Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
Letter
English answer:
"kiss-off" letter short and to the point
Added to glossary by
Elizabeth Lyons
Aug 21, 2005 23:10
18 yrs ago
English term
Letter
English
Art/Literary
Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
If a man gives another man a letter in which tha man said he will discontinue his friendship with the other man, is there a special English name for this kind of letter? Abolutely not "Dear John¡¯s letter", I think :-)
Responses
3 +6 | As far as I know, for the USA, no but ... | Elizabeth Lyons |
4 +1 | letter | Anna Maria Augustine (X) |
4 | Dismissal | zaphod |
4 | goodbye letter | PB Trans |
3 | breaking-up letter | Nick Lingris |
Responses
+6
9 mins
Selected
As far as I know, for the USA, no but ...
The closest it would come to this is a "kiss-off" letter, short and to the point in most cases. This is a great question because a "Dear John" is usually a woman to a man; I am not sure what the reverse would be or from a man to a man/woman to a woman. Perhaps others have another idea, but that's my take on this, for what it is worth. : )
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Note added at 27 mins (2005-08-21 23:37:35 GMT)
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To be clear, there is no equivalent special term for this male to male other than the one I suggested. However, I am told that there is a "Dear Jane" equivalent for women to men, originating during WWII, apparently. This is something I didn't know. But nothing for man to man, afaik : )
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Note added at 28 mins (2005-08-21 23:38:22 GMT)
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Ooops, correction above, from men to women ;0 "Dear Jane" ...
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Note added at 27 mins (2005-08-21 23:37:35 GMT)
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To be clear, there is no equivalent special term for this male to male other than the one I suggested. However, I am told that there is a "Dear Jane" equivalent for women to men, originating during WWII, apparently. This is something I didn't know. But nothing for man to man, afaik : )
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Note added at 28 mins (2005-08-21 23:38:22 GMT)
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Ooops, correction above, from men to women ;0 "Dear Jane" ...
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Jack Doughty
1 hr
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Jack, thanks : )
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agree |
María Teresa Taylor Oliver
: Dear John/Jane for romantic involvement... could they be used for friendship too? It seems odd, doesn't it?
4 hrs
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Ma. Teresa, thanks, yes it is odd and one would think there would be a name for a breakup of friendship letter in English, by now too : )
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agree |
Alfa Trans (X)
5 hrs
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Hi Marju! Thank you.
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agree |
Lori Dendy-Molz
: with "kiss off" here
7 hrs
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Good! I am glad someone else thinks it might be apt here : ) Thank you,
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agree |
Saiwai Translation Services
9 hrs
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Saiwai, thanks so much : )
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agree |
jennifer newsome (X)
13 hrs
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Hi Jennifer. Thank you : )
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2 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks!"
+1
13 mins
letter
There is no other word.
Perhaps the letter will begin "Dear John" or simply "John" depending what is really written in it.
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Note added at 15 mins (2005-08-21 23:25:50 GMT)
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You could say a goodbye letter or a farewell letter but we don't really use those terms frequently.
Perhaps the letter will begin "Dear John" or simply "John" depending what is really written in it.
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Note added at 15 mins (2005-08-21 23:25:50 GMT)
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You could say a goodbye letter or a farewell letter but we don't really use those terms frequently.
55 mins
Dismissal
Not in the employment sense, in the social sense.
Now contracted to "I've been "dissed".
Now contracted to "I've been "dissed".
4 hrs
goodbye letter
No special name really... but I'd call it a goodbye letter in this context.
14 hrs
breaking-up letter
I don't know what situation we are dealing with here, but this is the sort of letter you would write when you decide to break up with a friend.
Discussion