RSVP
{{other uses|RSVP (disambiguation)}}
{{short description|Process by which people are asked to respond to an invitation}}
{{original research|date=June 2020}}
RSVP is an initialism derived from the French phrase "{{Lang|fr|Répondez s'il vous plaît}}",{{Cite web|url=http://www.linternaute.com/dictionnaire/fr/definition/rsvp/|title=Rsvp : Définition simple et facile du dictionnaire|website=www.linternaute.com|language=fr|access-date=2018-02-27}} meaning "please respond" (literally "respond if it pleases you"). It is typically used to request confirmation of an invitation. Occasionally, the phrase "please RSVP" is used,{{Cite web |last=Hallemann |first=Caroline |date=22 June 2017 |title=The Etiquette Mistakes You Didn't Know You Were Making |url=https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a10201362/etiquette-mistakes/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725221041/https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a10201362/etiquette-mistakes/ |archive-date=25 July 2021 |access-date=8 July 2022 |website=Town & Country}} which is a case of RAS syndrome (a pleonasm), as "{{Lang|fr|s'il vous plaît}}" means "please".{{Cite news |last=Alford |first=Henry |date=2015-06-12 |title=The Aspirational R.S.V.P.: Saying Yes When You Mean No |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/14/style/the-aspirational-rsvp-saying-yes-when-you-mean-no.html |access-date=2020-03-12 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}
"RSVP" is no longer widely used in France, where it is considered formal and old-fashioned; it is more common to use "{{Lang|fr|Réponse attendue avant le …}}", meaning "[Your] answer is expected before …" In French-speaking parts of Canada, such as Quebec, it is still commonly used.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} In addition, the French initialism "{{Lang|fr|SVP}}" is frequently used to represent "{{Lang|fr|S'il vous plaît}}" ("please").{{Cite web|url=http://www.linternaute.com/dictionnaire/fr/definition/svp/|title=Svp : Définition simple et facile du dictionnaire|website=www.linternaute.com|language=fr|access-date=2018-02-27}}
Variations
The phrase "RSVP, regrets only" (or simply "Regrets only") is a modern variation that implies that not receiving an answer will be taken as an acceptance. It is used in cases where most invitations are assumed to be accepted and is meant to reduce the amount of communication required. The phrase "regrets only" refers to the assumption that a declination will be worded with some variation of "We regret that we cannot attend …".{{cite web |url=http://www.announcingit.com/how_to/RSVP_vs_Regrets_Only.htm |title=RSVP vs. Regrets Only |website=www.announcingit.com |series=Invitation Do's and Don'ts}}
Before sending an RSVP, the host may mail out a save the date card to inform guests of the date and location of the celebration. This may be used when the event will be held considerably in the future or in a distant location and serves to allow for travel plans.{{cite web|url=https://emilypost.com/advice/21st-century-wedding-trends|title=21st Century Wedding Trends|publisher=The Emily Post Institute, Inc.|access-date=2022-10-13}}
Digital RSVPs
Digital RSVPs have become common, particularly for wedding invitations.{{Cite news|last=Alford|first=Henry|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/fashion/how-the-internet-has-changed-the-rsvp.html|title=How the Internet Has Changed the R.S.V.P.|date=2013-11-08|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-03-12|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}
See also
References
{{Wiktionary|RSVP}}
{{Wiktionary|répondez s'il vous plaît}}
{{Reflist}}