Quote from B on September 13, 2022, 11:58 pm

Hi Guys!

This post by Kavalier made me think about the power dynamics of different written closing salutations.

Here my thoughts on this, based on the three I use or see most frequently in my work emails (there is no exact correspondence in my language, so I am translating as best as I can).

- Kind regards

The most businesslike and neutral. The word “kind” to me implies the writer respects the receiver.

I use it in most cases, but sometimes find it out of place when the receiver has asked me to address him informally in person and/or the work relationship has gone on for long.

In those last cases I may sometimes use “sincerely” or “cordially” (which I tend to see as identical in power dynamics and meaning to “kind regards”), or sometimes switch to “talk soon”.

When I wish to convey even more distance and respect I also use “I salute you cordially”.

- Regards

I never use this, because to me it feels slightly disrespectful: why write “regards” without “kind” when just that one additional word would convey more respect?

I have the unconscious feeling people writing “regards” may be slightly disrespecting to the receiver.

Indeed, even when I wanted to convey not respecting or wanting to lose the client, I used to write at least “warm regards”.

But lately I find that entrepreneurs, especially, tend to use this in their emails to me as a lawyer, and I thus started thinking it may be a convenient way for them to shorten and write less, not meant to disrespect.

Especially when they always write “regards” (so the baseline does not change).

- Talk soon

I tend to use this when I want to convey being thankful and close. For example, I used this in thanking back clients who had asked me to address them informally (ie by first name) in person.

However, as Kavalier pointed out, it may have additional power dynamics:

- it may imply that the writer may be the one reserving decision on when and whether to contact the receiver, and thus may slightly disempower the receiver;

- it may convey familiarity, ie that the writer is friends with the receiver. Even if a client has asked me to address him informally, it may be “too much” and may lead the client to think “who does this lawyer think he is?”;

- it may convey that the writer is implying that the discussion / conversation is over. I reviewed some emails and I think this meaning was sometimes what I (unconsciously) wanted;

- it may convey that I am wishing for the client to engage me again (as in, “I hope we will talk again soon”); thus it may be somewhat submissive and deferential.

All in all, after thinking about these implied meanings of “talk soon”, I am wondering if it should be eliminated from my work emails. Or maybe it still has a place!

- Responding with “talk soon” when a client closes with “regards”

Since I was somewhat unconsciously annoyed by clients writing “regards” to me in closing their emails, it may be possible that I used to write “talk soon” in answering to unconsciously recover some power in those cases by assuming closeness.