Letter etiquette in Themiclesia
Traditional Themiclesian letters are divided into five customary sections. Salutation, introduction, body, benediction, and valediction.
Salutation
In the salutation, the sender calls for the attention of the recipient.
Introduction
The introduction part of the letter sets forth the reasons why the letter is being sent.
If sent as a response to a received letter, the introduction will usually note the content of the letter received, or at least the date on which the letter is received. In business communication, the received letter may be summarized in greater detail or even quoted to ensure that understanding is consistent and not subject to errors in transmission.
To start the introduction, the writer may use turns of phrase like "I am fortunate to have encountered your exalted pleasure in indicating..." (幸蒙尊旨) etc.
Where a direct qutoation is used, the set phrases 文開 旨 奉此 are used to flank the quoted text; if the received letter is merely paraphrased, it is introduced by the term 若曰 and terminated by 也.
The differing introductory and terminal phrases are used for direct quotations because there will be honorificated terms that remain unchanged in a direct quotation, thus requiring a stronger delineation to ensure that self-honorification is not implied.
Where a paraphrase is used, the introductory phrase means "seems to say"; following will be a synopsis of what the received letter sets forth, with all honorification reversed in direction. Thus, for example, if the original letter says "we respectfully submit five boxes of oranges", the paraphrase in the response will say "you graciously grant five boxes of oranges".
If a letter has been sent in response to multiply incoming letters, each letter may be quoted or summarized in turn.
If there is no letter to which the current one responds, the introduction may contain specific motivations for writing the letter, like an event which warrants the recipient's attention or mere pleasantries like the changing weather or things like an upcoming birthday etc.
Body
The introduction transitions into the body with set phrases like 茲奉前旨謹復者 (with respect to the pleasures aforesaid, what is reverently responded are as follows).