To ask your favourite passive aggressive email sayings

[amazeandastonish]

I have irritating colleagues, as I'm sure we all do, and whilst I'd love nothing more than to say something like "fuck off", I obviously have to be more polite and professional.

So what are your favourite passive aggressive email sayings? Are there any I don't already know?

My favourite is "as per my last email"

Also someone in a previous job once signed off with "take care". Neither of us liked each other and I knew she really didn't mean

Apparently 'kind regards' means anything but, yet I'm not sure everyone realises that so I don't think that's really a PA saying!

Why do you play games at work?

I do have plenty of straightforward emails with colleagues. I much prefer a straight up "Where is X, did you send it?" or "What does this mean?" and I will reply honestly too. It's just that if people go PA on me, especially if they're in the wrong, I like to do it back.

Also I think it's partly that very British thing that we feel like we're supposed to find a polite way of saying everything so we find "codes" for negative things - and the result is PA messages that piss people off.

@guestusername You are my kind of evil!!

I had comms once with someone who signed off ‘Blessings’. I rather liked that!

@JesusInTheCabbageVan

On a more positive note - exclamation marks make everything better except I have to re-read emails before sending and weed a few out to avoid looking deranged.

Ha! Yes!

See also forum posts.

@CorvusPurpureus

'Georgia's contribution was noted with thanks' = 'everyone, ignore Georgia. She's clueless/shit stirring'

pmsl this is really true.

With all due respect

=

Absolutely not a drop of respect will ever be given to you, EVER

"Somewhat disingenuous" = "you're a fucking liar".

Georgia's a see you next Tuesday, obv

Why do you play games at work?

^

Where else are we supposed to?

"Just checking if I've understood you correctly..."

Are you fucking serious? WTF are you talking about?

Someone who I work with …. Very irritating … signs off with “warmest regards” - boils my piss

God what ^^can I put in an email? It’s a blooming minefield!

That can was meant to be italic

“With all due respect” = you total fuck-wit

“For the avoidance of doubt” = you’re so close to being fired

“Please see my response in red inline below” = everything, absolutely everything, you have done is wrong

@Sunshinelover2

Lmao, my browser refreshed and I've posted this to completely the wrong thread.

😂

@Fiftythreepercent

When I say Happy to discuss i mean Come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough

Absolutely, I do this!

@MagicWorkout

Well I use a few of these.

If I say thank you, I mean thank you

If I say hope that makes sense, I mean I hope that makes sense.

If I say thanks that's really helpful, I mean I found your message helpful

If I say gentle reminder I mean I'm giving you a gentle nudge. If I'm pissed off that you've missed a deadline, I'll tell you that.

Why do you play games at work?

I agree. I'm another one who uses many of the examples in this thread without any agenda or passive aggressiveness.

It clearly is a minefield.

Though I draw the line at the use of 'gentle' . It has PA written all over it.

I sent one today with no greeting and no sign off.

I was THAT pissed off.

Always a bit shocked when people do this as a matter of course!

‘Please see previous email as detailed below’ (yes see I’m right, I did already ask you to do it)

Plus, I agree with @MagicWorkout

I use plain English to say what I mean and if someone wants to read it as having a hidden meaning they can

Someone sent me a pissed off sarcky message the other day signed off Ta!

“Let me know if you’d like to chat this through”

Is my version of “just try me”.

I hate ‘gentle reminder’. I don’t need my reminders to be gentle. I need to be bludgeoned over the head with them.

@Thighdentitycrisis

Someone sent me a pissed off sarcky message the other day signed off Ta!

Oh crap! Was it me?