Yours Truly vs Sincerely

[Unbiased_me]

Hi There

I was wondering where we use Yours Truly to end a letter and where do
we use others like yours faithfully, sincerely etc.

Btw What does yours truly mean...I am true to you?

Also, someone tells me that we use yours truly for a letter to editor.
Whats used for biz letters?

Thanks

Tom!

___
"If you are arguing with a fool, chances are he is doing just that"

[Chris Kern]

On 13 Feb 2003 04:31:00 -0800, usene...@hotmail.com (Unbiased_me)
posted the following:

>Hi There
>
>I was wondering where we use Yours Truly to end a letter and where do
>we use others like yours faithfully, sincerely etc.

This is probably too complex a question to be answered quickly. But
"sincerely" is a formal closing to a letter, suitiable for business
letters (or letters to the editor).

Personally, I would never end a letter with "yours truly", but I don't
know how other NSoE feel. "Love" or "With Love" is something I would
use with family or close friends. I might also just use "from" with
close friends, or perhaps no formal closing at all.

>Btw What does yours truly mean...I am true to you?

Something like that; maybe "I am truly yours" -- it sounds like a
florid expression of love for a spouse or partner to me.

It is more often used in speech in certain situations as a replacement
for "me", but it's hard for me to explain how it's used. "You guys
left the trash all over the house, leaving yours truly [me] to clean
it all up!"

-Chris

[Owain]

Unbiased_me wrote

> I was wondering where we use Yours Truly to end a letter and where do
> we use others like yours faithfully, sincerely etc.

Normal British English use for business letters is:

To a named individual eg

Mr Smith
Sales Manager

Dear Mr Smith ... Yours sincerely

To an unnamed individual eg

The Sales Manager
Smith and Sons

Dear Sir ... Yours faithfully

[or Dear Madam, or Dear Sir or Madam, if the recipient is known
or likely to be a woman]

To a business eg

Smith and Sons

Dear Sirs ... Yours faithfully

[British businesses are all assumed to be plural male, even if
you are writing to Julie's Flower Shop]

> Also, someone tells me that we use yours truly for a letter to editor.

Letters to The Times are customarily just 'Sir' [no Dear], and 'Yours
etc'. For most other publications Dear Sir [Madam if known to be a
woman] ... Yours faithfully would not be incorrect.

For personal letters between friends, almost anything goes these days.

Owain