"I kindly ask to" vs "I ask to kindly"
Let's take the following two sentences as examples:
- I kindly ask you to send the letter to your boss.
- I ask you to kindly send the letter to your boss.
- It would be kind of you to send the letter to your boss. (this one would be understood the same way in English and my native language)
In our language we use the first one 99% of the time and the second seems to have opposite meaning of its English meaning.
What does "to kindly send" mean for English people?
- Doesn't it sound rude in English? As if I was ordering someone to do something kindly (as if they weren't kind usually) - that's what would be the meaning in my native language. My interpretation is: "Go and do this kindly this time." and I think that this expression shouldn't be used unless someone wants to offend another party. But I've seen this expression more than once so that makes me think that it really means...
- ...quite the opposite and it is equivalent to "I sincerely believe that you are a very kind person, I'm counting on your kindness to send this letter" - this is a bit persuasive, isn't it? If they don't send it they will make themselves look not kind.
So, what's the true meaning of each of the example sentences? To me it's ambiguous.
The second example is not rude in the slightest. It is a like saying "would you be so kind as to...." and is in fact a polite way to ask somebody to do something, implying that there is no requirement for them to do it but that it would be kind if they would do it anyway.
The first example is not technically correct in English, unless you mean to imply that it is kind of you to ask the person to do something, but it is very commonly used and is understood as a gentle way of asking someone to do something, very similar to the second example.
There are a multiplicity of issues here, some of which are grammatical and some etiquette-related.
Your first example just has the wrong meaning; I am being kind in asking you to send it.
The second is usually formulated Kindly send this letter to your superior. It would be perceived as rude, implying you are clearly not competent to deal with this. 'I ask you to' adds nothing to the sentence; it may appear less abrupt, but makes the grammar fuzzier at best. Use it (without I ask you) if you are certain you are in the right and the recipient wrong.
To kindly send is a split infinitive. Untold gallons of ink have been used in discussing this (e.g. Are split infinitives grammatically incorrect, or are they valid constructs?); for present purposes, just note that some people think it wrong, and so it is best avoided in uncertain contexts like this.
If you really would like the letter to be passed on. why not just say Please pass this letter on to your manager? That does raise the question why you did not send the letter to the manager in the first place, but no doubt you have explained that earlier.
Incorporating caesarsgrunt's suggestion:
Would you be so kind as to send the letter to your boss?
If you would be so kind, send the letter to your boss.
The speaker is very politely asking the listener to do a menial task. This is very formal speech and might sound "stuffy", "pompous" or even worse, "patronising" to some. Very much depends on tone.
Kindly, send the letter to your boss
Again the speaker is asking for a favour but it is less formal. It means I am asking you kindly to do something for me.
However in a British context, it would be more appropriate to hear the follow:
If you wouldn't mind sending the letter to your manager.
Would you mind sending the letter to your senior manager?
Oi, you! Send this off to the boss. (Very informal!)
EDIT: I've added the more formal expressions, manager and senior manager as suggested by Tim Lymington.
- I kindly ask you to send the letter to your boss.
- I ask you to kindly send the letter to your boss.
- It would be kind of you to send the letter to your boss.
"I ask" is redundant in the first two sentences. When you ask someone to send the letter, you are already asking them and don't have to describe the process by saying "I ask". That said, it is not incorrect though usage is typically reserved for particular connotations.
That said, #1 is not quite right (implies you are being kind in the asking) though you may encounter it being used colloquially.
"Kindly send the letter to your boss" is analogous to "Please send the letter to your boss." and is not rude in the least. In some parts, kindly may be considered a bit more curt than please.
"It would be kind of you to send the letter to your boss." is a little awkward, though correct. What you'd find more commonly is "Would you be so kind as to send the letter to your boss?"
None of these imply anything about the general kindness of the second person.