I'm sure we've all opened a text message and read those dreaded words: "We need to talk." The mere sight puts a knot in my stomach, as I know nothing good is going to come out of that conversation. The same feeling was evoked when Anonymous writes of "Salutations of Prelates to Their Subordinates" on page 499, in which we learn that "in a letter of suspension, excommunication, or harsh reproof... the salutation should say 'greetings according to merit,' or 'favor where it is considered deserved,' or 'friendship which is deserved by worthiness,' or 'greetings as they can be deservedly bestowed.'"
Ouch. If I received a letter with that kind of introduction, I'm not sure I'd want to read any farther.
Isn't it funny how the entire tone of a message can be dictated simply by how it begins? There seems to be an appeal to pathos, an emotional element to the Salutation, whether good or bad. We want to convey what we're feeling to our reader, in the hopes that our words will invoke our desired emotions. Sure, a text message is much more informal than a letter, but given the nearly universal usage of such communication, these same rules still apply, just at a more sparse level.
Side note: can you imagine trying to type out the Salutations that this author suggests into a text message? My thumbs are tired just thinking about it. Maybe a few Emojis would suffice.
It's also interesting to note that even though this harsh kind of introduction can be given, it is still noted at the beginning of The Principles of Letter Writing that "The Salutation is an expression of greeting conveying a friendly sentiment" (497). So, even though you may not be sending the best news, it's considered proper to at least begin civilly, a trait that still seems consistent with our forms of communication. Perhaps we aren't quite as flowery as this author would prefer, but custom dictates that we word our greetings in a polite and proper tone, advice that is still ingrained in us today.
I like this connection to text messaging. In a world where snail mail and even e-mail has become near non existent text messaging seems to be the closest relevant medium we have to letter writing. Knowing how to properly word those stressful text messages can often take multiple rewrites. While different there are certainly similarities between writing letters and text messages when choosing the appropriate strategies.
ReplyDeleteMolly, I like how you linked salutations to pathos. I didn’t even think about that connection as I was reading, but it makes sense. Pathos also seems embedded in the securing of goodwill idea, too. Maybe we can think of the salutation as a necessary first step to the later task of securing goodwill. I agree that entire tone of a message can be dictated by how it begins. To take that example further, just think of how we answer phones or greet people are reception desks. A positive, “Hi, this is…” or “How may I help you?” goes a long way in securing the goodwill of the person you are speaking to.
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