MrPedantic  +  246408 Mon, 17 Jul 06 10:33 PM Hello Anon "Yours truly" is mostly used in American English, so I'm not too sure. Maybe a passing AmE will let us know. MrP MrPedantic Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004 Veteran Member 13,616 ...opella forensis / adducit febris... Yours Sincerely, American English

	Mister Micawber  +  248579 Tue, 25 Jul 06 04:41 AM Sincerely is certainly not disrespectful; it is quite nice.  It may be a little formal, and I suppose that your dad would have preferred you to sign it Love.  Love is quite useful in this way, as it does not require love, but does express casual, close friendliness-- so long as you don't use it to a person of a similar age and opposite sex. Mister Micawber Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004 Yokohama Veteran Member 30,501 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.' Yours Sincerely

	Best answer by Grammar Geek  +  248617 Tue, 25 Jul 06 06:23 AM MrPedantic “ Hello Anon "Yours truly" is mostly used in American English, so I'm not too sure. Maybe a passing AmE will let us know. MrP ” Passing American here. Having spent most of my day today drafting business letters (dunning letters, actually), I can honestly say I have never closed a business letter with anything other than "Sincerely,"  In no way is this considered casual or informal in business use in the U.S. I don't know that I have ever used "Yours truly," but I suppose I would use it in personal correspondence to someone I don't know well. For example, if a friend of a friend had hosted me on a visit, my "bread and butter note" might be closed that way. Since we are a shockingly casual race, we tend to end letters with things like "Thanks again," or "Looking forward to seeing you soon," and then signing our names. Sometimes as I find myself typing "Sincerely" I have this passing fanciful notion that somewhere in a vault are all the letter that were written insincerely, but were not allowed to be sent out. Grammar Geek Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006 Veteran Member 19,506 Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random! American English, Business Letters, Countries, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Relationships, Friendships, Friends, United States, American, Business, Languages, Careers

	nona the brit  +  251621 Wed, 02 Aug 06 02:51 PM I agree that it does sound more logical your way but the business convention is the other way round. Just one of those things. nona the brit Joined on Wed, Sep 22 2004 England Veteran Member 11,743 The name says it all. Yours Sincerely

	MrPedantic  +  252132 Thu, 03 Aug 06 10:32 PM Or perhaps with an exclamation. MrP MrPedantic