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Subject: Re: puzzled with this sentence
From: TAKASUGI Shinji (ts
sf.airnet.ne.jp)
Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2001 08:49:12 GMT
References: 1
> 年始は喪中のため
> ご挨拶を控えさせていただきます。
控える: refrain from doing something
控えさせる: let someone refrain from doing something (-saseru means to let someone do something)
控えさせて もらう: get you to let me refrain from doing something (-te morau means to get someone to do something for your sake)
控えさせて いただく: humble form of the above (itadaku is the humble word for morau)
控えさせて いただきます: polite form of the above (the politeness suffix -masu is used)
ご挨拶を 控えさせて いただきます。:
literally: I (humbly) get you to let me refrain from greetings.
actually: I'm sorry for not exchanging greetings. (Because I'm in mourning.)
It's really complicated. The construction -sasete itadaku is commonly used now, even though it's not a refined phrase. I have criticized it on my page (written in Japanese). In your case, ご挨拶を ご遠慮いたします sounds better. ご挨拶を ご遠慮 申し上げます is humbler.
It's a Japanese custom not to send or receive new year greeting cards if a close relative of yours such as your grandfather died last year.
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