I only know 'kindly' used in phrases like 'he kindly volunteered to help out' - ie. in the sense of 'freundlicherweise'.

You certainly couldn't use 'kindly' in your example - 'a kindly conversation' doesn't work at all. It would have to be a 'pleasant conversation' or something like 'it was nice/good talking to you'.

Oh yes, and if you want to express gratitude then just say 'thank you for your time' or something like that.

And apart from all that, 'kindly' is in fact already in LEO with plenty of entries - just enter the word 'kindly' into the Search field and you'll be amazed ;-)

@Thomas - I admire the certainty with which you say: "you can't say XYZ"

I miss, though, your supporting evidence that it is so.

I googled for the term "a kindly conversation", and found enough hits from native English speakers, some of them recognised authors, to convince me that one most certainly *can* say "a kindly conversation".

whether one would want to is certainly a question of personal taste, but it is not wrong

Main Entry: 1kind·ly
Pronunciation: 'kIn(d)-lE
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): kind·li·er; -est
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English cyndelIc, from cynd
1 a obsolete : NATURAL b archaic : LAWFUL
2 : of an agreeable or beneficial nature : PLEASANT <kindly climate>
3 : of a sympathetic or generous nature

1. kind·ly I. adj 1. gütig, freundlich 2. gefällig, entgegenkommend, nett, liebenswürdig
Xipolis (also PONS)

Ich glaube, wir brauchen bloß einen neuen Eintrag für das Adjektiv kindly, alle vorhandenen Einträge sind als Adverb gekennzeichnet.

*sigh*

Yes, you're right, odondon. I apologise.

But it does sound a bit odd, doesn't it? Maybe a bit old fashioned?

I thought, kindly is an adverb, so it wouldn't really go together with a noun. Someone can be kindly, but a conversation can't be 'kindly' (maybe 'kind') - that's what I thought, but then again I've never been a great grammar expert.

Thomas,

sure I've noted the many entries of Kindly in Leo, but you may have noted that all of them are adverbial, none of them actually refers to what I am looking for - its use as an adjective!

I looked it up again in LEO and found that another contributor - Mike E. Sat Sep 3 16:04:47 2005" - has noted the same, I quote:

"I do not wish to confuse anybody, but "kindly" is also used as an adjective.
In those cases I would say the difference is as follows:
"Kind" can be used of an action or a person. When used of a person it can refer to a specific action by that person ("You are just being kind,", "You are very kind.") or to a character trait ("He was a very kind person.").
"Kindly" is usually used only to refer to a character trait (kind-hearted, good-natured). I think it would normally only be used of older people. I think it suggests that a person's kindness is immediately apparent and part of their identity. Perhaps "gütig" or "gutherzig"?
In some set phrases it can be more similar to "kind" in meaning (e.g. "Can some kindly soul help me?").
I note that LEO does not give "kindly" as an adjective."

The Merriam Webster has it, too, I quote:

"Main Entry: 1kind·ly
Pronunciation: 'kIn(d)-lE
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): kind·li·er; -est
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English cyndelIc, from cynd
1 a obsolete : NATURAL b archaic : LAWFUL
2 : of an agreeable or beneficial nature : PLEASANT <kindly climate>
3 : of a sympathetic or generous nature"

Now I know that kindly as an adjective exists and that it means something like pleasant, generous, helpful, considerate, of a friendly dispositon, even. What I would like to know if its use in a phrase: "kindly conversation" makes any sense or has the right touch in formal speech or writing of the kind I mentioned initially. I am not a native speaker of English otherwise I might have "sensed" whether it is appropriate or not, maybe out of date, or carrying an unexpected meaning I am not aware of. So - any natives out there?

(And thanks "odondon irl" for your comment. Just what I feel)

Palimpsest7 - Ruby

@Thomas -yes, I agree, it's the sort of thing you'd expect to find in a Thomas Hardy novel, isn't it?

:o)

Thanx to you too, CJ de!

Und wie bekommen wir den neuen Eintrag in LEO?

Und wer kann mir denn jetzt genau sagen, ob ich "kindly" so verwenden kann, wie ich es in meiner ursprünglichen Anfrage formuliert habe?

Ansonsten halte ich mich an Eure Vorschläge, auf die Gefahr hin, 'daneben' zu formulieren.

Danke, Palimpsest (RUBY)

I'd suggest:
"thank you for the pleasant and informative (for example) talks / telephone call / meeting (whatever)"

you can, of course, use pleasant pleasing kind (just think of 'kind regards') in business English, just don't overdo it, and don't lie- if it wasn't kind, don't think you can gain an advantage by describing it as such....
:o)

Thanx odondon and cj. I'll follow your suggestions and hope that one day LEO will contain the adjective form of kindly for us to look and for Thomas to learn.

Thanxs for your 'kindly' recommendations,

best regards

Palimpsest/ RUBY

We kindly request you to profeed to gate xyz

So etwas hört man laufend im Flughafen

The kindly old lady gave the children some sweets.

"Well, how very nice to see you all!" said the grandfather in a kindly tone.

@hans: das ist wieder was anderes - nämlich das Adverb von "kind". In Deinem Beispiel heißt es "freundlicherweise" bzw. "höflicherweise". (Obwohl das manchmal auch sarkastisch klingen kann - aber das wurde schon einmal diskutiert.)

Was Palimpest7 meint, ist kindly als Adjektiv, was eine ganz andere Bedeutung hat - wie odondon auch erklärt hat.