Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Writing Emails à l'allemande

Keep it simple, stupid.


8 comments:

  1. I can relate: I'm not allowed to write thank-you notes any longer because my way is, "Dear **, Thank-you for sending us X; we really appreciate it. Sincerely, the Knights." Apparently, that way is anti-social and won't justify stationary.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha! From G's point of view, that would be the perfect thank you letter!!!

      Delete
  2. "G" writes email like a German, direct and brief. You still write like a Japanese, Superfluous and apologetic. I'm with "G", and I'm American!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Really!?! I thought I learned the art of exaggeration and superfluousness from the Americans! (No, seriously!) hahaha!

      Delete
  3. check! same here again.
    and that extra bubble with the uber-sad face is genius!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks P! And a belated thanks for your kind email! It put a big smile on my face. :)

      Delete
  4. I have the opposite problem (... as usual, lol). Whenever I write to a professor I first write like normal for me (German - short and direct), then expand - adding several times the original number of lines (full with useless words, lol, wasting my time and theirs) because I'm writing to a Japanese professor and that seems to be necessary for reasons I still cannot understand.

    ... btw, still reading every post - but usually as rss feed so I'm even less inclined to go to your blog to leave you some of them words, sorry!
    - Kerstin

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kerstin, thanks for your comment! (And no need to apologize -- you're so Japanese!) You're absolutely right -- Japanese emails are the worst! We sure know how to fluff up a 5-sentence email into an essay by apologizing and yoroshiku onegaiitashimasu-ing profusely, eh! It still takes me ages to write emails in Japanese, sometimes even friendly ones!

      Delete