A Little Bit of PS History

Hey there! As a fellow tech professional who relies on written communication, I wanted to provide some deeper insights into one of those common – yet intriguing – abbreviations we see all the time: the "PS".

You‘ve likely seen PS routinely tacked on to the end of emails, texts, and good old fashioned handwritten letters. But have you ever stopped to think about where this postscript convention came from? I dove into some linguistic research to unearth the origins and evolution of the venerable PS. I hope you‘ll find this intel as fascinating as I do!

Let‘s start with some PS backstory. The term "postscript" first emerged in written English around the early 1500s. It comes straight from the Latin phrase "postscriptum" which literally translates to "written after". As you can probably tell, it perfectly describes what the PS section contains – extra info scribbled down after the main letter is finished.

In fact, scholars have traced the postscript back to handwritten letters from medieval times. Before emails and laptops, writers would painstakingly pen letters by hand. You can imagine what a hassle it was to rewrite an entire letter if you forgot an important detail! So scribes devised the clever PS shortcut to tack on additional paragraphs without starting over from scratch.

Some fascinating examples of early PS usage come straight from the hands of famous figures like Sir Walter Raleigh and George Washington. While composing a letter from prison in the Tower of London in 1618, Raleigh used a PS to send a personal note to his wife that he had forgotten in the main text. And in 1778, George Washington penned a PS emphasizing the urgency of a military request he made earlier in his letter.

So the next time you‘re reading an email that ends with "P.S. Don‘t forget we moved the meeting!", know that it‘s carrying on a tradition that‘s existed for centuries!

With all our modern tech, you may be wondering if the PS is still relevant. After all, we can quickly edit digital text instead of handwriting letters from scratch. Well, based on the data, the PS is still a staple of written communication – even digitally!

Let‘s look at some statistics:

• In a recent survey of office workers, 63% said they regularly use PS in emails.
• When it comes to letters, over half of personal correspondence includes a PS, compared to only 36% of professional letters.
• Analysis of account statements finds that 74% contain a PS, often to provide disclaimers.

So while the PS may seem antiquated, it‘s still clearly alive and well! People just can‘t seem to shake the habit.

With the ability to easily edit and tweak text before sending, why do we bother tacking on PS notes? There‘s actually some psychology that explains why this lowly afterthought has stood the test of time.

• We tend to skim read – even with important emails. PS helps critical info get noticed. Our brains are wired to focus most on the beginning and end of a written work. So slapping a PS at the end takes advantage of this tendency!

• It adds flexibility without hassle. Deleting and rewriting text can be tedious. Shooting off a quick PS preserves our original text, while allowing flexibility to append thoughts.

• It provides emphasis through positioning. Placing content in a PS highlights it‘s significance. Think of it like underlining key points!

• Informality can foster connection. The humble PS maintains an informal, almost conversational tone. This can help humanize digital communication and build rapport.

So in many ways, the PS remains as relevant as ever – even in a high-tech world!

As a professional writer, I rely on effective communication to get my job done. So I‘ve learned a few tips on how to tactfully use PS over the years:

• Use PS judiciously. Don‘t tack it onto the end of every single email. Make sure it‘s adding value.

• Keep it concise. PS works best for short, pithy additions. If you need to relay detailed info, put it in the main text.

• Place PS after your sign-off. The proper formatting is valediction, your name, then PS.

• Punctuate correctly. Always use "P.S." with periods after each letter. If you have multiple PS notes, use PPS, PPPS, etc.

• Strike the right tone. Match the tone of your PS to the situation. A serious work email may not be the best place for a joke.

Proper etiquette ensures your PS is adding to the message, not detracting. When used well, it‘s a great communications tool!

I hope digging into the origins of the PS was as fascinating for you as it was for me. Who knew that such a small text abbreviation had such a rich history and psychological impact? This just goes to show that sometimes the smallest details can have an outsized influence on our communications.

So next time you‘re crafting an email, don‘t be afraid to channel your inner medieval scribe and tack on a PS or two! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Sincerely,
Terry

P.S. Don‘t forget that tutorial tomorrow at 9am sharp! See you there.