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I'm a professional technical writer. I used the word 'hence' in my conclusions a couple of times. The client (from Canada) let me know that it sounds like something straight out of a "Shakespeare play" and that I should replace that.

With relevance to business audience in America and Canada, would you say the use of the word 'hence' is archaic?

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  • As a native-born Canadian, I would say it sounds very formal, but not old-fashioned. But I'd avoid "whence" and "thence" as definitely archaic.
    – James McLeod
    Commented Nov 2, 2014 at 17:52
  • Yes, I would not use 'whence', but I thought using 'hence' should not be a problem. If others agree with us, then apparently, it is this client's personal outlook on the word.
    – learnerX
    Commented Nov 2, 2014 at 18:01
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    I'd say it would depend upon the audience, as to whether or not to use "hence". If your audience is highly educated, it will be more suitable than if your audience is not. In the latter case, I think the audience will find it pretentious.
    – brasshat
    Commented Nov 2, 2014 at 18:04
  • See also therefore or likewise.
    – SrJoven
    Commented Nov 2, 2014 at 18:41
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    Consider using thus instead. Or preceding the causal clause with inasmuch as. No, don't.
    – bib
    Commented Nov 2, 2014 at 20:20

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The customer (in this case, the client) is always right. Or as a local retail outlet in my town puts it--etched in marble, no less:

Rule #1: The customer is always right.

Rule #2: If the customer is wrong, read rule #1 again.

Hence sounds perfectly fine to me. You've already specified the audience is a "business audience," so they are not likely nincompoops. Off the top of my head I can imagine a speaker saying in a motivational speech,

"Too many people don't bother to ask for what they really want; hence, they don't receive it. I say, only by asking will you receive. In other words, you have not, because you ask not."

Or,

"Company XYZ failed to set their sights on a goal which would both challenge and stretch them; hence, their bottom line last quarter was a big disappointment. If, on the other hand, they had set for themselves a challenging goal which would stretch them and in the process prepare them for even bigger goals, they could have avoided that disappointing quarter."

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