MetaChat - Thanks to all for your help. Another question...

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22 August 2013

Thanks to all for your help. Another question... How to say "Thanks a lot" or "Thank you very much" at the end of a friendly email without sounding sarcastic or dismissive or rude (is "Thanks a bunch" rude?) or overly formal? When just "Thanks" or "Thank you" doesn't seem like enough?

post by: serena at: 15:02 | 10 comments

"Thanks a lot" is right out. Too easy to be read as sarcastic.

"Thanks a bunch" isn't rude but just kinda goofy. Not very professional, IMO. And I wouldn't use it in a personal email either but that's me.

"Thank you very much" seems fine to me. And I also think it'd be fine to punch it up with a single exclamation point. Even just "Thank you!" seems like a big improvement over "Thank you".

But I'd probably say something like, "Thank you again for all your help." or "I really appreciated that you took the time to help. Thank you!" So more like an actual complete sentence rather than just a stock phrase.

posted by mullacc 22 August | 15:35

"I appreciate that you could do this for me. It really helped me {do this]"

So I guess my style is similar to Mullacc's last example

posted by Firas 22 August | 16:12

I'm a big fan of Thanks! over Thanks, for reasons stated above.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 22 August | 16:57

I say "thank you for ____" at the very beginning and then close with "Thanks again."

posted by Hugh Janus 22 August | 17:18

"Thank you for. . . ." and at the end, say, "Again, I am very grateful for. . ."

posted by danf 22 August | 17:32

Sincerest thanks?

posted by Splunge 22 August | 17:58

I tend to use "Thanks so much!" Which I'm not really sure is grammatically parsable, but I tend to say it out loud a lot, too, so it reads fine to me. :)

posted by occhiblu 22 August | 20:47

I like "Thanks" followed by a short sentence about "I/we appreciate...[whatever you did]" which feels like going the extra mile to be clear about what's appreciated.

posted by Miko 22 August | 22:24

Just be personal about what the thanks are for. E.g. You are a champ for giving such great ideas about xyz! Thanks so much!

posted by bearwife 23 August | 00:25

I just remembered "Thanks (Suzie), you're the best."

posted by serena 23 August | 16:36

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