"Thanks" Forum

[QContinuum]

Yes, it would be petty. Thanks

[cavalier1138]

Yes, it's amazingly petty. And it's even worse if you ever sign off your work emails with "Best."

Best,
Cav

[johnnymacaroni]

How do you feel about “thanx”

[Person1111]

How do you feel about “thanx”

Negatively. I feel similarly about "Thx."

[2013]

I HATE “thx”

Be an adult and spell the word out.

[QContinuum]

I HATE “thx”

Be an adult and spell the word out.

Yes! No excuse if typing on a computer. And on a phone, there's autocorrect.

But there's "thx", and then there's omitting a period after the word "thanks". These are emails, not formal memos or briefs.

[The Lsat Airbender]

If jx is acceptable, why not thx?

Seriously, though, I try not to read too much into people's email style since it has a lot more to do with habit than sentiment. Maybe they picked it up from a boss they once had, and now it'd be weird to change.

[cfcm]

So, in defense of Thanks no period:

1. I don’t like using thx because (in addition to the above) that’s what partners/counsel use and I don’t want to come off as a poser

2. I generally use Thanks! but there are some situations where that just isn’t appropriate for the context of whatever the other person sent you

3. So you are left needing some way to acknowledge the other person and Thanks. carries too negative a connotation, as you usually see this used at the end of a fairly terse email.

4. This leaves you with Thanks

All of the above only applies when you are sending a one word email. I agree no period is weird otherwise.

I am not a lunatic.

[nixy]

"Thanks" without a period is something I have literally never previously noticed or thought about in any way.

[JusticeChuckleNutz]

Yes, it's amazingly petty. And it's even worse if you ever sign off your work emails with "Best."

Best,
Cav

Serial user of "Best" at end of work emails. I don't even like it, but can't think of anything else. I think "Best regards" is even more douchey. Help me! Any better alternatives?

[QContinuum]

Serial user of "Best" at end of work emails. I don't even like it, but can't think of anything else. I think "Best regards" is even more douchey. Help me! Any better alternatives?

Agree that "Best regards" is lame and, usually, overly stuffy. I alternate between the following:

[preferred] Best,
Q

[second most-frequent] Thanks,
Q

Q

-Q

[AdieuCali]

There's a great book called Because Internet about how text-based communication has affected grammar and punctuation.

Young millennials and zoomers who grew up with texting as one of their primary modes of interpersonal communication find the use of a period to be superfluous, stuffy, overly formal, or terse.

For example, if you text someone "how are you?" the answers 1)"I'm fine" 2)"fine" or 3) "I'm fine." can be interpreted very differently. The former probably indicates a neutral to good disposition, while the latter two could indicate anger, distress, or coldness. See, e.g., https://twitter.com/eggshellfriend/stat ... 64?lang=en

Surprisingly, older folks (like partners) take social cues from teens/young adults. Hence, the period is dead in informal communication.

[acr]

Imagine taking yourself so seriously that something like that genuinely bothers you to the point where you feel like pointing it out to others.

[QContinuum]

Imagine taking yourself so seriously that something like that genuinely bothers you to the point where you feel like pointing it out to others.

Oh, acr, if anything you're understating the missing period's effect on hlsperson's peace of mind. They don't merely "feel like pointing it out"...

it drives me up the fucking wall

[kaiser]

I'm a senior associate at a big firm. Over the years, I have developed an abiding hatred of people using "Thanks" without a period in emails. I think it's sloppy and sends a message that the sender doesn't care enough about your time to include a period. I see it often from partners and other associates around my seniority, and I suffer in silence because it's not really appropriate for me to pick a fight with them about it. But I now am at the point where I am supervising associates who use "Thanks" without a period, and it drives me up the fucking wall. Is it too petty for me to tell them to cut it out and that it's a bad look?

I was a senior associate in biglaw as well, and would suggest you not raise this with the junior associates you supervise. As a senior associate, its important that those you supervise respect your input and guidance. And if you are going to raise silly pet peeves, it dilutes all of the other actually legitimate input you may give them. You just need to learn to pick your battles when it comes to providing this kind of feedback. This isn't worth raising.

[Wild Card]

I hate "Thanks."

It sounds so damn passive-aggressive.

[notinbiglaw]

I hate unnecessary periods.

[JusticeSquee]

Quote removed at user request

lol jesus christ what a nerd just chill out please and thank

[Spartan_Alum_12]

If someone called me out on that I'd stare at them blankly and ask if they were serious.

[FedFan123]

You’re all missing the obvious answer. “Thanks” is wrong and so is “Thanks.”

The proper way to do this is to meet in the middle with “Thanks,”

[2013]

I usually get “Thanks, [Name]!”

[Pennoyer v. Meh]

You’re all missing the obvious answer. “Thanks” is wrong and so is “Thanks.”

The proper way to do this is to meet in the middle with “Thanks,”

That's what I've always done.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

Let me tell you about my use of cool beans...

[rcharter1978]

How do you feel about “thanx”

[rcharter1978]

You’re all missing the obvious answer. “Thanks” is wrong and so is “Thanks.”

The proper way to do this is to meet in the middle with “Thanks,”

This is how I've always done it, so I'm glad to hear I'm doing it right. I'm kinda formal though, so I use "Thank you,"

OP - if it's really upsetting to you maybe you can send out a list "common grammar tips" and squeeze that one in there with the rest of them so people don't think it's just the "Thanks" issue.

It seems like an odd thing to be annoyed about, but as Nikka Costa said "everybody's got their something." I hate it when tiny cars pull up all the way to the curb in a crowded parking lot.