h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I fear this is a foolish question, but this is something that has bothered me for quite awhile. I've seen the term "Please RSVP to..." several times. But although I know the general meaning, I don't know what the letters stand for.

Dear S10,

You are quite correct to fear that it was a foolish question, but then it occurs to me that anyone bobbing up on this site cannot be regarded as the full quid, hence my increasingly frequent excursions. RSVP is from the French respondez s'il vous plait, or something very close to it, meaning literally respond if you please.

Walter of Colne

Dear Walter,

It was someting so "very close" as to be a direct hit.

Truffy of Folkestone (although not any more)

Dear Walter,

Many people who do not speak French probably wonder about this phrase. Questions only appear foolish to people who are looking for reasons to point out fools. If you are wondering what I mean by this, the literal meaning (or something very close to it) is: "get a life".

-Gena

It a French expression: Respondez, sil vous plait
(sorry Frenchmen, I have no idea if that's the right spelling).
Anyway, it means something like "please answer"

Dear Gena,

Sorry, the arch tone of your note indicates that I have somehow offended you, which was entirely unintentional since that is something I restrict to people I know. Still, let me move on. 'Get a life' indeed! I already have one and while it may be that you think it could do with some improvement, and you are probably correct, I have to tell you that I am very grateful for what I have, warts and all. And Gena - smile. It suits you much better than getting testy with (im)perfect strangers.

Regards,

Walter.

In the zany United States. In order that we can feel better about ourselves, it is thought that R.S.V.P stands for (R)e(S)pond (V)ery (P)romptly. While this is obviously a far stretch, it is in fact much easier to say then Respondez Si'vous Plait... and the meaning is still yanked through.

Moreover, "Respondez s'il wous plait" is in the polite form but most people would use it irregardless...rstp, is surely better in these less formal times?

The illocutionary force (there's a good bit of linguistic jargon) is "send me a WRITTEN reply as soon as possible"

and there's no such word as "irregardless"

And trust the Americans to ignore the existence of the entire French language AND to drop the "please".

(No offence, I just wish I'd had the opportunity to ignore all French lessons too.)

Excuse me, but I happen to resemble THAT remark! RSVP translates to: please let us know you & a guest won't be coming, as this is already costing a fortune & we're hoping you'll send a gift instead. BTW I
have a life too. (Just incase anyone wants to be rude, thought I'd get there first)

irregardless...is not a word

YOU BEAT ME TO IT HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHHA

jrregardless, turregardless, ilrregardless??
(I am shortsighted, you are shortsighted ....)

Still don't know what rstp means, but I agree with Pandora's definition of RSVP and will use it in that way in future.

Well, less formal (and less well taught) than the "vous" form is the "tu" form, so RSTP would be "responds s'il te plait"...although I'm not positive that respondre is regular.

Irregardless is going to be a word - I'm just ahead of my time.

Please note that the correct French verb is répondre not respondre

Picky-picky-picky-picky. Let's all have a nice glass of something and relax. BYOB

Thankyou for the explanation. I think you're talking grammer here, something which I managed to miss entirely at school. I won't comment on it as I don't understand irreregular verbs

I support the campaign for irregardless to be a word. It has real punch to it.

Two words not in sufficient use include "seldom" and "astonishing" both of which have a nice wartime English feel to them.

Also "preternaturally" as in Miss Marple declaiming "I've been preternaturally stupid."

Irregardless has quite a quality to it, too.

NB I also have a life. These things have just hung around in my head for so long, it's a relief to get them out there. Sorry to bother...