in behalf/on behalf

Anonymous"in behalf of my cousins I would like to greet you a Happy birthday!" or 'on behalf of my cousins I would like to greet you a Happy birthday!"

I suggest that you completely wipe your memory clean of this phrase, "In behalf " because it doesn't exist in natural English. On b

Hi,

grammarfreak "I suggest that you completely wipe your memory clean of this phrase, "In behalf " because it doesn't exist in natural English.

Sorry, but that's not true. The idiom in behalf of someone (or in someone's bahalf) does exist in English.

It's just that it does not belong in the sentence the OP wrote. It means "for the

Although it exists, as far as I can remember, when we go to a funeral or a wedding, the spoke person always thanks the guests for coming or attending the ceremony by saying "on behalf of the ...I can't remember if I ever heard "in behalf ....". But I stand corrected.

grammarfreakAlthough it exists, as far as I can remember, when we go to a funeral or a wedding, the spoke person always thanks the guests for coming or attending the ceremony by saying "on behalf of the ...I can't remember if I ever heard "in behalf ....". But I stand corrected.

In behalf and on behalf have separate meanings, although the former

Aspara GusBehalf can also mean defense, e.g., argued in his behalf.

Good point, Gus.

In The Sound of Music (lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II - an American writer), one of the nuns defends Maria from criticism by the other sisters with the words

'I'd like to say a word in her behalf:
Maria makes me laugh.'

But that's the only

I must confess that "in behalf" is not in my active vocabulary, and I don't remember ever having made the distinction in reading. For what it's worth.