Hi,
Which of the following sentence is more natural? Most of my collegues use the first sentence.
-
Please kindly send your file to me by Friday.
-
Please send your file to me by Friday.
Thanks.
2 Likes
“Kindly” right next to “please” looks a bit superfluous to me; I’d pick the second sentence.
1 Like
This is the correct phrase. Please don’t use “kindly” instead of “please”.
3 Likes
Do you think this would work: ‘Would you be so kind as to send me your file by Friday?’
2 Likes
Yes, this is considered correct and very polite English.
2 Likes
Another one that’s equally polite is the following: ‘Would you be kind enough to send me your file by Friday?’
2 Likes
By the way Torsten, how do they pronounce your name in Germany? Is it with uvular ‘r’ or rolling ‘r’ and do you speak German with a uvular ‘r’. I know this hasn’t got anything to do with this subject, but I’m curious.
2 Likes
Perhaps you’ll find this a bit strange, but I have a male cleaning lady, and I always use these sentences, in Dutch ofcourse, because I don’t like to ‘command’ someone. He is doing a great job. I wouldn’t be able to clean myself. His name is Davy and likes to listen to Rossini, but then so do I, so we often play a cd of Rossini’s ‘Il barbieri di Siviglia’ and ‘La gazza Ladra’. But Davy’s in fact a highly skilled musician and he wants to become a conductor of a famous orchestra. Also, music from Johann Strauss, like ‘Die Fledermaus’. Hey, it’s seems I’m getting back into the running. Which reminds me? I have to send Andrea the new songs of Abba.
2 Likes
I guess you can classify as a German uvular “r”.
2 Likes
Does the following sentence make sense and is it grammatically correct?
- Would you kindly refresh my memory as to what this is all about?
Thank you,
Masme
2 Likes
In my opinion it sounds condensending and archaic.
2 Likes
An alternative might be “Could you remind me what this is about?”
I’m a little hesitant here though because I don’t know the context. This is a rather neutral statement, just saying that the subject must have slipped my mind.
3 Likes
I’ve just noticed that the phrase ‘a bit superfluous’ sounds rather interesting. I mean can something really a bit superfluous? It’s either superfluous or it isn’t. It’s like saying something is ‘a bit empty’ or ‘a bit full’, isn’t it?
3 Likes
’Please send me your file by Friday.’ is quite polite, Masme.
We need to be as brief and polite as possible. (Brevity is the soul of wit!)
3 Likes
Calling something superfluous might be considered insulting or overbearing. It trivializes what the person said and can imply that they are stupid, unreasonable, etc. Saying it’s a bit superfluous softens it. It’s the more polite and diplomatic way of saying it.
The diminutive form of many words can be used in this way, even when the root would not technically have a diminutive form. This is quite common.
In face-to-face communication a simple smile can convey the same meaning. But even then the diminutive is often used.
3 Likes
Thank you for reminding me of Hamlet 
2 Likes
Would you also say that this applies to “It’s a bit redundant”? And wouldn’t you agree that there are many other ways to politely express that you don’t think something is necessary, such as asking, “Do you really think all this is necessary?”
2 Likes
“Is this necessary?”
“Why are we doing this?”
“Is this really necessary?.
“Really?”
Of course, tone is important in conveying what you mean, from simple curiosity to skeptically challenging the person to justify the action.
Getting back to the original question, perhaps I’m not a kindly person, but I don’t believe I have ever used the word “kindly”. Of course I understand that this may be different in other parts of the world.
2 Likes
Yes it can apply to that.
This can also come across as demeaning. I think a bit superfluous is actually more polite. As Arinker mentioned, the tone is very important. Online this is the reason why people started using emotes. Unfortunately they became way over used so people largely quit using them.
Yes there are other ways to say the same thing, but the use of the diminutive for that purpose is very widespread.
2 Likes