Tell me more ×
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 0 down vote favorite

How do I specify on an address that it should be forwarded to some person?

Sometimes I need to send mail to a company where it should be addressed to a specific person, but it's not the 'address name', another example I have a friend in the US who comes to visit me (outside the US) often, and I want to ship items to him but he should know it's for me and I want to specify it on the mail address.

Is the word just 'for John Doe' or it's been thought out and a word's been made up for it?

share|improve this question
After the line with the company name, you place on its own line : "Attention: John Doe" or "Attn.: John Doe". See this link: jobsearchtech.about.com/od/letters/l/bl_block_p.htm – JLG Feb 1 at 5:38
You simply put the person's name on a line right above the "normal" part of the address. jobsearchtech.about.com/od/letters/l/bl_envelope.htm – Jim Feb 1 at 5:38
@JLG- Too funny :-) – Jim Feb 1 at 5:41
1  
@Jim, I'd say Shimmy now knows how to format both business letters and envelopes. – JLG Feb 1 at 5:43
1  
There might also be a local convention that should be observed. In the country where I live now, putting the person's name above the company name means for attention of that person only, while putting it below the company name means it can be opened by an assistant or colleague. Or is it the other way round - I can never remember? Safest to include 'Private' or 'Personal' if it really is. – DavidR Feb 1 at 11:50
show 2 more comments

closed as off topic by JLG, Kris, Andrew Leach, MετάEd, tchrist Feb 1 at 12:35

Questions on English Language & Usage Stack Exchange are expected to relate to English language and usage within the scope defined in the FAQ. Consider editing the question or leaving comments for improvement if you believe the question can be reworded to fit within the scope. Read more about closed questions here.

1 Answer

up vote 1 down vote accepted

In the UK, I would use care of, abbreviated to c/o, for either a person...

 Joe Bloggs
 c/o John Smith
 London Road
 Blighty

...or company.

 Joe Bloggs
 c/o Big Corp
 London Road
 Blighty
share|improve this answer
We'd only do that if Joe Bloggs didn't live with John Smith, or work at Big Corp. – Jon Hanna Feb 1 at 12:25
1  
You could also use it for someone who doesn't usually reside with John Smith, but does at that moment. For the latter case, sure, but the question specified "forwarded". The question should be made clearer if that isn't the case. – deadly Feb 1 at 12:32
Or I suppose if it wasn't work related. I do use ℅ with personal deliveries to my office as it's polite to distinguish that from business mail, along with a convenience to see which are which. – Jon Hanna Feb 1 at 12:37

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.