xoxo offender

Laurence Horn laurence.horn at YALE.EDU
Mon Nov 27 18:14:26 UTC 2006


At 11:01 AM -0500 11/27/06, Dennis R. Preston wrote:
>And I always thought it was a phonetic attempt at a Santa Claus laugh!
>
>dInIs

or a double order of that tasty sauce in Hong Kong style restaurants...

L

>>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>-----------------------
>>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>Poster:       Benjamin Zimmer <bgzimmer at BABEL.LING.UPENN.EDU>
>>Subject:      xoxo offender
>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>>From a NY Times article on the trickiness of e-mail sign-offs...
>>
>>-----
>>http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/26/fashion/26email.html
>>'Yours Truly,' the E-Variations
>>By LOLA OGUNNAIKE
>>Published: November 26, 2006
>>[...]
>>Surprisingly, the sign-off "xoxo," offering hugs and kisses, has
>>become common even for those in decidedly nonamorous relationships.
>>Ms. Bondy, who received from 300 to 500 e-mail messages a day while at
>>CNN, was no fan of the "xoxo" farewell, especially when it came from a
>>stranger pitching a story idea. "They're trying to be warm and
>>familiar when they shouldn't be," she said. "It's inappropriate, and
>>that's probably the e-mail I'm not going to return."
>>Robert Verdi, a fashion stylist and a host of "Surprise by Design," a
>>makeover reality show on the Discovery Channel, is a self-described
>>"xoxo offender." "Never in the first or second communication," he
>>clarified. But after a few friendly phone conversations or e-mail
>>exchanges, he feels comfortable with the affectionate and casual
>>sign-off, though he generally waits for the other party to make the
>>first move. "The other person gives you the cues," he said. "They send
>>a 'You're the best! Love, Alison,' and you send a 'Hugs and kisses'
>>and all of a sudden you're over that awkward hump and you're best
>>friends."
>>[...]
>>-----
>>
>>
>>--Ben Zimmer
>>
>>------------------------------------------------------------
>>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
>
>--
>Dennis R. Preston
>University Distinguished Professor
>Department of English
>15C Morrill Hall
>Michigan State University
>East Lansing, MI 48824
>517-353-4736
>preston at msu.edu
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



More information about the Ads-l mailing list