Tip #170: In reference to Re, use Subject

Grammar Nazis would have you believe language has cut-and-dry rules regarding which uses are “right” and which are not.  But language is dynamic and living, constantly evolving as generations of users adapt it to living in their own times.  Thus, the “rules” worshiped by Grammar Nazis are really nothing more than conventions — widely agreed-upon approaches to communicate meaning.  The agreements regarding which approaches best communicate meaning will change as language evolves.

We see one such example in Re.  This once popular abbreviation for in reference to which appeared in the headings of memos is becoming less and less common.  In its place we find Subject, a word which communicates the same idea more clearly since the audience needs no knowledge of what any abbreviation represents.  And since clarity is the first hallmark of more effective writing, support for its use in place of Re continues to grow and grow.

So in reference to Re, use Subject.  Modern audiences tend to view anything archaic as less professional.  You don’t want to represent yourself or your brands with that image, so if you haven’t already made the switch, do so today.  You’ll communicate your messages more effectively when you present them in ways your audience more willingly accepts.

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