The Grammar Thread (Click here Donuthole)

[Commando]

This thread is for asking grammar questions and correspondance questions that stump you. Smart people will answer.

Here is one: how do you refer to the action of carbon copying in business correspondence? For example, "I've taken the liberty of cc'ing John Public on this email, as he is tasked with overseeing resources in this area."

cc:ing?

I hate to use the term "carbon copying" because, well, it's not carbon anymore, is it?

Should I just say "I've taken the liberty of copying John Public on this email...?" But that's not exactly precise because it implies that I will send the copy to John after sending the original email. But I am copying him at the same time as the original email.

Certainly don't say "carbon copying," and don't use the made-up gerund form of "cc." e.g. "cc'ing," "c.c.-ing," "c'c'ing" etc. It just doesn't read well and is distracting. I would say "I am copying ____ to this email (which usage is broadly understood and will not imply what you say it does)," or "I am going to cc ____ to this email."

[TripletDaddy]

I would also be transparent and acknowledge that you are blind carbon copying several people but cannot reveal their identities, at least not at this time.

[clackamascoug]

Carbon Copy is out. Courtesy Copy is in. CC is still the correct abbreviation. Google just made the official change last week.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Carbon Copy is out. Courtesy Copy is in. CC is still the correct abbreviation. Google just made the official change last week.

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourcei...c%3A%20mean%3F

[old_gregg]

Certainly don't say "carbon copying," and don't use the made-up gerund form of "cc." e.g. "cc'ing," "c.c.-ing," "c'c'ing" etc. It just doesn't read well and is distracting. I would say "I am copying ____ to this email (which usage is broadly understood and will not imply what you say it does)," or "I am going to cc ____ to this email."

IANAEM, but wouldn't you cc an email to someone, not cc someone to an email?

[Green Monstah]

IANAEM, but wouldn't you cc an email to someone, not cc someone to an email?

I have no idea, but in informal e-mail correspondence the person is "copied" to the message.

I'm great at editing work product unless it's mine. I work for a grammar aficianado. He had all 45 attorneys at my company take a pop comma quiz a few months back, which was tricky for the non-U.S. attorneys.

[Katy Lied]

lots of smart people weighing in here.

[Pelado]

This thread is for asking grammar questions and correspondance questions that stump you. Smart people will answer.

Here is one: how do you refer to the action of carbon copying in business correspondence? For example, "I've taken the liberty of cc'ing John Public on this email, as he is tasked with overseeing resources in this area."

cc:ing?

I hate to use the term "carbon copying" because, well, it's not carbon anymore, is it?

Should I just say "I've taken the liberty of copying John Public on this email...?" But that's not exactly precise because it implies that I will send the copy to John after sending the original email. But I am copying him at the same time as the original email.

Is the bolded a prediction or a demand?

I would say "copying".

I would also not say "taken the liberty", but that is more a stylistic preference than a grammatical rule.

Qualifications: BA in English who still makes grammatical mistakes frequently

For email communication, I agree with Clark.

For actual hard copy letters, I still throw a

Cc: John Public

after the signature line of the letter. Then, I'll get out the sheets of carbon and recreate those pages to give to John Public.

[Moliere]

I would also be transparent and acknowledge that you are blind carbon copying several people but cannot reveal their identities, at least not at this time.

Yep, I share these thoughts as well. Why say you are copying someone when everyone can already see they are copied? Do you also tell everyone you've attached a file to the email?

[clackamascoug]

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourcei...c%3A%20mean%3F

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/courtesy_copy

https://www.garner-it.com/blog/how-w...rtesy-copy-bcc

http://www.bhsu.edu/iits/HelpDesk/Fu...-Copy-BCC.aspx

You're now smarter than you were five minutes ago.

[Jeff Lebowski]

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/courtesy_copy

You're now smarter than you were five minutes ago.

That is not "official google". My link was.

You are still as dumb as you were five minutes ago.

[clackamascoug]

That is not "official google". My link was.

You are still as dumb as you were five minutes ago.

Everyone agrees that you're smarter than me, so calling me stupid is just another CC for you.

How can you even argue with Black Hills State University?

[Jeff Lebowski]

Everyone agrees that you're smarter than me, so calling me stupid is just another CC for you.

Sorry, but you teed it up so perfectly that I couldn't possibly resist.

[clackamascoug]

Sorry, but you teed it up so perfectly that I couldn't possibly resist.

No problem. Like Charlie Brown you can pull the ball on me tomorrow too,

while we peacefully co-exist.

lots of smart people weighing in here.

Thanks Katy Lied, you made my day.

[TripletDaddy]

Yep, I share these thoughts as well. Why say you are copying someone when everyone can already see they are copied? Do you also tell everyone you've attached a file to the email?

that is what I wonder. Then again, Im not a subordinate, so Im not sending these types of servile emails where I have to introduce people to each other.