Email abbreviations

TLAs (three-letter acronyms)

In order to keep email messages short, people sometimes use abbreviations for common expressions, just as they do in text messaging. These are known as TLAs (three-letter acronyms), although some of them are more than three letters long. Here is a list of some of the most commonly used TLAs:

afaik as far as I know

bfn bye for now

btw by the way

cob close of business

f yi for your information

IOW in other words

nrn no reply necessary

otoh on the other hand

pov point of view

tBa to be announced / to be agreed

TLAs are highly informal, and are therefore not suitable for the vast majority of email correspondence. They should never be used in letters or faxes.

Emoticons

Emoticons (a combination of the words emotion and icon), also known as smileys, are often used in informal email correspondence. They express emotions which may not be evident from the words alone, e.g.:

:-) a smile

:-( a frown

;-) a wink

—Emoticons should never be used in emails sent in the course of legal work - using them will destroy your professional credibility.

POINTS TO REMEMBER

Letters

Many of these points apply to faxes and emails as well.

1 The layout and presentation of your letter
are important as they give the recipient the first impression of your company's efficiency

2 Write both the sender's and the recipient's address in as much detail as possible and in the correct order.

3 Make sure you use the recipient's correct title in the address and salutation. If in doubt as to whether a woman is single or married, use Ms.

4 Write the date like this: 2 November 20—.

5 Do not write the month of the date in figures.

6 Choose the correct salutation and complimentary close:

Dear Sir /Madam with Yours faithfully

Dear Mr/Ms Smith with Yours sincerely

7 Make sure your references are correct.

8 Make sure that you include an accurate subject line - one which will enable the recipient to identify at a glance the matter you are writing about.

9 Make sure your signature block tells your reader what he or she needs to know about you.

Faxes

1 Fax is an open system, so it should not be used for confidential correspondence.

2 Ensure that every fax you send includes an appropriately worded confidentiality notice.

3 Write clearly, using a dark colour when
sending handwritten messages.

4 Remember that faxes are copies, and cannot be used when original documents are required.

5 Prepare your transmission carefully before you send it.

6 In general, the language of faxes is the same
as that of letters, although faxes can be
briefer and more direct, like email messages.

Emails

1 Email is very fast and effective, but should never be used for confidential correspondence.

2 Email addresses usually give the name of the person or department, then the @ (at) symbol, followed by the name of the company or institution, and finally the domain names, which indicate the type of organization and the country from which the message was sent.

3 Do not allow the apparent informality of email to lure you into breaches of confidentiality or into writing communications which would be professionally embarrassing if disclosed to persons other than the intended recipient.

4 Email is not suitable for sending and receiving documents which need to be sent or received in a signed form.

5 Ensure that every email you send includes an appropriately worded confidentiality notice.

6 It is better not to use special abbreviations,
e.g. TLAs, in legal correspondence, as they are too informal. If you use them, do not confuse your recipient by using abbreviations he or she may not know or understand. Neither use abbreviations which have more than one meaning (e.g. TBA) in circumstances where there may be confusion about which is intended.

Date: 2016-01-14; view: 1056