JAPANESE ETIQUETTE -1

 Japanese we all know very well  follow the 

customs ,etiquette and formalities 

very diligently.

The letter writing  is no exception .

 In English we start with  “ Dear ” or “ Respected ”.

“ Respected ”  expression  was  followed  during the British period  even to write the casual leave letter and other official  letters .

But now not widely followed  and that  too particularly  many young people  are not aware of that expression .

When I wrote one such letter addressing“ Respected   sir” a young man openly  Commented “時代後れ “.

 But among the Japanese it is to be followed .

 When we write a letter to the friend時候のあいさつ  is a  must .

The letter should have one seasonal word like “ Hope you enjoy the spring “ etc.

 Suppose you are writing a letter to your friend in January

 then you will be starting the letter like this .

·         寒い日が続きますが、ご家族そろって穏やかな新春をお過ごしのことと思います。

·          This is only one such example and

 with respect to the month or season

 in which we write the mail the seasonal greetings do change .

 I had a Japanese friend and I used to write letter starting with  “ Dear” thinking that with changing times this practice is  必要なし . 

·          ( But honestly I did not know how to start with seasonal words ).

So I made so many mistakes in the first sentence.

But  with advanced technology - world  is very much in your hand .

So心配しなくていいよ.

Reason is everything is available in the internet.

Its  nothing but making “ smart use ”of the Internet.   

インターネットを賢く利用する.

1.   時代後れ / じだいおくれ : 1）old-fashioned 2）behind the times 3）out of date 

2.  時候のあいさつ / じこうのあいさつ :  season's greetings (conventional way of beginning a letter) 

3.   必要なし / ひつようなし :  Not required 

4.   心配しなくていいよ. Not to worry about.

5.  インターネットを賢く利用するmake smart use of the Internet