STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

NCshopper · Hermes

RE: My next Lit paper: ST and language

zeitgeist4 · Gucci

detroit wrote:

zeitgeist4 wrote:
you do not say things like "hehehehe" and use smiley faces and ALL CAPS in a business environment.

so, do you think my use of smiley face for a close co-worker was innappropriate? that's about as lax as I get... but still - do you think that was an absolute no no?

Sorry, I didn't see this question. I did not mean that it's an "absolute no-no" to use smiley faces and things of that nature in a business environment. With my co-workers that I consider close or friends I use these things all the time. But if it's some sort of formal/official thing that gets distributed to many people, like a memo or a report, I don't think it's appropriate. That's what I meant.

Hermes

zeitgeist4 wrote:

detroit wrote: zeitgeist4 wrote: you do not say things like "hehehehe" and use smiley faces and ALL CAPS in a business environment. so, do you think my use of smiley face for a close co-worker was innappropriate? that's about as lax as I get... but still - do you think that was an absolute no no? Sorry, I didn't see this question. I did not mean that it's an "absolute no-no" to use smiley faces and things of that nature in a business environment. With my co-workers that I consider close or friends I use these things all the time. But if it's some sort of formal/official thing that gets distributed to many people, like a memo or a report, I don't think it's appropriate. That's what I meant.

don't apologize! I was just curious - I very rarely use a smiley. some people have problems with exclamation marks after "thanks" too - they fell it's "high-schoolish" - I'm just expressing enthusiasm. I just wanted to know if the smiley was taboo! you never know... obviously there's a lot of blurred areas when it comes to written communication these days - and a lot of younger people that shun etiquette in general - whether business or social. when it comes to a anyone I'm not close to at work, I'm the dryest most professional writer out there...

nunzi182 · Kate Spade

I put smiley faces in my email at work ALL the time. But I think that has to do with the culture of the company. People "smile" at me so I smile back!

blubirde · Chanel

detroit wrote:

zeitgeist4 wrote: you do not say things like "hehehehe" and use smiley faces and ALL CAPS in a business environment. first - that is crazy that she applied for a job that way. so, do you think my use of smiley face for a close co-worker was innappropriate? that's about as lax as I get... but still - do you think that was an absolute no no?

I don't think so, at least not in the context you described. I've done it before with a coworker who I had more than a professional relationship with (i.e. we chat it up in the hallways, etc.). If I feel comfortable with someone and we're simply sending emails back and forth stating "thank you" and "you're welcome," I think it's okay. In my previous post, I was generally referring to work product, not necessarily intra-office communication, which naturally has a more casual flow than other professional communication.

halleybird · Hermes

cool paper, jen!

Re: the mispellings. I am always bothered by "Yay or Nay." Shouldn't it be "Yea or Nay"?

Hermes

halleybird wrote:

cool paper, jen! Re: the mispellings. I am always bothered by "Yay or Nay." Shouldn't it be "Yea or Nay"?

ok - this has been an area of contention for me... "Yea" is correct, but most people don't know that, and I've actually been corrected using the correct spelling. I tried to come to terms with "internet speak" that the most commonly used form of "yea" is "yay." So I started using "yay." I think many people also think "yea" is "yeah," as in, "yea, I used to post on lucky, but I don't anymore" when it should be "yeah, I used to post on lucky, but I don't anymore." I don't even think "yay" is an actual word, is it?

halleybird · Hermes

detroit wrote:

halleybird wrote: cool paper, jen! Re: the mispellings. I am always bothered by "Yay or Nay." Shouldn't it be "Yea or Nay"? ok - this has been an area of contention for me... "Yea" is correct, but most people don't know that, and I've actually been corrected using the correct spelling. I tried to come to terms with "internet speak" that the most commonly used form of "yea" is "yay." So I started using "yay." I think many people also think "yea" is "yeah," as in, "yea, I used to post on lucky, but I don't anymore" when it should be "yeah, I used to post on lucky, but I don't anymore." I don't even think "yay" is an actual word, is it?

