Re: Sprinter Fuel Injectors

greg334

Veteran Expediter
Maybe it is the tragedy that unfolded last night with a kid dying or maybe it is my breakfast that isn't settling with me but can I ask you something?

Why do you add the Re: to the title of the thread?

Don't you know it means Reply: ?

Who are you replying to? :D
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Maybe it is the tragedy that unfolded last night with a kid dying or maybe it is my breakfast that isn't settling with me but can I ask you something?

Why do you add the Re: to the title of the thread?

Don't you know it means Reply: ?

Who are you replying to? :D

Actually I use it as "Regarding" as in RE:

how about that:
repreposition concerning, about, regarding, respecting, with regard to, on the subject of, in respect of, with reference to, apropos, anent (Scot.) Re: household insurance.Usage: In contexts such as re your letter, your remarks have been noted or he spoke to me re your complaint, re is common in business or official correspondence. In spoken and in general written English with reference tois preferable in the former case and about or concerning in the latter. Even in business correspondence, the use of re is often restricted to the letter heading.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
 
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OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
OH it must be the breakfast, you are right now that my fan club sent me a nasty gram via email calling me an idiot.

gee I wonder who that was....LOL Can I do the "Happy Dance"? I was right the first time in what? 8 yrs?
 

Dakota

Veteran Expediter
And this concludes today's grammar lesson, back your your regularly scheduled programming:D
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Notice the usage, though - "In contexts such as re your letter, your remarks have been noted or he spoke to me re your complaint..." These are all in reply or in response to something past tense, and not used to initiate new subjects.

The etymology of the usage indicates that this has been is use as "with reference to" since 1707:

("with reference to," 1707, from L. in re "in the matter of," ablative case of res "matter, thing.")

It's a popularized technicality from Law, where it is used from the Latin to mean "in the matter of" or "in regard to". So in general the usage for which you are using at the beginning of a thread (or e-mail) subject title it is correct from a grammatical standpoint.

But, with that said, common usage is that when "RE:" is the beginning of a thread or email subject line it specifically relates to a reply, and using it otherwise will probably be confusing to users, as is the case here, many of whom may not be familiar with the term's history or denotation.

It would likely be less confusing if you were to use it somewhere in a subject line of a thread or email, but not at the beginning:

"My comments re: suitability of throwing someone under the bus"

instead of

"RE: Throwing people under the bus"

Incidentally, that's quite a core charge for those injectors. $625 for a 5-set replacement. A Silverstar transmission only has a $300 core.
 
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OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Notice the usage, though - "In contexts such as re your letter, your remarks have been noted or he spoke to me re your complaint..." These are all in reply or in response to something past tense, and not used to initiate new subjects.

The etymology of the usage indicates that this has been is use as "with reference to" since 1707:

("with reference to," 1707, from L. in re "in the matter of," ablative case of res "matter, thing.")

It's a popularized technicality from Law, where it is used from the Latin to mean "in the matter of" or "in regard to". So in general the usage for which you are using at the beginning of a thread (or e-mail) subject title it is correct from a grammatical standpoint.

But, with that said, common usage is that when "RE:" is the beginning of a thread or email subject line it specifically relates to a reply, and using it otherwise will probably be confusing to users, as is the case here, many of whom may not be familiar with the term's history or denotation.

It would likely be less confusing if you were to use it somewhere in a subject line of a thread or email, but not at the beginning:

"My comments re: suitability of throwing someone under the bus"

instead of

"RE: Throwing people under the bus"

Incidentally, that's quite a core charge for those injectors. $625 for a 5-set replacement. A Silverstar transmission only has a $300 core.

the injector pumps are expensive compared to Euro as well...but still cheaper then the dealer price...
 
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