punctuation of re

[Kingaroo]

Most of the time you see the word "re" it's at the beginning of a memo, where an e-mail would have its subject line. 

Though you often hear people spell it out as if it were an abbreviation like RSVP, I think it's pronouonced "ray."  I think the real Latin would be "in re," translated "in reference to." 

Seems to me the only time you need a colon after it is in a memo heading.  If you are going to use it in a sentence, you can simply write "Re your comment about my mother..."  I think my friend who wrote to me, "That was an interesting idea re: vacation" and AB-ers who write "question re: dogs" are incorrect. 

Am I right?  Octavius and Quizmonster, you'll be able to set me straight.

[Quizmonster]

Personally, I have always pronounced it 'ree', though I have little doubt but that it was 'ray' in Latin. 'Re' pronounced 'ray' is, to me, the second musical note in a scale. In addition, I have never used any form of punctuation after it.

[Octavius]

I think the usage stems from formal letter writing as in...

Dear Sir,

Reference: blah de blah

Through time this has evolved, and even now we often use Ref: or more commonly Re: in our formal letter writing.

I always pronounce it 'ree', but I suppose following its beginnings it should really be a more 're' as in ref with a silent f.  I commonly use it on notes and memos, emails, faxes and letters as re:, but on txt mssgs duz it rlly mattr?

[Octavius]

Going back to the last part of your email, I guess the correct way for your friend to express it would be...

Kingaroo,

Re: Vacation

That was an interesting idea.

Regards,

Friend

But we are a lazy bunch now so one sentence is all we really need and it is less formal as the chav in a box says - innit.

[Kay]

I've always thought Re,meant "Regarding"...As in Dear Mr x

 Re...Blah blah.

[Octavius]

I suppose 'regarding' and 'with reference to' could be construed as more or less the same thing. 

[Clanad]

 ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (ree)
prep.
In reference to; in the case of; concerning.


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[Latin r, ablative of rs, thing. See r- in Indo-European Roots.] (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language)

[IndieSinger]

I also pronounce it "ree" (as in the first syllable of regarding. No idea on how to punctuate it (in Subject lines etc.) officially, but I always write, "Re.:" (the full stop to indicate the word has been shortened and the colon for obvious reasons) although most people feel that is a little excessive.

[Peter Pedant]

yeah its the ablative of res - a thing

it is used in the same way as ' about' or 'concerning'

all the lawyers I have ever heard yacking say ree

punctutaion was never my strong point.