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Questions tagged [salutations]

A salutation is a greeting used in a letter or other written or non-written communication.

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Should the salutation when addressing a principal be 'Dear Principal' or 'Dear Sir'? [closed]

Write a letter to the principal of your school, giving him at least two reasons why he should allow you attend your elder sister's wedding. Question: Should the salutation be 'Dear Principal' or 'Dear ...
Ayoola Igwe's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
124 views

1850s English equivalent to "Ladies and Gentlemen" for introducing an act to a working class crowd?

I'm working on a script for a story set in 1850s London and in it my main characters visit a music hall. I had originally been planning on including some background monologue to the effect of "...
mattihase's user avatar
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Is it appropriate to skip salutation and just get to the point when you are replying to a potential employer? [duplicate]

So, I've been sending emails back and forth to this company regarding some job opportunities but I always find it a bit awkward as to how I'm supposed to reply to them. Say they asked me for my ...
Akash's user avatar
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14 votes
3 answers
2k views

Salutation for three or more professors

I need to send a letter/email to 4 professors. What is the correct salutation? Professors Smith, Johnson, Lee & Chun Professor Smith, Professor Johnson, Professor Lee & Professor Chun ...
aga's user avatar
  • 149
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0 answers
41 views

What to say when someone is going to sleep during day? [duplicate]

Usually, before going to sleep in night, we would say "Good night" to others but what to say when we are going to sleep for an hour or two during day time? It can be in morning or afternoon ...
Gopi's user avatar
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2 votes
4 answers
166 views

Formal salutation of a servant to a child?

Let's say I have someone like Alfred Pennyworth. Such a person would obviously address the man and woman of the house as "Sir" and "Madam". (For example, "Would sir care for a beverage?") How could ...
Matthew's user avatar
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1 answer
324 views

Cover letter salutation - Sir <Full Name>?

I know the hiring supervisor's name. Is it okay to open the cover letter with "Dear Sir Full Name"?
underdisplayname's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
1k views

Addressing several doctors in a salutation [duplicate]

Good morning Drs Smith, Brown, and Jones, (Is this correct?)
Linda's user avatar
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5 votes
3 answers
3k views

E-mail greeting: "Dear Brice," vs "Brice," [closed]

I am somewhat sensitive to politeness and basic rules of courtesy, so (almost) all the e-mails that I write contain greetings and salutations, such as: Dear Jane, [...] Best, ...
Seub's user avatar
  • 197
1 vote
2 answers
6k views

Is it "Yours faithfully" when ending an impersonal email to a company NAME?

Can someone address the grey area her: If you're addressing a company name via email, for the first time, and have no idea who the recipient is, you are using a "name" but there is nothing informal to ...
Robin's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
4k views

Shoud I use a new line after Hi (someone's name) in e-mail? [closed]

In an e-mail, suppose we start with Hi John. Should I follow with Hi John, some content (i) or Hi John, some content (ii) Is there any etiquette behind choice (i) vs (ii)?
J.Doe's user avatar
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Faithfully, or sincerely? [duplicate]

When sending letters home our school uses 'Dear Parent' as the salutation. The person in charge of proof-reading our outgoing correspondence insists that the sign-off should be 'Yours sincerely'. I ...
brotherwarren's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
180 views

Commas, commas everywhere and not a proper comma placed!

I'm a complete imbecile when it comes to grammar. Could someone kindly help me properly place the punctuation in this sentence: Hi, I'm a lost cause, people! Hi; I'm a lost cause, people! Hi! I'm a ...
le guest's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
3k views

What's the correct way to address someone in a letter when you know their name but not their gender? [duplicate]

I'm writing a formal appeal letter as a reply to a letter I got from a government agency. Unfortunately, the person sending it only put their name with an intial, e.g. "J. Smith" and no title. They're ...
Zissou's user avatar
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-1 votes
1 answer
2k views

Proper Email Salutations to a group [closed]

Is it inappropriate to use the salutation "Ladies" when referring to a group 5 women in an email? I was told the term could be offensive to women. Is this true? I usually use the term "Folks" when ...
George C's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
14k views

Order of placing Mr. and Mrs. in a wedding card [closed]

I am designing a wedding card, I need to know how to start it, these are some samples: Mrs. & Mr. Xyz invite you.... Mr. & Mrs. Xyz invite you.... Mrs. Abc & Mr. Xyz invite you.... Mr. ...
zeeali's user avatar
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1 answer
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How etiquettical is it to start off a professional email with 'Hey'?

I've been wondering, why whould folks avoid the usage of Hey to greet someone/team as the mail starts, did that really read grotesque? What could be the alternatives other than the conventionals?
Keyshov Borate's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
3k views

What is the etymology and the context of calling an unrelated woman "sister"?