Thanks, I am glad I am not the only one who thinks that. Shall we stand up for correct spellings in these posts? Or maybe we should really mess things up and say "Yay or Nea"!

Btw, I think "yay" is a word, though it's probably considered nonstandard usage. It's an interjection, like "Yay! I got the job!" whereas "yea" is an adverb like "yes."

Hermes

halleybird wrote:

detroit wrote: halleybird wrote: cool paper, jen! Re: the mispellings. I am always bothered by "Yay or Nay." Shouldn't it be "Yea or Nay"? ok - this has been an area of contention for me... "Yea" is correct, but most people don't know that, and I've actually been corrected using the correct spelling. I tried to come to terms with "internet speak" that the most commonly used form of "yea" is "yay." So I started using "yay." I think many people also think "yea" is "yeah," as in, "yea, I used to post on lucky, but I don't anymore" when it should be "yeah, I used to post on lucky, but I don't anymore." I don't even think "yay" is an actual word, is it? Thanks, I am glad I am not the only one who thinks that. Shall we stand up for correct spellings in these posts? Or maybe we should really mess things up and say "Yay or Nea"! Btw, I think "yay" is a word, though it's probably considered nonstandard usage. It's an interjection, like "Yay! I got the job!" whereas "yea" is an adverb like "yes."

it's not in the Merriam Webster dictionary... screw it. I'm going to start using "whoopee" and "hurrah"

actually, I use "yippee" a lot - I'll start using that instead of "yay." and I'll only write "yea or nay"

halleybird · Hermes

detroit wrote:

it's not in the Merriam Webster dictionary... screw it. I'm going to start using "whoopee" and "hurrah" actually, I use "yippee" a lot - I'll start using that instead of "yay." and I'll only write "yea or nay"

weird! American Heritage has it, but MW probably considers it slang. Here's the AH entry http://www.bartleby.com/61/2/Y0010250.html

But I hate it too, so I vow to banish it from my vocabulary too.

Elle · Hermes

And don't forget, there's always SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Hermes

Elle wrote:

And don't forget, there's always SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

that's reserved only for special occasions

halleybird · Hermes

Elle wrote:

And don't forget, there's always SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

now THAT's a word that should be in the dictionary.

shopgirl · Kenneth Cole

I work for the website for a newspaper and even when using IM, everyone mostly uses nonslangy grammar that adheres to our stylebook. For example, we use email but used to use e-mail, and we don't hyphenate a lot of prefixes (i.e., nonslangy). Sometimes it drives me crazy. That said, I'd rather write out "hope that helps" or "talk to you later," and I notice that my fingers hover over the keyboard whenever I contemplate using "hth" or "ttyl."

I used to use exclamation points at the end of sentences to convey my excitement about something until a co-worker asked me why was I always "shouting" at her.

While we're at it: what does MILF mean?

Deborah

Hermes

shopgirl wrote:

I work for the website for a newspaper and even when using IM, everyone mostly uses nonslangy grammar that adheres to our stylebook. For example, we use email but used to use e-mail, and we don't hyphenate a lot of prefixes (i.e., nonslangy). Sometimes it drives me crazy. That said, I'd rather write out "hope that helps" or "talk to you later," and I notice that my fingers hover over the keyboard whenever I contemplate using "hth" or "ttyl." I used to use exclamation points at the end of sentences to convey my excitement about something until a co-worker asked me why was I always "shouting" at her. While we're at it: what does MILF mean? Deborah

I have often found myself wanting to type HTH... Some initials (acronyms are initials that can be pronounced) that we use, I have seen a couple of times in business communications - only because people come to me to ask what they mean - I haven't received any directly.

and, uh... the acronym MILF (hope you're ready) means Mother I'd Like to Fuck. To reference an attractive mother, most often used by an unrelated male child.