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Is it sensible to use both "Thank you" and "Cheers" in ending an email?
For example if I sign off.

Thank you, I am looking forward to receiving your response.

Cheers,
(insert name here)

would it's simultaneous use be obvious to most people as being redundant?

(I can get rid of the "thank you" all together and leave the "cheers" to serve the purpose of a thanks and goodbye, but lets say I want to keep both - like "over yonder")

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user1297102
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  • there is an important and subtle distinction between the two questions. I'm not asking for a definition of "cheers" or whether you should use it on an american, but instead its simultaneous use relative to "thank you". – user1297102 May 15 '13 at 23:23
  • Just wanted to point out that 'cheers' is not something a lot of American English speakers use and some may not necessarily know what it means (although the context usually makes it pretty obvious) – mattacular May 15 '13 at 23:57
  • @ user1297102: But you're asking about the fact of [possible] redundancy being noticed and/or judged. If the two words are considered sufficiently "different", there's no redundancy anyway. Whatever - the weirdest thing for me would be that you look forward to hearing* the response to an email. I'd normally just look forward to it* - but if I needed to say how I expected to actually perceive the response, I'd look forward to reading* it*. – FumbleFingers May 16 '13 at 01:39
  • I frequently use I look forward to hearing from you or similar as an idiom for I look forward to (receiving) your response. And I used it in letters before e-mail existed. See Chambers [http://www.chambersharrap.co.uk/] meaning 4 under hear "intrans (usually hear from someone) to be contacted by them, especially by letter or telephone." – TrevorD May 16 '13 at 11:54
  • thanks for all the responses, I'll keep the rest in mind. – user1297102 May 16 '13 at 19:34

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Of course it's possible - you just type the words!

Is it sensible or appropriate? That really depends on who you're writing to and your familiarity with them. Personally, I would use Cheers only to a friend or close colleague, as it quite informal. Why not:

I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you,

or

Thank you.
Looking forward to hearing from you,

But don't be too familiar with people you don't know well.

TrevorD
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  • Maybe it's me but I have a little problem with your 2nd example. The "Looking forward to hearing from you," seems too long for a closing and is not a complete sentence if it's intended to be the last line before the closing. I think your 1st example is very good and adequately formal. :-) – Kristina Lopez May 15 '13 at 21:35
  • thanks for the reply, I'm not asking whether its appropriate in a formal/informal sense or whether its "possible" to physically type it (haha i changed my original question) but whether most people would see it as being sort of redundant? – user1297102 May 15 '13 at 22:56
  • @KristinaLopez I don't know that I would actually use it that way round - I was copying the OP's example. "It's not a complete sentence" - No, but nor are most sign-off phrases (e.g. With best wishes, Yours faithfully, Looking forward to seeing you soon, etc.). Personally, I don't see length as an issue here, although if it were more than half-a-line (or, say, 6-8 words) long, then I might think it too long. Also, I would use Looking forward to hearing from you only if the letter / message / e-mail specifically required a reply - it's a kind of a hint that I want a reply soon! – TrevorD May 16 '13 at 01:06
  • I think we're saying the same thing, basically. :-) – Kristina Lopez May 16 '13 at 02:44