What does "pp" in a letter mean?

Question

Hi,What does pp (or p.p.), appearing togatherwith the signature in a correspondence mean?Thanks,ken

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]Hi, What does pp (or p.p.), appearing togatherwith the signature in a correspondence mean?[/nq]
"Per pro", used when one person signs a letter on behalf of another.

Cheers, Harvey
Ottawa/Toronto/Edmonton for 30 years;
Southern England for the past 22 years.
(for e-mail, change harvey.news to harvey.van)

Usenet · Answer

Thought it stood for 'pro persona'. Could be wrong.

Nicholas hill

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]On 07 Dec 2004, wrote "Per pro", used when one person signs a letter on behalf of another.[/nq]
[nq:1]Thought it stood for 'pro persona'. Could be wrong.[/nq]
Definitely "per pro" I didn't realise, though, that the "pro" is an abbreviation for "procurationem" (at least, that's what Collins has for it).

Cheers, Harvey
Ottawa/Toronto/Edmonton for 30 years;
Southern England for the past 22 years.
(for e-mail, change harvey.news to harvey.van)

Usenet · Answer

Thanks guys,
I did a google search for "per pro" and got the following detailed explanation from
http://www.wordwizard.com/clubhouse/founddiscuss1.asp?Num=6221 -

"PER PROCURATIONEM adverb: commonly abbreviated 'per proc.,' 'per pro.,' 'p.p.' and sometimes read as 'per procuration': by procuration, by the action of a procurator or official agent, by the authority of an agent, by proxy or deputy.
ON BEHALF OF preposition: On the part of (another), in the name of, as the agent or representative of, on account of, for, instead of (with the notion of official agency), in the interest of, as the representative of
The difference between the two, as I see it, is mainly their parts of speech. 'Per procurationem' is an adverb describing how the action is done. On the other hand, 'on behalf of' is a preposition describing the relationship between the verb and the subject. But they both do refer to an official agent. Agents for insurance companies act as official agents for their companies, but I don't think they are any more personably liable for the millions of dollars they deal in than is the bank teller. Also, it seems to me that it is John Smith, official agent for the Bank of England, and NOT the Bank of England, official agent for John Smith."
My query, now, is - Is p.p. the correct form or can one also use pp? And where exactly in the letter should it be used - before or after the original signatory's name?
Thanks,
ken

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]"PER PROCURATIONEM adverb: commonly abbreviated 'per proc.,' 'per pro.,' 'p.p.' and sometimes read as 'per procuration': by . . . ... use pp? And where exactly in the letter should it be used - before or after the original signatory's name?[/nq]
The usual form is:
Jack Jones
p.p. Michael Morris
indicating the document was actually executed by
JJ but on behalf of MM who is formally responsible.

The choice between p.p. and pp is a matter of puctuation style. If we need a rule to follow, it would probably be the same one that governs clock time, viz.

9.17 a.m. or 9.17 am.

Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]The usual form is: Jack Jones p.p. Michael Morris indicating the document was actually executed by JJ but on behalf of MM who is formally responsible.[/nq]
I sometimes see it put the other way round, in the form: Michael Morris
p.p. Jack Jones
when executed by JJ on behalf of MM.
How common is this?

Alec McKenzie

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]The usual form is: Jack Jones p.p. Michael Morris indicating ... JJ but on behalf of MM who is formally responsible.[/nq]
[nq:1]I sometimes see it put the other way round, in the form: Michael Morris p.p. Jack Jones when executed by JJ on behalf of MM. How common is this?[/nq]
Less common, but correct. Most people assume that "p.p." means "for" or "on behalf of", but it doesn't - it means "by delegation to".

Don Aitken
Mail to the addresses given in the headers is no longer being read. To mail me, substitute "clara.co.uk" for "freeuk.com".

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