Complimentary close: Difference between revisions

Complimentary close, or Complimentary closing is the term, expression, or phrase which immediately precede the signature on a note, letter, or correspondence, most often written. The word or words so written express the esteem or regard for the person to whom the correspondence is directed. It is sometimes confused with valediction, which is the act of bidding farewell, especially orally.

English language complimentary closings typically contain the word yours, a contraction of your servant; old closings were usually some voluminous statement, a complete sentence of the form

I beg to remain, Sir, your most humble and obedient servant, A.B.

Yours sincerely and Yours faithfully

In the UK, traditional valedictions have been mainly replaced by "Yours sincerely" or "Yours faithfully".

Yours sincerely is used when the recipient is addressed by name and is known to you to some degree socially, and Yours faithfully is used when the recipient is not known by name (i.e. the recipient is addressed by a phrase such as "Dear Sir/Madam") or when the person's name is known but you have not previously met or spoken with them.

In the US (but not the UK), the inverted form "Sincerely yours" and the simplified valediction "Sincerely" are also common.

Yours truly,

In the USA, traditional valedictions have been mainly replaced by phrases such as "Yours truly," or "Very truly yours,".

"Yours Truly," is sometimes used in love letters, but is more commonly used as a jocose first person singular, i.e. referring to oneself, as in, "Yours truly created this article."

It is to be noted that this is an informal usage in correspondence and accordingly it is immediately followed by a comma, not a collan[sic].

In the UK it is not very common, and is used only in intimate or informal correspondence. (As a slang term for "me" or "myself" it is relatively uncommon, but in some areas of the country, such as parts of London, it is quite common.)

Yours, etc.

The is a usage in the USA by lawyers when they conclude a formal letter, or when they sign off in court papers that would also be read by a judge.

Kind regards

Increasingly common in business usage, "Kind regards" is often used as a semi-formal valedicition in emails. In informal usage, for additional brevity it is occasionally abbreviated to simply "Rgds". The use of "Kind regards" is most likely derived from the more formal, "Kindest regards," which is itself a phrase derived from the even more formal combination of "'Kindest regards, I remain," "yours" or "truly yours" or any one of the number of valedictions in common usage.

Miscellaneous

Other less formal expressions exist, often some variant of Best wishes such as All my best or, simply, Best. For family members or intimates, an expression such as Your friend, Your loving son or (in the case of lovers) Your Albert may be used; or the name may simply be preceded with All my love or Love.

Less commonly, other adverbs or adverbial phrases may be used, in keeping with the tone of the letter, such as In solidarity or Fraternally. Christian clergy often use Yours in Christ.

Valedictions in letters in French

Standard French language valedictions tend to be much more complex than standard English ones, more akin to older English valedictions. They show a fair degree of variation, for example:

Veuillez agréer, Madame, Monsieur, l'expression de mes sentiments distingués.

"Please allow, Madam, Sir, the expression of my distinguished sentiments."

Or:

Veuillez recevoir, Monsieur, mes sincères salutations.

"Please receive, Sir, my sincere salutations."

Or:

Je vous prie de croire, Madame, à mes sentiments les meilleurs.

"I beg you to believe, Madam, in my best sentiments."

It may be enhanced with a participial phrase concluding the sense of the letter, though this must be used with a formula beginning with the first person in order to make grammatical sense:

Espérant recevoir une réponse favorable, je vous prie d'agréer, Madame...

"Hoping for a favourable answer, I beg you to allow, Madam..."

A number of rules concern the use of these formulas. For example, the title used in the salutation of the letter must be reproduced in the valediction; so a letter addressing Madame la députée would conclude, Je vous prie, Madame la députée. An exception is that a letter to Monsieur, Madame (sir or madam) concludes, ...Madame, Monsieur...

Other rules state that the word assurance should not be used in a letter from a hierarchical inferior to his or her superior, and that a woman must not send sentiments to a man.

Such formulas may be used even in more friendly letters, often with the adjective cher or chère for the recipient. Letters to dignitaries may use even more grandiose styles, such as:

Je vous prie d'agréer, Monsieur le Premier Ministre, l'assurance de ma haute considération.

"I beg you to allow, Mr. Prime Minister, the assurance of my highest consideration."

Veuillez agréer, Madame l'Ambassadrice, l'expression de mes sentiments les plus respectueux.

"Please allow, Madam Ambassador, the expression of my most respectful sentiments."

Much shorter styles may be used in brief notes (Sincères salutations), and informal letters (such as between intimates) may use expressions such as (with approximate English equivalents—not literal translations):

• Amicalement ("In friendship")
• Amitiés ("Your friend")
• À bientôt ("See you soon")
• Au plaisir de vous revoir ("Hope to see you soon")
• Bien amicalement ("Yours warmly")
• Bien à vous ("Yours truly")
• Cordialement ("Cordially")
• Meilleures salutations ("Warmest greetings")
• Merci bien ("Thanks very much")
• Salutations distinguées ("Sincere greetings")

Unlike in English, when the letter writer has a title that is unique in his or her organization, it is placed before, not after, the name:

Veuillez recevoir, Monsieur, mes sincères salutations.

La vice-présidente des ressources humaines,

A.B.

Valedictions in emails

Valedictions in formal emails follow similar lines to valedictions in letters. On the whole, they are variations of "Regards" and "Yours". However, there is a wide range of popular valedictions used in emails (mostly casual emails) but very rarely in letters. These include:

• Keep it real
• Keep it surreal
• May the Force be with you
• Over and out
• Ten four
• Walk on...

and many more, including "Love", etc. Sometimes emails - especially when used for very brief communication - are signed off without a valedication. Some are not signed off at all, since for pragmatic purposes the sender's name is usually indicated in the message information.

Reference(s)

• Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary Tenth Edition (1996)

ISBN 0-87779-709-9