Talk:Business letter/Archives/2013

Closing

In the US of America, I have never seen any other closing than "Sincerely, name". "Yours" and "faithfully" are not used. Niether are "Regards", "with (kind, sincere, etc) regards", etc.

• I agree. I would probably fall out of my chair laughing if I received a business letter signed 'Sincerely Yours' or 'Yours Truly'. I have seen business letters ending with 'Respectfully Submitted' and 'Sincerely'. It sounds more like an ending to a love letter than a business letter. Mil97036 17:50, 1 September 2006 (UTC)
• I've seen "Sincerely", "yours sincerely", "Sincerely yours" (quite frequently), "(With) [best/kindest] regards", "Respectfully yours", "Very truly yours" (quite frequently), "Cordially yours" and other signoffs in business letters in the US. However, "Yours truly" doesn't seem appropriate to me - it's more like something you'd use with a friend or relative. "With best regards" and "Yours sincerely", to me, sound more polite than "Best regards" or "Sincerely" for the first time you contact someone; after a relationship is established then you can use the shorter version - in my personal opinion I must stress. {59.121.188.97 07:43, 26 October 2006 (UTC)}
• I have only ever seen "Sincerely yours", "Truly yours" or "Yours truly" in Business letters from non-native english speakers. "Yours truly" sounds too affectionate for a business letter; I have only seen this in personal letters. I did find "Yours truly" in Poe, Roy (1994). The McGraw-Hill Handbook of Business Letters, 3rd Edition. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-113589-8. but its a little out of date, and "Yours truly" is missing from Collins Letter Writing: Communicate Effectively by Letter or Email. HarperCollins. 2004, reprint 2005. ISBN 0-00-720853-7. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help), which is more up-to-date on modern usuage. There are references which cite it as an example, but these often encompass rules dating back to the 19th century that are not applied today.--Shakujo 01:54, 30 January 2007 (UTC)

Yours faithfully

I note the following entry in the article: "In the UK, the use of the closing 'Yours sincerely,' is generally reserved for a recipient whose name is known, substituting 'Yours faithfully,' where it is not known." I find this nonsensical. How can one be faithful to someone that one has not already established a relationship with? Bubbha 10:14, 31 January 2007 (UTC)

It doesn't refer to being true and staying "faithful", it refers to a much older style, "Your faithful servant". This is in effect a promise that, what has been said in the letter and what you intend to do is honest and decent, and that the writer is worthy of trust. "Yours sincerely" signals that what has been written is merely honest, the assumption of trust arising because the person is known.--Shakujo 07:50, 1 February 2007 (UTC)