{"id":1269,"date":"2022-01-20T21:01:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-20T21:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=1269"},"modified":"2022-01-20T21:01:00","modified_gmt":"2022-01-20T21:01:00","slug":"looking-forward-to-speaking-with-you-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/looking-forward-to-speaking-with-you-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking Forward to Speaking with You - Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you receive an email where a salesperson closed their pitch to you with \u201clooking forward to speaking with you<\/em>,\u201d what do they mean?<\/p>\n

This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this idiomatic phrase.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

While you might think that the phrase \u201clooking forward to speaking with you<\/em>\u201d sounds off, it might surprise you to learn that it is grammatically correct. This phrase describes your excitement at speaking with someone in person or over the phone in the future.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The term is suitable for use in social and professional settings, and you probably hear people use it around you all the time. \u201cLooking forward to speaking with you<\/em>\u201d means that you have an interest in what the other person has to say as a colleague, or you can\u2019t wait to speak with a friend or family member.<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re signing off an email using the phrase, it means that you intend to speak to the person over the phone or in-person during your next conversation. It can also mean that you are meeting with someone at a venue or event, and you look forward to spending time with them.<\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

Via Email, messenger, or chat;<\/p>\n

\u201cHey Mike, I\u2019m looking forward to speaking with you<\/em> when you get back from Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for the information; The team is looking forward to speaking with you<\/em> when you arrive on Thursday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all looking forward to speaking with you<\/em>; the meeting can\u2019t come soon enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

Origin<\/h2>\n

Language experts are at a loss to explain the origin of this idiomatic phrase. So, if we break down the components of the phrase, we find that the use of the word \u201clook<\/em>\u201d appears in old English, tracing back to the 1200s.<\/p>\n

The phrase \u201clooking forward to speaking with you\u201d creates a sense of anticipation in the upcoming meeting between the parties involved. The contextual meaning of \u201canticipate<\/em>\u201d only arrived in the early 1600s. Other origins point to the use of \u201canticipate with pleasure<\/em>\u201d in the 1800s.<\/p>\n

Technically, using \u201cI look forward<\/em>\u201d means that you\u2019re facing a forward direction. However, many people would go on to use \u201clooking forward to<\/em>\u201d in an informal context. The use of the phrase in a formal setting changes it to \u201cI look forward to<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

The idiomatic phrase \u201clooking forward to<\/em>\u201d is the more popular version, but it suits casual expressions, and \u201clook forward to\u201d is the more formal variant.<\/p>\n