On behlf of

The sentence states exactly what you seek to answer. You have inluded the words "I would like to thank" in the sentence. It's straight-foward.

I would like to clarify. Doesn't 'on behalf' mean that you're representing somebody?

Sorry, but I don't know how to make it any clearer than I have. The action is being done by, or on behalf of, BOTH parties. You're over-thinking this.

It is NOT needed, but if you'd like to rephrase:

"On behalf of myself and my family, I would like to thank you for your hospitality"

To act on someone's behalf means to act as their agent. If I say that someone is acting my behalf, I may or may not be stating that he is acting for me and not for himself. I could also say that someone is acting both for himself and also on my behalf. If it is wished to avoid ambiguity or misunderstanding then it is possible to add clarifying words or phrases.

In the sentence below, the speaker is, by definition, a member of his or her own family, so the expression of thanks is, of course, understood to include the speaker.

Thanks to all who have replied to my query.

On behalf of the members of A2K, you're welcome.

Many thanks, Ragman, for your patience and replies. I'm sorry for not being convinced by your first reply.

Many thanks, once again.

With warmest wishes.

"On behalf of" only indicates representation of its subject. It does not include the speaker. In effect it means: "acting as an agent for ________ ." Think of an attorney who uses the phrase, "On behalf of my client I would like to present the following evidence." Obviously the attorney isn't presenting the evidence for his benefit but for that of his client. And this is the sense in which phrase operates. And this doesn't change simply because the speaker my be a member of the group that is the subject. When you say, "My _______" you are setting yourself apart from whatever fills in the blank. Obviously you are part of your family, but not necessarily in all usages of the term. Say all your relatives are drunkards and you're a tea drinker. You could legitimately say "Everyone in my family is a drunkard" and legitimately be excluding yourself---the "everyone" is not meant to include yourself (although in logic it necessarily would). So, because there are situations in which one may be part of a group but still distinct from it, by choice or not--- personally, maybe you don't want to thank someone for the hospitality shown to your family. Maybe you thought the hospitality stunk---the phrase "On behalf of my family" cannot be assumed to include the speaker. And that's the reason for the existence of the phrase. Its function is to represent the subject and not the speaker---think of the attorney. That you may choose to use it to represent your family and yourself is, of course, up to you, but it is not the proper usage of the phrase.

If that were the case (speaker only speaking expressing gratitude on behalf of the family), then the speaker would have the option of saying "My family thanks you for the hospitality."

Your explanation unneccesarily clouds this issue. you need to think of the context of where this is being spoken. It is not a legal contract that is being drawn up here.

Hi Dr Huff

How do you phrase it so that it includes myself.

Many thanks.

I agree with Ragman, that dr Huff is mistaken.

"On behalf of the members of A2K, you're welcome."

Ragman, you are speaking for the members of A2K!

Dr. Huff was completely correct.

Wrong! As I'm a member of A2K, I would be speaking for both parties - A2K members AND myself. The exception being if the speaker were being hired or contracted to do the job of spokesperson.

Adding context never clouds an issue, Ragman, for language doesn't exist in a vacuum.

In the initial example, I think it's certainly a conceivable option that the speaker wasn't there when the hospitality was extended and he/she is doing the thanking for the family for some reason, eg. they don't speak English.

Haven't you allowed as much by saying that the speaker could add,

"On behalf of myself and ... " ?

I remember reading that 'on behalf of' does include the speaker. I just want to make sure the author's prescription is correct. As Dr Huff and JTT said, we could add "On behalf of myself".

I'm just confused with the different replies I've got. I would like to apologise if I've created problems for those who responded.

Clearly 'on behalf of' could include or exclude the speaker. For most instances, it almost certainly makes no difference for those being thanked are not likely to inquire about just who the thanks is coming from.

Many thanks, JTT and the other members.

You're welcome, Tanguatlay. Sometimes people just like to debate for the sake of debating. Quaint custom, isn't it?

Setting the record straight and helping an ESL understand is a "quaint custom", Ragman?