Why say “I'm on annual leave”? blog discussion

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  • seven-day-weekend
    seven-day-weekend Posts: 36,755 Forumite
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    I always just used to say I was on leave.
    (AKA HRH_MUngo)
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  • Alfie_E
    Alfie_E Posts: 1,293 Forumite
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    If we’re specifically talking about email auto-replies, could it be an Americanism? If your email system has default auto-replies, it’s more likely to offer “I’m on annual leave” than “I’m off on my summer hols.” Even if people are manually entering all of it, they may be copying what they’ve seen from other people’s default auto-replies. Americans do, on average, have less holiday than us, so annual leave means just that; it’s the one block of time that’s not a fixture like Thanks Giving.
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  • Mozette
    Mozette Posts: 2,247 Forumite
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    JimmyTheWig wrote: »
    It differentiates from other types of leave - paternity leave, sick leave, sabbatical, etc.

    Spot on! Anyway, I've been 'discouraged' from leaving my more frivolous type of autoreplies. Boring old gits that I work for. Actually now I just tend to say that I'm out, and will be back on DD:MM:CCYY. Which is really dull.
  • kyh
    kyh Posts: 278 Forumite
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    For me it differentiaites when I am at home relaxing with my family or out of the office at a meeting probably overseas - one is enjoyable and a break from work and the other isn't! If I am away from work but working then feel free to ring me - if I am with my family - DON'T
  • before_hollywood
    before_hollywood Posts: 20,686 Forumite
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    i only use the phrase at work, as of saturday 6pm if you email me the automated reply will state

    'annual leave till 12th of september'

    meaning 'get lost and do it yourself for a change, i'm abroad for the first time in 7 years'
    things arent the way they were before, you wouldnt even recognise me anymore- not that you knew me back then ;)
    MercilessKiller wrote: »
    BH is my best mate too, its ok :)

    I trust BH even if he's from Manchester.. ;)

    all your base are belong to us :eek:
  • Jenna
    Jenna Posts: 460 Forumite
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    I use "annual leave" because I work for a global blue-chip company ... and out-of-office responses saying things like "I'm off on my hols so no one will reply to you for 2 weeks - hah!" are frowned upon for some reason...!

    Also because it can sound arrogant (I think, anyway) to announce to the world at large that you are currently sunning yourself in some far-flung corner of the globe.

    And last but not least - I am a woman working in an office full of men. I dress smartly at work and like to be thought of as a professional and responsible person ... and I don't want to conjure up images of me in a bikini (need I say more? lol).

    Interesting one though! :)
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  • frugalpam
    frugalpam Posts: 2,514 Forumite
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    Not a phrase I use - my auto reply at work says 'I'm on holiday', and I hope they're jealous when they read it :D
  • bramblejam
    bramblejam Posts: 16 Forumite
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    It's a kind of office-ese. These days employers are getting more prescriptive about these things and generally give you the wording. I generally put "I am out of the office ..." as I don't want people to think I'm away and burgle me.

    bramble
  • iieee
    iieee Posts: 1,194 Forumite
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    x3ja wrote: »
    I use "annual leave" because saying you're "on holiday" sounds like you're always jetting off to somewhere exotic, whereas you might just be enjoying a few long lie-ins. However, I do say "holiday" when that's what I'm doing - like when I'm off to Morocco soon - can't wait to see the sun - I've forgotten what it looks like! :j
    Ditto above. I guess I'm just pedantic.:p
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  • Errata
    Errata Posts: 38,230 Forumite
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    The term Annual Leave comes from the British Civil Service, who in turn pinched it from the armed services who used the terms Annual Leave, Embarkation Leave, and probably many other sorts of leave.
    The term was taken up by the NHS when it was set up, and now people use it to indicate they do a white collar job rather than not being around because they work in a factory and it's works shutdown fortnight !
    Pure snobbery.
    .................:)....I'm smiling because I have no idea what's going on ...:)
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