The use of "Yours in Christ" and other questions

[Justine A.]

Sir Carilllo,

May I know your insights about the following questions:

1)   Is the use of “Yours in Christ” as complimentary close appropriate in memo and other business letters particularly inside a Catholic school?

2)   My instructress once asked me why there are people unfraid to talk in large audience despite their flawed grammar? Are they not ware of such grammatical lapses, she added. Why do you think so Sir?

3)   Is it true that there is such gene as grammar gene?

Thank you very much.

[Joe Carillo]

Here are my thoughts regarding your three questions:

1. Among devout Roman Catholics or Christians, it’s perfectly natural and acceptable to use “Yours in Christ” as a complimentary close in memos and letters to one another—and all the more so within the premises of a Catholic school or in the context of its interoffice communication. However, I think that template should be used only by, for, and between fellow believers. It would be inappropriate—even tactless and imprudent—to use “Yours in Christ” in letters addressed to audiences that conceivably might consist not only of Roman Catholics and Christians but also of believers in other religious faiths as well as atheists and agnostics. In such cases, it would be wise to use such generic non-religious and professional closings as “Yours truly,” “Sincerely yours,” and “With my best regards.”

2. When people are unafraid to talk to large audiences despite their flawed English grammar, it can only mean one thing: they are supremely self-confident but at the same time blissfully unaware that their English is faulty. The audience would usually be tolerant of those lapses in grammar and usage if the speakers are superb public speakers, like some of the charismatic and spellbinding hosts of certain foreign religious programs that are shown on cable TV. Still, I think that when listening to English-deficient speakers, many among the audience couldn’t help but silently wish—nay, pray—that someone authoritative in English grammar and usage would be confident and brave enough to call the attention of those speakers to their bad English and then convince them to undertake a continuing and no-nonsense English self-improvement program.

3. The idea that a grammar gene exists remains bathed in controversy since it was postulated by Steven Pinker in his book The Language Instinct. I am therefore not in a position to say whether it’s true or not. I’d rather refer you to two websites that take up the pros and cons of that idea, “Language gene found” and “Dr John - Is There A Grammar Gene.” Also, you may want to reread my Forum posting on Pinker’s The Language Instinct (I made that posting in reply to a question of yours about his ideas, remember?) or, better still, read that book itself.