subtle ways to say "fuck you"

[strictlymomdancing]

I just got an email from someone I'm having a bit of a disagreement with (won't go into details, but work related) and it is signed 'take care'.

And it just makes me think she's telling me to fuck off.

What do other MNetters think?

It just got me thinking, what other ways are there to say "fuck you" in a subtle way?

My sister lives in the states and its common over there to say "bless your heart"

And we know Mrs Brown - "that's nice".

Anything else?

Split the word Focus of into the email.

F*"", off cus ur stupid.

I use Kind Regards all the time in my work emails.

@Bananabixfloof

I've made a mental note not to do that then 🤣

I just forward my previous email, with the main text highlighted in bright yellow. I don't even write 'see below'

You may find that Netmums suits you better ..........

Happy to discuss-just fucking get on with it and do it right this time

If you are just having a bit of a disagreement with someone why would you tell them fuck you in any way, shape or form? Surely, if the disagreement is minor, why sink so low? And this passive aggressiveness is just so sneaky. Why not just be honest and tell them what you really think/feel?
Imagine you are having a MAJOR disagreement with someone. What are you going to do then? Send them an e-mail cussing their mum?

And what if you sign your e-mail with a remark that YOU think is sarcastic? They can’t hear the tone of your voice and might take your warmest as a genuine blessing.
And btw take care and kind regards are very commonly used in all type of e-mails. It doesn’t mean the person was being sarcastic when they were using it.

Yeah but all this secret handshake stuff is about feeling smug and superior because the hapless person doesn't realise just how much they are being insulted

thank you for your feedback @Smartanimal I shall take that under consideration

'per my last email' if coupled with 'please note in particular...' usually means I'm a step away from hunting the recipient down and tattooing the relevant paragraph onto them with a compass.

With respect, or I’m not being funny but are both preambles designed to excuse something roaringly offensive.

SmartAnimal
Only a bloody fool would put forthright expressions on an indelible medium in many workplaces. It might be forwarded, printed off and saved, picked up by monitoring, end up in HR.

I have hauled someone into a meeting room for a frank discussion but I wouldn’t put it on an email.

Yeah but all this secret handshake stuff is about feeling smug and superior because the hapless person doesn't realise just how much they are being insulted

But in most cases, they do realise. And quietly seethe, while plotting revenge.

I say "Best," all the time and certainly don't mean "fuck off."

"Regards" "Kind regards" "with regards" really means "fuck off"? Uh, no they don't.

I guess the world is what you read into it? What a sad way to live life....

Yeah but all this secret handshake stuff is about feeling smug and superior because the hapless person doesn't realise just how much they are being insulted

Well in some cases - but also it's about the culture of politeness and the need to appear polite, while communicating annoyance or that you want someone to pull their finger out. So different types of "polite" usage take on subtle negative meanings.

It is very British and it's not just an email thing. Like how sometimes you can add "please" to a spoken request and that makes it less friendly and polite, not more.

It must be a nightmare for those who don't know the conventions - but I think most British people would also allow for that.

Ah heck. I use kind regards all the time. And take care. And have a nice weekend, never used restful as far as I can remember.

The furthest step I'd go would be to remove kind from kind regards. Other than that.... who knows who I've offended!

"The furthest step I'd go would be to remove kind from kind regards. Other than that.... who knows who I've offended!"

Probably no one. At least no one well-adjusted.

Best,

NotALurker2

Fucking fuck, it's terrifying not knowing how to sign off on emails in case you're perceived as being arsy! I know I've asked about it before because as a foreigner from abroad in abroad I seldom have reason to write formal emails in English and when I do I want them to be correct, so I really want to know what the difference is between kind regards, best regards, warm regards etc. Common sense says that just "regards" or "best" is snottier than a longer phrase but this might be wrong? I think I'm going to choose to put this down the the British being contrary feckers.

In Swedish you write "with kind greetings" at the end of emails/letters, and some just use the abbreviation ("wkg") which is considered to be a bit lax. Could def be used to be snarky I think.

I have a colleague who writes "with warmth" and it's ridiculous. But she's so lovely I've said nothing.

Oh no 🤦🏻‍♀️ I use Kind Regards in all of my e-mails!!! Have I unknowingly been saying to people f* you? 😳

All this passive aggressiveness is really childish. It is usually women that do it and it makes me embarrassed to be female.

I love "Very well." and "So be it." Clearly means "You've given me duff instructions but you're the boss / client so on your head be it!."

"I think there has been a miscoummunication somewhere" - read the fucking email properly.

All this passive aggressiveness is really childish. It is usually women that do it and it makes me embarrassed to be female

A friend of mine is a barrister, he says that the legal profession is the absolute worst for passive aggression. All this 'my learned friend' malarkey. And yes, many of them are men.

Oh God, I've been telling colleagues to fuck off all day I always say Regards
For bragging types, in Scotland responding "Did ye Aye?" makes me laugh. A bit like "is that so?"

Thanks for stopping by now fuck off