RSVP.
You may have seen it when you have received an invitation to an event.
It stands for a French phrase meaning “Respond, please.” (You don’t need to know the French if that’s too scary for you.)
It means that the host of the event would like you to inform him or her, by the date specified, whether you plan to attend said event OR NOT.
It does not mean that you should respond only if you are coming to the event, and that you can ignore the invitation if you have other plans or just don’t want to go.
It does not mean that you should wait until the day before or the morning of the event, then call and say you haven’t decided whether you’re coming.
It does not mean to respond enthusiastically that you are definitely coming OMG it sounds like so much fun, and then ditch without so much as a peep either before or after the event.
Just make up your mind by the date on the thing, and call the host to say yes or no. This is not difficult. You can even send a quick note if you’re not eager to lie about why you’re not coming. A simple “So sorry, but we can’t make it. Have fun without us!” will do. This is even easier if the invitation was sent by e-mail.
Knowing with some precision how many people are coming is helpful to the host, who then knows whether to prepare for 4 guests or 40.
This mysterious acronym and its purpose are misunderstood by a lot of people, including, apparently, 24 out of 40 of my mostly college-educated friends. :mad: Apparently they were all raised by wolves. We’re living in a SOCIETY, people!!