message

[emily wong]

A coworker came from an American company always call email "message". "I've sent you a message", "Have you received my message?" To me, it is quite confusing, as message sounds more like short message sent from mobile phone to mobile phone. My question is "is it really appropriate to call email message so frequently?"

Again, complete checking to my "message" above is highly appreciated.

Emily

[rewboss]

A message is any piece of important information given to a specific person (or to specific people). Messages can be delivered in person, in speech, in writing, in an e-mail or any one of many different ways. Using a mobile phone's short message service is only one way.

Certainly your American colleague's usage is imprecise -- it could have been a message sent by carrier pigeon. But your colleague assumes that you understand "e-mail", presumably because that is how you normally send messages to each other.

[RonBee]

A coworker came from an American company always call email "message". "I've sent you a message", "Have you received my message?"

I would say I sent you an email, but in that context it is really the same thing.

To me, it is quite confusing, as message sounds more like short messages sent from mobile phone to mobile phone.

What you are referring to there is what Americans call text messages. [Please note change to quote.]

My question is "is it really appropriate to call emails messages so frequently?"

Sure. That's what they are.
[See above.]

Again, complete checking to my "message" above is highly appreciated.

Emily

Say:

Any corrections would be highly appreciated.