
Can we all stop saying ‘e-meet’ now?
It’s so twee
There are a wealth of unforgivable email crimes, like saying “jump on a call” or leaving your phone number out of your email signature – but few can make your skin crawl quite like the phrase “lovely to e-meet you”.
It’s a strange thing to make your first contact with someone you are going to be working with over email. It’s a bit like meeting a date on Plenty o’ Fish or your future flatmate on SpareRoom. And the growth of online pseudo-meetings has coined an objectionable new language.
Is it? It it really? Do you think I looked at our email thread and thought “ah, this is just lovely”? Has “e-meet” ever made anyone feel warm inside?
Generally, it is pleasant to meet people in person. To look them in the eye, receive a smile and a handshake, and maybe even a hug. Broadly, in this circumstance, it makes sense to say: “lovely to meet you”.
Written down however, it is glaringly lacking in sincerity. And then you go and stick “e-” in front of “meet” and the whole thing is even more bizarre.
Whatever happened to “how are you?” or “I hope you’re well”? Let’s all stop this naive farce and speak to each other like normal people.