2

Is it correct to say "kindly acknowledge my leave", if I want the recipient to know that I'll be on leave?

Here's the whole email:

Hi Recipient,

I am not feeling well today. Therefore I will not be able to come to the office.

Kindly acknowledge my leave.

Regards, myname

4
  • 1
    Leave is used with extended periods, weeks or months, and is typically arranged in advance, not ad hoc. When you are ill you and stay at home you are absent and your being away is called absence and you are an absentee. Chronic intermittent absence is called absenteeism. If you want your recipient to let you know that they have received your email: "Please let me know that you have received this email".
    – TimR
    Jul 14, 2016 at 13:16
  • 1
    @TRomano Make that comment an answer!
    – James K
    Jul 14, 2016 at 13:18
  • @TRomano so, is it correct to say "Kindly acknowledge my absenteeism." ?
    – Praveen
    Jul 14, 2016 at 13:21
  • @linkspk. No. "Chronic" means persisting over a long time, typically months or even years.
    – TimR
    Jul 14, 2016 at 13:56

1 Answer 1

1

This is difficult for an 'Anglo' speaker of English to answer, because the specific use of leave and general canons of politeness and formality in Indian English are different from US and British practise.

But to acknowledge a fact means to "confirm" that it is true, so you should not use acknowledge unless you are requesting a specific action from the recipient, such as an email response or a formal notice.

It appears that you are writing only to inform the recipient of your absence; if that is the case, then you should say something like "please be aware" or (more formally) "please be advised". But the previous sentence has already informed the recipient that you won't be in, so unless your "leave" has some further consequence for your recipient this last sentence is superfluous.

It may be, however, that you are writing to request the recipient to take some specific action required by your absence, such as formally granting you "leave" or posting the fact that you are taking a day's leave to official records. If that is the case, then your final sentence should address that specific action.

And if you are in fact requesting a response stating that the recipient has received your message or that the necessary action has been taken, you may write Please acknowledge X; but since that word is often used when speaking of admitting a fact reluctantly, you might do better to write Please confirm X.

4
  • I didn't know that leave meant to be out sick in Indian English. I suppose we should also find out whether the email is being sent to a speaker of Indian English.
    – TimR
    Jul 14, 2016 at 13:53
  • @TRomano yeah, Its for indian recipient.
    – Praveen
    Jul 14, 2016 at 14:07
  • StoneyB, Yes, I think that last sentence is superfluous. Just to sound little less authoritative/commanding, I wrote that.
    – Praveen
    Jul 14, 2016 at 14:13
  • link2pk - There is nothing "incorrect" about that last sentence, but it sounds overly formal to me. I'd usually expect something more casual, such as "Sorry I can't be there today," or, "I hope I'll be in tomorrow."
    – J.R.
    Jul 14, 2016 at 14:52

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .