Consider the following questions before reading the resources below:
a) What conventions* have you been taught to follow when composing an email? What greetings or sign-offs do you typically use, and have you ever been told that certain kinds of language are 'inappropriate' for an email?
b) In what contexts do you either follow or reject the conventions above? Go back through your recent 'sent' emails and investigate.
c) Compare the composition of your emails to your 'Teams' messages with your teachers. Is there is a noticeable difference? If so, why?
*'Conventions' are ways in which things are usually done. In communication, these could be common phrases, structures, patterns or rules that people follow and expect others to follow when speaking or writing.
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As with any form of communication, the 'etiquette' of emailing is constantly evolving. While online communication is typically associated with a more informal register, emails are more commonly used in professional or academic contexts. As with any non-face-to-face interaction, a lack of prosodic and paralinguistic features can cause confusion or miscommunication in some cases.
Consider the resources below and discuss what they suggest about how and why email etiquette can change over time.
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The Guardian Australia - Does Generation Z know how to email properly? An investigation
Discuss: According to the article above, younger generations are communicating less formally in emails than older generations. Why do you think this may be the case?
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Right: This tweet by Australian TV presenter Shaynna Blaze is from January 2022.
The alliterative 'stay safe' sign-off is representative of the wider social context of the pandemic, but also lowers the register of an email. Its purpose is to acknowledge the shared circumstances of the interlocutors and consequently close the social distance, helping build rapport.
However, this sign-off may not be appropriate for all contexts.
Left: This tweet comments on the formulaic phrase 'I hope this email finds you well,' which is a more formal opening for a professional email.
Again, due to the context of the pandemic, many people now judge this greeting to be inappropriate and have stopped using it.
Apart from the pandemic, can you think of other reasons that email communication may change over time?
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