[General] Notified or Noted

[emilyinbeijing]

Quite often in our email communication, we need toacknowledge that we’ve received an email. I see more and more colleagues, whoare not native speakers, saying “noted”. I am not a native speaker too, thushave deep concern on this. I think people might be using the wrong word. Shouldn’tthe word be “notified”? Thanks!

 

[Boris Tatarenko]

Hello,

Well, the thing is that someone notifies you with an email and you note it (the email).

 

[Boris Tatarenko]

Is it me or you see weird symobls, too? ​italicitalicâ€

 

[Rover_KE]

Welcome back, Emily, with your second post after five years and seven months!

It's fine to use 'Noted' to acknowledge receipt of an email message.

 

[Tdol]

Noted works for that context, while notified doesn't for me.

PS If you follow Piscean's advice, the formatting will work fine.

 

[abaka]

To "notify" is to inform someone of something: there is a provider of information and also a receiver. But not every communication notifies. A notification is an authoritative statement that is not subject to further argument -- or even discussion! Within a corporate hierarchy, it may be an order or direction from above, or a resignation from below.

To "note" is either

• to state something (there is not necessarily a receiver of information) or
• to receive information from someone.

It is best not to use "note" as the main verb of acknowledgement.

In the context of electronic mail, therefore, the receiver may certainly use a phrase such as

Thank you for your notification. I note that you have particularly emphasized A and B and C....

It is seldom a notification, however, that the receiver must acknowledge. It is usually far better to say something like the following:

Thank you for your input. As you have aptly noted, ...
I am grateful for your guidance.
Your direction is both helpful and welcome.
I acknowledge your suggestion. Our present circumstances, however, make it imperative instead to choose the following course of action... [Be very careful with acknowledge. This word is a brush-off. You may need to say it, but be sure you know what you are doing.]

 

[tedmc]

I do not like the word "notify". It is just a big word for "inform/give notice".

"To note" means "to take note" or "to have read, understood and are aware of something". So "A noted A" is not right. A person can note(take note of) a subject, not note another person.

 

[abaka]

"Inform" and "notify" are not at all identical. Basically, information given is simultaneously less authoritative and more inclusive than notice given.

To give notice is indeed to notify -- but why use two words when one will do?