Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jmbran11]

I have a question for any British writing teachers or businesspeople.

In a professional e-mail (or letter), is the closing "Yours faithfully" still in common use? Have you ever written or received an e-mail using that closing?

The historical rationale has been explained to me, but I need to know if it's still applied. I'm American, and all of my professional experience is in the U.S. Thanks!

[ilovebdt]

As a Brit, when I worked in an office I would use both yours sincerely and yours faithfully.

It is not used in e-mails. I would normally close with "kind regards" or something like that.
Although, the more formal closings are used in e-mails. What is important is that the e-mail is well written and you address the person you are writing to as Mr/Ms or Sir/Madam. Never address them by their first name.

ilovebdt

[Hotpants]

What I learnt was that you should use 'Yours faithfully' if the name of the recipient is not known (eg, Dear Sirs), and 'Yours sincerely' is used if the name was used (eg, Dear Mr Smith).

[dodgybarnet]

Hotpants hit the nail on the head. It is used (I use it at least) and in the circumstances He/She/It said.

[jmbran11]

[Wangja]

In emails, I would rarely, if ever, use "yours faithfully" as I do not consider them to be a letter in the traditional sense.

I am a traditionalist and in letters would always use yours faithfully (general) or yours sincerely (specific). I would never use "with best regards" in a letter but frequently use it in an email.

[dodgybarnet]

[Hyeon Een]

I agree with Wangja on the whole. I'm also British. However I think I might still use "Yours faithfully" if I was sending an unsolicited email about a job when I didn't know the person I was writing too. He/She may not have been in that position.

Outside of that circumstance I would use Yours sincerely if it was a 'serious' email and I knew their name, or I would just end with my name without a formality. Emails are still somewhat new and I don't think there are 'proper' standards formalised in British English for emails.

For real letters as opposed to emails I'd still always follow the "Yours faithfully" rule if I didn't know their name.

I wouldn't use "With kind regards" ever. Perhaps I will in a few years. This might be because I don't write to anyone with whom that would be appropriate. When I write to my parents for example I just end with my name. But my father usually uses "with kind regards" when he writes to me. Its just not a phrase I've ever used. I think it will die out in the next few decades.

[jmbran11]

Thanks for the help.

I think I get the idea, and I think I'll tell them to keep it out of the e-mails. I doubt they'll be writing any acutal letters to British companies, but I'll give them that option.

[tzechuk]

Yeah, I use yours faithfully in emails as well as actual letters, too.

At this day and age, sometimes email is the only means of communication and I would like to treat it as seriously as I would a real letter.

[Hotpants]

So you mean to say there is no faithfully/sincerely rule at all in the States?

All I know is that one of the criteria your job application will be judged on if applying for a professional company in the UK is whether you managed to use the faithfully/sincerely rule correctly. Not everybody knows about it, so many can lose out on a job opportunity just because their letter wasn't to the correct format.

[Wangja]

[Wangja]

[Hyeon Een]

Howabout "I remain your obedient servant".. I only see that in letters in newspapers.

[Wangja]