Posted by MW/VA on 2/27/13 8:52pm
Msg #458320

Signing names in cursive....I wonder what the future

holds. I had a loan mod signing tonight where a young military man was signing for a friend who is out of the country via POA. He was thrown when I said he had to sign the friend's name, by his own name, attorney in fact. He's in the military & says they print everything. He actually said he hasn't used cursive since grade school. I can believe it, he really didn't know how to write & it was a struggle. We got it done, but it was interesting.

Reply by VT_Syrup on 2/27/13 8:57pm
Msg #458321

Can anyone name a field where cursive prose is acceptable? n/m

Reply by VT_Syrup on 2/27/13 9:07pm
Msg #458322

What fields can you name where cursive prose is acceptable?

Every form I can remember has instructions to print. In most situations where you have to write a bit of prose, except personal letters and school work, Americans are expected to print. About the only business situation I can think of where cursive is accepted from adults is addressing USPS envelopes.

Sometimes we have to write a notarial certificate on a document by hand; does anyone ever write it in cursive?

Reply by jba/fl on 2/27/13 9:22pm
Msg #458323

Re: What fields can you name where cursive prose is acceptable?

In part I write in cursive on my certs...The venue is printed, names are printed, dates are printed, but the rest is cursive, ie, who provided drivers license as identification and My commission expires:

To my way of thinking, this should be on the forms anyway, plus, I have very good handwriting.

I also can write up to 8 names on a grain of rice.

Reply by CarolF/NC on 2/27/13 9:47pm
Msg #458324

Schools are no longer teaching cursive

It is obsolete. Sign means cursive to me but kids are only learning to print. My BO today could only print. So when one line says print your name and the other sign then what? I suppose shortly forms will no longer ask for it.

Reply by Pam/NM on 2/28/13 9:37am
Msg #458402

Re: Schools are no longer teaching cursive

Not necessarily--the largest private school here teaches cursive FIRST (D'nealian) and students do not learn how to print until 3rd or 4th grade. Their theory is that it helps kids learn to read by seeing the "shape" of fully formed words. I can't say I have an opinion--I know that my 2nd son's cursive is totally illegible and his printing is not much better (and he's 20!)

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 2/27/13 11:42pm
Msg #458344

I actually posted a thought about this earlier today. I seriously don't understand the idea that people must sign their names in cursive. Since when? Sure, it may be traditional to some people, but there are many sifferent ways and methods of writing and signing one's name.

And, a lot of schools don't even teach cursive anymore. I know a lot of children and teenagers who have ZERO idea how to even read cursive, much less write it.

My mom is an English teacher and she said a lot of teenagers can barely write anything by hand at all that is even legible. Forget cursive... they can barely PRINT their names.

Reply by HisHughness on 2/28/13 8:20am
Msg #458388

Mexican nationals will often print their names n/m

Reply by Lisa Cirillo on 2/28/13 9:06am
Msg #458394

I've had a few signings where the people have printed their names rather than using cursive writing. That was there signature and I haven't had any problems with any of the signing companies. I guess it's acceptable. And yes, the schools are not teaching cursive writing anymore. Strange for me since I grew up understanding that sign your name here means cursive writing.

Reply by Edward Cooke on 2/28/13 9:45am
Msg #458403

Actually, signing means "making your mark." So cursive, print, or (as in my case) a scribble are all a "signature".

Reply by ArtG/KS on 2/28/13 10:25am
Msg #458418

I go by what their signature, cursive or otherwise, looks like on their photo ID. BTW, in my grade school days we learned that it was called longhand writing and we used the Palmer Method for writing.
As technology develops, it may be a thumb printed combined with eye scan, combined with facial scan.
I dare ask what else they may do? Hugh?