People in the 1920s knew how to sign their letters. 

"Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats) 07/19/2017 at 16:20 • Filed to: None

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None of that “thanks,” or “best,” or “regards” bullshit.

Cheerio Oppo sons of bitches.

Chariotoflove > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/19/2017 at 16:25

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When some writes “best”, what I read is “couldn’t be bothered”. These days, if someone actually signed a letter to me with “cheerio”, I think I might send them a fruit basket.

Honeybunchesofgoats > Chariotoflove 07/19/2017 at 16:28

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I agree completely. I despise “best” and only use it when I’m writing to people I i don’t like.

We’re old. This is an old people thing to care about.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/19/2017 at 16:30

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Haha, I do take the time to write out “Thank you,” at the end of my letters/e-mails, rather than “Thanks,”

letters have become incredibly rare for me, pretty much just to my mom and grandma.

Ash78, voting early and often > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/19/2017 at 16:32

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I also noticed that both “best” and “regards” seem to be taking over in the past few years. Both seem simultaneously pretentious and condescending and dismissive at the same time. Maybe it’s just me. I just vary between “Thanks” (email) and “Sincerely” (letters/memos)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/19/2017 at 16:33

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“Very good,” I said coldly. “In that case, tinkerty tonk.” And I meant it to sting . “ - Bertie Wooster

P. G. Wodehouse is hilarious. I want to sign a letter with “tinkerty tonk” sometime.

Slant6 > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/19/2017 at 16:34

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I prefer just to sign my name. Why do I have to say goodbye? It’s a letter, I wasn’t actually there.

Honeybunchesofgoats > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 07/19/2017 at 16:34

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Bertie Wooster is my role model

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/19/2017 at 16:37

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Thank you for your concern, I remain,

Very truly yours,

Honeybunchesofgoats > Ash78, voting early and often 07/19/2017 at 16:39

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I don’t think people consciously intend to come off like assholes when they use it. I think they just see other people do it and think that it’s what you’re supposed to do. Like college students with email signatures.

AuthiCooper1300 > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/19/2017 at 16:43

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In days of yore people knew how to appropriately handle their epistles:

“any sign of undue haste, in fact, is apt to be non-U, and I go so far as preferring, except for business letters, not to use air mail”

(Nancy Mitford, The English Aristocracy, 1955)

Something very much to be taken into account these days, when it seems everything has to be sent (and received) instantly.

Ash78, voting early and often > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/19/2017 at 16:43

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It always struck me as a bit British, which in itself isn’t a bad thing, it’s just a more reserved and less expressive culture, especially professionally. When an American uses the word “Regards” I feel like I need to say “Much obliged, cheers!” I have regular contact with English and Irish people via email and it just works for them, it’s “in character” and tone.

Yes, life is increasingly a bunch of memes and mimickry, and a serious lack of individualism. Ironic, considering we’re probably in the biggest “Look at Me!” culture that ever existed in human history. You are a unique snowflake, just like everyone else.

Rant off, warmest regards, etc

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/19/2017 at 16:49

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Back when I worked with a lawyer, we had system for salutations. “Thanks” was for informal notes to friendly parties, “sincerely” was used for most external communications, “regards” was for something written to specifically to an opposing party and “warm regards” was reserved specifically for telling someone to fuck off.

To this day, I still use warm regards for when I’m telling someone to fuck off. One of my co-workers in the department knows about it, so she gets a chuckle whenever she see something I signed as a warm regards letter or email.

Honeybunchesofgoats > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 07/19/2017 at 16:51

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I love it!

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/19/2017 at 16:54

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We used it so we that could always go back into a file and read the closing of a letter and know what the intention was without having to read the whole thing.

Cé hé sin > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/19/2017 at 17:33

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As I was always told...

Dear Sir

.

Yours faithfully

Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms Smith

.

Yours sincerely

Honeybunchesofgoats > Cé hé sin 07/19/2017 at 17:34

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I would answer your emails.

AuthiCooper1300 > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/19/2017 at 17:59

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May I ask you - that letter... would you be so kind so as to give us more information about its sender (and addressee)?

Honeybunchesofgoats > AuthiCooper1300 07/19/2017 at 18:01

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I have no clue who the sender was, but the recipient was someone at my work asking him if he wanted to come work for him.

AuthiCooper1300 > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/19/2017 at 18:05

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OK, thanks. I wondered if I should have recognised the signature or something.

Would “cheerio” be commonly used in America in the 20s or was perhaps the sender being ironic?

Honeybunchesofgoats > AuthiCooper1300 07/19/2017 at 18:06

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I haven’t a clue. He might even have been British. It struck me as odd too, because I don’t think so.

wafflesnfalafel > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/19/2017 at 19:13

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I’m gonna do that on all my work emails

Honeybunchesofgoats > wafflesnfalafel 07/19/2017 at 19:28

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I’d happily have you as a coworker, you son of a bitch.

ranwhenparked > AuthiCooper1300 07/19/2017 at 20:02

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It probably was more common than now, but the speaker still would have sounded affected/pretentious if not using it ironically.