Emailers Search for the Right Sign-Off

Regards? Best? XOXO? That's me, yo?
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 4, 2009 9:25 AM CDT
Emailers Search for the Right Sign-Off
A quarter of emailers sign off with "Sincerely," according to one survey.   (Shutter Stock)

Saying goodbye at the end of an email, especially a business one, is a puzzling minefield of etiquette with no clear rules, Ruth McCann writes at the Washington Post. "Best" is becoming more popular, McCann observes, but many swear by the slightly stiff "Sincerely," while others still shower even colleagues with "xxx"s. Confusion reigns, McCann writes, when somebody receiving the cold "Cordially" wonders if they've caused offense.

A recent survey doesn't do much to clear things up, McCann notes. "Best" hardly features, but a quarter of respondents use "Sincerely," and a fifth some variant of "Thanks." Lesser-used options included "That's me yo," "Hope you live through the night, and "Wonka wonka." "Until email etiquette starts being taught in elementary school," McCann concludes, "perhaps we've little choice left but to hit send first and ask forgiveness later." (More etiquette stories.)

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