# Does "Cheers" mean "Thank you"? (Letter Closing) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 9, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429 "2008-12-09T18:58:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429/1 "2008-12-09T18:58:44Z")
I had a rugby coach from New Zealand about three years ago. In all the emails he sent to the team, he signed them as: Cheers, Rugby Coach I took to using the closing, even in a professional context. My question is, when I write a short email asking for something, should it look like this: Dear Doper, How do I subscribe to your newsletter? Thanks! Cheers, Santo Rugger Or is the “Thanks” part superfluous? ---
**Author:** ![Dottygumdrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Dottygumdrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dottygumdrop)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429/2 "2008-12-09T19:01:18Z")
I would say the “Thanks” part is superfluous. As an Aussie, “Cheers” to me means thanks, albeit mostly in the context of, “Hey, you bought a round of drinks - cheers mate!” ---
**Author:** ![UnwrittenNocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6de8d8/32.png) [@UnwrittenNocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwrittenNocturne)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429/3 "2008-12-09T19:02:51Z")
I use it mostly in place of thank you. It has confused one or two people since I arrived in the US but most of them seem to get it ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429/4 "2008-12-09T19:08:33Z")
In the U.S. “Cheers” is mostly a toast- rarely heard otherwise- and it would be the superflous part. _Thanks_ is thanks enough. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429/5 "2008-12-09T19:17:15Z")
I tend to think of it somewhat like a combination of “Regards” and “Have a Good Day”. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429/6 "2008-12-09T19:21:01Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > I tend to think of it somewhat like a combination of “Regards” and “Have a Good Day”. With a “thank you for your time”, thrown in. IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429/7 "2008-12-09T19:40:39Z")
[Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=488739&highlight=cheers) is another thread on “Cheers.” ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429/8 "2008-12-09T21:17:45Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > In the U.S. “Cheers” is mostly a toast- rarely heard otherwise- and it would be the superflous part. _Thanks_ is thanks enough. The cheers is the closing, though. I guess I’m asking if it’s the equivalent to Thanks, Santo Rugger ---
**Author:** ![atomicbadgerrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@atomicbadgerrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atomicbadgerrace)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429/9 "2008-12-09T21:24:12Z")
Pretty much. I’d say “thanks,” “cheers,” “have a good day,” “regards,” “best wishes,” etc. are all interchangeable. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429/10 "2008-12-09T21:32:24Z")
> [@atomicbadgerrace](#): > > Pretty much. I’d say “thanks,” “cheers,” “have a good day,” “regards,” “best wishes,” etc. are all interchangeable. I don’t agree. The latter three are wishing well, while the first is expressing gratitude, and those are different things. The question is whether “cheers” is an expression of gratitude, a wishing well, or both. As a Yank, I would perceive it only as a wishing well, but it appears that it’s perceived differently in the Commonwealth. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429/11 "2008-12-09T22:26:00Z")
> [@Santo\_Rugger](#): > > The cheers is the closing, though. > > I guess I’m asking if it’s the equivalent to > > Thanks, > Santo Rugger Not in my opinion. Not only does it not say “thanks” in my mind, but it implies a cheerful and hearty friendliness that would be out of place when subscribing to a newsletter or some such. Imagine yourself getting a professional letter or business inquiry from me that ended by saying something like: Good on ya, Starving Artist and I think you’ll see what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429/12 "2008-12-09T22:33:57Z")
Although I use it all the time in speech, as a throwaway ‘thanks’, I can’t imagine ever putting it in writing in that way. Even in informal emails or other messages, or in text messages. It’s perhaps the most informal and lightweight ‘thank you’ I’ve got in my repertoire. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429/13 "2008-12-10T00:16:24Z")
The one thing that I have taken away from my short stay in London was “cheers”. I LOVE the expression…I think it is cool, unique to non-americans, a great simple way to say “thanks” or “goodbye” The rare times I work the cashier at my crappy crappy crappy “no one will hire me even though I am a college graduate” job, I always make sure I say “Cheers” to the wonderful guest ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429/14 "2008-12-10T00:25:19Z")
So if \*\*Shodan \*\*signed his posts with “Cheers”, nobody would be bitching at him? And yes, I’m kidding. ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429/15 "2008-12-10T00:36:24Z")
I just twenty seconds ago wrote an email to a friend, when I was sending him information (so I wasn’t actually thanking him), and signed it ‘cheers’. I use it, in emails, whenever I’d use ‘Regards’ formally, or ‘Love’ if it was someone that would be appropriate for. I wouldn’t use ‘Thanks’ and then ‘Cheers’ straight after (as per the OP), but I might use > [@](#): > > Thanks for your help. > > Cheers > Junior ---
**Author:** ![sunacres](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@sunacres](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunacres)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429/16 "2008-12-10T03:17:09Z")
> [@Junior\_Spaceman](#): > > II wouldn’t use ‘Thanks’ and then ‘Cheers’ straight after (as per the OP), but I might use I’m not getting your distinction. Your example looks completely redundant to me. ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-cheers-mean-thank-you-letter-closing/476429/17 "2008-12-10T05:13:06Z")
> [@sunacres](#): > > I’m not getting your distinction. Your example looks completely redundant to me. See the “mate” thread that’s running around at the moment. It’s governed by context. If you’re hoisting a drink in the air, “cheers” is a toast. If someone’s giving you something it means “thank-you”. If you’re waving at the back of a retreating figure, it means “goodbye”. In the first sense, you’ve just said “thanks” and so saying “cheers” immediately afterward confuses the context - it comes off sounding a little tin-eared. Adding the extra part of the line breaks the context slightly and makes it sound more like a closing salutation.