This is it, the official last day of my sabbatical.

True, I have had my Winter Session Appalachian music class, but that was a partial return. Tomorrow is a day of meetings. There is no clearer sign of the end of a sabbatical than a day of meetings.

Returning to the fight means of course something approximately a million emails a day to wade through. My former and returning students know that I delete all emails that lack a proper salutation or contain spelling errors, improper capitalizaiton, grammatical mistakes, or texting language. Actually, I have an Autoresponder which immediately deletes these emails for me. I have had this policy in place for many years and it has eliminated emails that look to have been sent by clowns.

I am of the mind that people should sign emails and get used to writing messages that show evidence of brain activity. It is good practice for communicating with future employers. Plus, I just don't like emails which aren't signed, it seems abrupt.

In that spirit, I am posting here a list of superlative salutations that my students can freely use. Any of these would be appropriate as a way to end an email. All of them should be in wider use these days. I have taken all of these from the mountains of nineteenth century correspondence I have been reading. Some of them were used more commonly by a specific country, as noted, others are mostly U.S. constructions. Y.E. = Your Excellency

I personally like "I improve the occasion, &c." and "I avail myself of this occasion to reiterate to you the assurances of my high consideration and particular esteem." or, better, "I avail myself, etc., etc., etc.." Though "Viva la Libertad!" ain't bad either.

Accept, etc.,
Accept, the assurance of my high consideration (Italy)
Accept, the sense of my high consideration (Italy)
Accept the most sincere protests of my consideration and particular esteem [Mexico]
Anticipating you my Thanks for your early answer, [US, to Mexicans generally]
Be Pleased, etc.
Be Pleased to Accept, etc.,
Be Pleased to Accept, the assurance of my most distinguished consideration.
Be Pleased to Accept, the sense of my high esteem (Italy)
Be Pleased to Accept, the acts of my high consideration (Italy)
Believe me your humble servant,
Claimant will ever pray, etc.
I am, Sir, Very Respectfully, Your Obt. Servant
I avail, etc., etc.,
I avail myself, etc., etc., etc.,
I avail myself of this occasion again to assure Y.E. of my distinguished consideration
I avail myself of this occasion to renew to Y.E. the assurance of my most profound respect
I avail myself of this occasion to renew to you the assurance of my highest consideration (Italy)
I avail myself of this occasion to renew to Y.E. the assurance of my distinguished consideration (Italy)
I avail myself of this occasion to renew to you the assurances of my very distinguished consideration. [Mexico]
I avail myself of this occasion to reiterate to you the assurances of my high consideration and particular esteem. [Mexico]
I embrace this occasion to renew to Your Excellency the protests of my very distinguished consideration (Mexico)
I embrace this occasion to renew to You the assurance of my highest consideration (Italy)
I have the honor, sir, to assure you of my consideration and esteem, [Mexico]
I have the honor to be be, Sir, Your Obedient Servant, [probably most typical US salutation]
I have, &c.,
I improve the occasion, &c.
I improve the occasion, to again &c.
I reiterate to you the assurances of my very distinguished considerations [Mexico]
I renew the protests of my distinguished consideration (Mexico)
I seize this opportunity of renewing the assurance of my distinguished consideration (US)
I subscribe,
I subscribe, respectfully,
In this connection, etc., [Mexico]
In obeying these instructions I have the honor to reiterate to you the assurances of my very high considerations [Mexico]
Independencia y Libertad! (Mexico)

In obeying these instructions, I have the honor to reiterate to you the assurances of my very distinguished considerations [Mexico]
Reiterating to you the assurances of my consideration, I remain respectfully, your obedient servant
This note affords me the honor of renewing to Y.E. the assurance of my most profound respect
With much pleasure I renew to Your Excellency the assurance of my most distinguished consideration."
With the assurances of my high considerations, I am, Mr. Consul, your Obedient Servant [Mexico]
With the assurances of my regard and esteem [Mexico]
With the assurances of my high regard and esteem, [US, to Mexicans generally]
Please to accept the expression of my highest consideration (Italy)
Viva La Constitution de 1857!
Viva la Libertad!

Comments

Amy Peterson said…
Dear Nunal,

I am so glad you're keeping this up.

I have, &c.,

Amy

Popular posts from this blog

CHAOS WASHING MACHINES