Hello fellow Red bloggers. A specific element of the online space of email has always interested me. I check my email at least ten times a day and use it to communicate not only with parents and friends, but also with my past internship employers and other people with authority positions. Now that I have been back to school for over a week I have been emailing back and forth with several professors. I have always been unsure of the grammar and punctuation to use in emails to people in positions of authority (such as professors and employers). If I were to send an email to someone I was working for or to a professor, I would most likely use proper punctuation and write it in letter form.
I have found that frequently, people in authority positions will respond to emails without using the same formalities. Sometimes professors simply sign letters with their first initial (whether or not they have students refer to them as “Professor X” in person). It is the same case with my previous employers. Perhaps it is because my past employers were just too busy to write a formal email using a proper “Dear Skyler” heading and a “Sincerely, X” closing. I am always curious as to how to respond to their casual messages and what commands this informality. Is it more appropriate to follow their tone or should all emails to people in positions of authority display the same respect one would use if he/she were meeting with this authority figure face to face?
If I were to email a friend I would most likely not capitalize letters and use very informal punctuation. This is not only because of laziness but also because it just seems more appropriate to write to a friend in a relaxed manner. What is it about the internet that commands such informality? Perhaps the internet in general is a more friendly and personal atmosphere that no matter who you are emailing, it is appropriate to address he/she as a friend. Has anyone else experienced this?
3 comments:
I have noticed the same informalities when I have e-mailed my professors and employers as well. When I write to my professors and employers I always write to them in the most formal manner and receive e-mails from them in a less formal manner. Often this includes all lowercase writing, one letter to signify their signature, or sometimes even no signature at all.
The way I view it, when writing to these people who are in a respected position, always put your best forward. I feel any form of communication with professors and employers always reflect on my personal intellect and demeanor. I too sometimes wonder if I should be more lax when writing to them after a few e-mails have been sent, but at the same time I think you can show your shared comfort and friendliness through the language in the core of your e-mail. I feel those boundaries of respect should stay intact or you may risk one day becoming too friendly and relaxed with an employer who does not share the same qualities of those before you.
I've noticed the same type of formal/informal interaction with employers.
I think it has more to do with their position of power than anything: You're the one trying to 'impress' right? And the interesting thing is, when I find myself in an 'employer' position--say, as a T.A for a class or even this past week as an Orientation Leader--I'm much more likely to behave in a similar, informal manner in responding to email.
It has more to do with the context of the interaction, I think, than any other one factor.
I definitely agree that it is a good idea to address people of authority formally in e-mails and through all other types of online communication despite the notion that the internet may seem like a more personal atmosphere. I have run into this countless times and have always decided to address them formally. In my opinion, it shows a sense of respect for the person because you are putting in the extra effort to capitalize letters and use correct grammar. Also, wouldn’t you respond formally in a face to face interaction? However, it does tend to get annoying when you are constantly e-mailing professors back and forth. For instance, after about the second consequent email that you send to the same professor, you just want to type the message without a salutation and closing because it has now become an ongoing conversation. I usually force myself to continue writing with a salutation and closing because I do not want to come across as lazy and disrespectful. Ultimately, the decision to keep things formal or not in the internet world depends on who is receiving it and who is sending it.
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