Ad Hudler - Ad Libbing

But what would your English teacher say?
Saturday, September 27, 2008

I have noted a punctuation trend in email correspondence: The use of the "~"

It's up there, on the upper left-hand corner of your keyboard. It's being used most often at the close of a correspondence:

~Mary

~All best,

~Bye for now.

And it's almost always used by women over the age of 40.

Why?

Is it the equivalent of a little kiss on the cheek or a fluttering of the fingers, saying goodbye?

Was it discovered by accident? A Freudian slip? After all, it IS on a key close to the "escape" button. And what busy mom doesn't want to escape at times?

What's up with the squiggly line, girls?

~Ad

3 Comments:

Libby Boren McMillan said...: It's curvy ... like us.
;-)
~Lib vs. -Lib; September 27, 2008 8:33 PM
Ad Hudler said...: Had to pass on what a smart reader sent to me via email:

"... It's a softened version of
"- Kathy," and I interpret its use as "I mean no harm." ... To me, its use equals the act of a person tilting the head during conversation, which body language theorists believe shows vulnerability (to the jugular). Interpretation: "I'm not a threat."; September 28, 2008 12:18 PM
Ad Hudler said...: and my P.R. agent said this:

"...(and yes, that is a very girly way to sign off on an email...which is why I like it! ha!)"

Ad again: So, it's kind of like a bow or something?; September 28, 2008 9:34 PM