want to be a bit stern and show you expect action on the matter
Thank you for your swift attention to the matter,
(but that's not really expressing appreciation, it's more like irritaion.)

To a friend or acquantance who is helping you, I think "Thanking you," is okay but I personally would just put "Thank you," but it boils down to style not grammar. I used to work in an office where the boss signed all his letters "Yours very truely," which I thought was corny but he saw it as his trademark.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

sheeba, you're barmy Surprised

sheeba · Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 1123

Thanks Spiral.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Can I hijack sheeba's thread just a bit to ask another possibly barmy linguistic question?
Embarassed

I was called down today by a (well-educated) British native speaker who insists that the verb 'to impact' should be followed by the preposition 'on,' as in "...decisions impacted (on) course delivery..."

Is this a difference between British/North American English? Is there a set of verbs that need the preposition?

Am I barmy because I am unaware of this? Embarassed

sheeba · Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 1123

Impact on- Impact on sth/sb:to have an important and noticeable effect on something or someone.

The Longman pocket English phrasal verbs dictionary agrees with this.

So do I but then I'm a Brit.

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

I (an American) have never used a preposition with it.

From dictionary.com:

�verb (used with object) 6. to drive or press closely or firmly into something; pack in.
7. to fill up; congest; throng: A vast crowd impacted St. Peter's Square.
8. to collide with; strike forcefully: a rocket designed to impact the planet Mars.
9. to have an impact or effect on; influence; alter: The decision may impact your whole career. The auto industry will be impacted by the new labor agreements.
�verb (used without object) 10. to have impact or make contact forcefully: The ball impacted against the bat with a loud noise.
11. to have an impact or effect: Increased demand will impact on sales.

OK, so entry #11 includes "on." I guess it's OK both ways, then.

d

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Yeah, but I think that to include 'on,' the sentence needs the possessive 'have' or 'had.' But I ain't British Embarassed

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Oh, hey, sorry - just reread your q. 11, denise. I see that... something new all the time. I'm barmy for sure!

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

Writing "Thanking you" is, I suspect, seen as analogous to such common closing expressions as the following:

But "Thanking you" by itself isn't very native-like, in my opinion.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

I often end letters with 'thanking you in advance'. It's a subtle way of applying psychological pressure :)