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I was writing an e-mail to WriteAtHome customers and had to stop and look this up. Do I say “In appreciation of…,” or “In appreciation for…?”

I learned that either may be correct, depending on what I mean. If you have an appreciation of something, you are thankful for it. You recognize the value of it. So, you might have an appreciation of the soldiers serving overseas, or the work the plumber did on on your bathroom sink.

An appreciation for something, on the other hand, has to do with your feelings about it. It means you have a love, understanding, or positive connection to it. You might, for example, have an appreciation for jazz music, good coffee, or Romantic poetry. Actually, those three sound like a good combination.

So, since I was expressing thankfulness for my customers, I said, “In appreciation of their support, yada-yada.”

On a further note: one should always say “in” appreciation, never “with” appreciation. Don’t ask why. It’s just one of those idioms.

And a final note. Does it bug anyone else the way people, most notably Sean Hannity, cuts off the first syllable of the word appreciate? If you happen to listen to him (not a recommendation, mind you), notice that he always tells his callers and/or guests, “‘Preciate it.”