Westacad Newsletter

October 2020

A bread-and-butter letter

ENGLISH IDIOM OF THE MONTH:
„A bread-and-butter letter“

 

MEANING
A follow up letter or email with regards to a visit, as a thank-you note.

TRANSLATION
Ein nachträgliches Dankesschreiben für die Gastfreundschaft.
wörtlich: ein Butterbrot-Schreiben.

ORIGIN
Back in the days when there was limited technology it was expected that people write letters or notes by hand. And bread and butter is a common English dessert using up the left over bread in the house before it becomes stale. With these two elements combined. It means something that is always done like writing letters and making bread and butter pudding.