15:45 by FoxTwo ... I'm sick of hearing about the escaped Limping Terrorist on the different blogs out there. Also, stop with Edison Chen already, ok? Pictures were leaked, people saw, people have already said whatever they want to say.
So, I hereby change the topic to something totally different.
Ok what's the point then? The point is about the way Singaporeans use English. This time, I'm not going to nit-pick on the spoken version. Instead I'm going to ramble about the written variety.
What triggered this off was that I was told to sign a prepared letter for my impending "ROD", ie end of contract and to officially state my intention not to renew the contract.
After reading just past the "Dear Sir/Madam" part, I gawked.
The very next line was "I hereby tender my....."
First of all, I am no royalty. I am not the President, I am not a commander of any large armed force. I am in no position to make any proclamations. Yes dear readers, "HEREBY" is used by people in positions of authority to issue commands or proclamations. I see so many people writing official company letters using all these weird phrases that should not be used.
Like writing a cover letter for a resume. "I hereby enclose my resume for your perusal"? Gawds. If I were the HR Manager, this guy automatically gets disqualified, without needing to read more.
On a related note, another common mistake I see in written communications is the phrase "cope up with", especially when relating to work or stress. You can only "cope with". However, you "catch up with" things or people though. Yeah I know, English is weird.
Then there's another one - "vent out your frustrations". When you vent, you're already letting everything OUT. So you "vent your frustrations", the "out" is already implied. If you want to "vent out", you're redundant :)
Ok back to the prepared letter I was told to sign this morning. Further along the same line as the "hereby" one, it says "... giving one month notice....".
I paused.
Hey man, I'm serving out my full contract man. I am not "resigning". You guys should know when my contract ends, don't you? Since you're my employer? What, you don't know? So how come you knew when to renew my contract last year without needing a letter?
Further along, the letter ends with "Yours Sincerely,"
I shook my head.
When you're writing official letters, it's "Yours faithfully," and the 2nd word must be in SMALL letters.
Needless to say, I didn't sign the letter. I threw it back to them and told them I didn't understand what they are trying to make me say (by signing it). I will only sign the next "prepared letter" if they get everything right.
They'd better hire a better secretary soon. Daphne might be a good candidate. Too bad she's already got a job.
Labels: quirks, Rant, Singaporeans
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Dingo @ Friday, February 29, 2008 4:32:00 PM Actually you use 'Yours sincerely' when you know the name of the person, 'Yours faithfully' when you use Dear Sir/Madam, or don't know the name of the person.
As for the word 'hereby', well I've never really heard of people stating that this word can only be used by people with high authority... hmm. To my knowledge its just used in conjunction with a performative speech act; the action by the main verb is accomplished at the very moment of utterance.
The more mainstream definition is just trying to officially/formally 'say what you want to do through a certain something', 'by means of this' in other words. -
FoxTwo @ Friday, February 29, 2008 4:53:00 PM
Dingo - well, 'hereby' is used only when the person using it has the authority to do so. Such as, a priest saying "I hereby pronounce you man and wife". He is invested with the authority to do so. Or in my blog post example, a king making a proclamation - "I hereby declare today be a holiday!!!"
Or, making a legal declaration ... "I hereby declare that I'm officially broke.".
Sending a resume saying "I hereby enclose..." is not the correct way to use the word. -
Dingo @ Friday, February 29, 2008 5:31:00 PM
Yeah I know using the sentence, 'I hereby enclose' for a resume is inappropriate,
Though I was actually referring to your, quote, 'prepared letter for my impending "ROD", ie end of contract and to officially state my intention not to renew the contract.'
Since you say it's official, doesn't that make using the word 'hereby' appropriate?
haha anyways pardon me for being so curious, never had a chance to participate in such experiences. Wanna know more just to prepare myself for society. haha
Thanks! -
FoxTwo @ Friday, February 29, 2008 5:42:00 PM
Dingo - oh. It wasn't correct in the context of the sentence. If it was "I hereby give notice....." it might have been acceptable.. I forgot what the exact words were, since I already threw it back at them.
Even so, the whole meaning of the letter was incorrect, due to the numerous (incorrect) words used in the letter, many of which I didn't write about in the blog post. The letter sounded like me telling them I want to "resign", when it's supposed to be "I am not renewing my contract". Resign means I'm cutting my contract short. Not renewing is not renewing. I'm still serving out the terms of the contract to its natural completion. See the difference?
Should something unfavourable happen to the company, the letter can be used against me to try to prove I tried to "wriggle my way out" of a contract that isn't ending anytime soon. -
Dingo @ Friday, February 29, 2008 5:51:00 PM
Ahhh, now that you put it this way, things are much clearer.
Thanks!
PS: Nice machinimas btw. (Y) -
Hani @ Friday, February 29, 2008 6:03:00 PM It's rare to see 'I hereby enclose my resume'.
Usually I would write 'My resume is enclosed for your review.' -
Hani @ Friday, February 29, 2008 6:05:00 PM
Anyway I stumbled your post :)
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FoxTwo @ Friday, February 29, 2008 7:41:00 PM
Dingo - on hindsight, even "I hereby give notice..." doesn't seem that acceptable too. As I said, I am not in any position to decree. I can do "I wish to inform...." or "I wish to give notice..." or the best of all - "I would like to state for the record..."
Dropping "hereby" here will make the letter less "intimidating".
Hani - actually I see it A LOT. Out of 10 resumes I get, at least 6 will have "I hereby enclose my resume for your kind perusal".
And thanks for Stumbling... I have never gotten around to creating an account there hahahah! -
@ Friday, February 29, 2008 11:55:00 PM
I hereby attach my inaudible laughter for your kind perusal and probable disposal thereafter. -T69
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daphne maia @ Friday, March 07, 2008 11:29:00 AM
i actually thought abt it.. being a secretary. haha.. and i think i wil make a good secretary! haha.. i m discreet, i can reply emails, set appts, keep to a schedule, take notes at meetings, remember dates, buy presents, organize private functions, take care of airticket, hotel n vacation bookings, make a good coffee, recommend restaurants n make bookings, and terrorize people into giving me what i want. wah. anyone wants to hire me already?
HAHA. -
FoxTwo @ Friday, March 07, 2008 3:32:00 PM
daph - if you get hired because someone saw your comment here, I get commission, ok? :D
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@ Saturday, November 14, 2009 8:34:00 AM
Who knows where to download XRumer 5.0 Palladium?
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