For specific context, the question arose out of discussing Han Solo calling Princess Leia "sister" in "Star Wars" Episode IV. What is the etymology and context of using the term "sister" in this way? ...
DVK's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
2k views

Referring to someone when you only know their last name

Our company occasionally has to write letters to a third-party in response to a complaint. There are times when we only know the complainant's last name (usually with first initial). Typically, we ...
Paul's user avatar
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3 votes
2 answers
265k views

Capitalization for email greeting: Good morning OR Good Morning [closed]

In an email greeting "Good morning" does the word "morning" need to be capitalized? Is it Good Morning or Good morning?
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2 answers
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How to use title in salutation, when recepient's name is unknown

I'm sending a formal letter to an adjudicator but do not know his or her name. What would be the most appropriate salutation? Dear Adjudicator: Dear adjudicator: Dear sir or madam: To whom it may ...
Celeritas's user avatar
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13 votes
4 answers
99k views

"Sir or Madam" vs "Madam or Sir" in formal letter

In a formal letter addressed to one or more unknown recipients, "Dear Sir or Madam" is the customary salutation. As a German native speaker, who is used to "Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren", writing "...
henning no longer feeds AI's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
1k views

In search for universal formal greetings [closed]

I am dealing with a system which is supposed to autoreply to certain emails. It cannot start with 'Dear (forename)' as it cannot parse a forename from email address or original email. It also cannot ...
G33K's user avatar
  • 109
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

How to refer to several titled individuals, "Mr x,y,z PhD"? [duplicate]

How does one abbreviate "Mr Adams PhD, Mr Benson PhD, Mr Charles PhD" to use just one salutation and one title.
Maesumi's user avatar
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5 votes
3 answers
38k views

Formal salutation to a group [duplicate]

I need to write a formal letter to a group of people consisting of two females and two males. One of the females is unmarried. "Dear Sirs" must be out of the question. "Dear Madam / Miss / Sirs" ...
Jonah's user avatar
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0 answers
443 views

"Hi, Joe," versus "Hi Joe," [duplicate]

The salutation "hi, Joe," often does not have a comma after "hi." "Hi" is not a modifier like "dear." It is not part of a person's title. "Hi" is an interjection and is normally set off with commas. ...
Anthony McDonald's user avatar
0 votes
4 answers
67k views

What is the most formal way to address a respected person while referring to his name?

I'd like to know which form is more formal and respectful to address a respected person while referring to his name. Should I mention the person's first name instead of writing "Sir" for example by ...
Ubiquitous Student's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
2k views

Address one known person and multiple unknown people in a letter

I am submitting my CV to a company for the purposes of an internship application, I know the name of the the person who manages the interns, but he has told me that he will pass my CV onto the rest of ...
Morgoth's user avatar
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-1 votes
1 answer
855 views

What verb goes with “mood” in the context of a polite social inquiry?

How would I best ask someone to share their mood with me? It needs to be snappy and easily understood. For example, given these three choices of verb: share your mood express your mood convey your ...
tomhallam's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
957 views

Is is more appropriate to salute the organization, or the members of the organization?

I am writing a thank-you letter for a scholarship I received from the AFCEA – Bethesda Chapter. I am not sure how to write the salutation though. Two alternatives I have considered are: Dear AFCEA ...
AJMansfield's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
22k views

Is it OK to write "Good to see you" in an email or Facebook message?

An old friend of mine wrote some greetings to me on facebook. Now if I want to answer his greetings, is it OK to write the following? "Hi, John, good to see you again" Because I don't "see" him ...
Delmonte's user avatar
  • 155
8 votes
6 answers
201k views

Should a note be addressed with "Hi all" or "Hi All"?

It is common to begin an email with the greeting "hi all" when the note is addressed to multiple recipients. What, however, is the correct capitalization of "all" in this context? Does it become a ...
Doubt's user avatar
  • 419
2 votes
3 answers
19k views

What is the correct way to respond to sender with full name

I recently received an email I need to respond to, but I am unsure of the correct way to address the sender. Dear Mr Sayse, [ . . . email body . . . ] Regards Joe Bloggs Is it correct to respond ...
Sayse's user avatar
  • 123
1 vote
4 answers
17k views

Is a salutation necessary in an email to an unknown person? [closed]

I am submitting an unsolicited article to a magazine by email. The publication's website provides an email address but not a name. Rather than starting the email "To Whom it May Concern", "Dear Sir ...
Ellen Spertus's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
80k views

Can I put "Greetings" at the end of an email, and if so, how? [closed]

I am not a native speaker and I'm having trouble with formalities like opening and ending emails. In German, it is common to end an informal email with the phrase Viele Grüße, which means "Many ...
Kodama's user avatar
  • 133
0 votes
3 answers
917 views

Is there a more eloquent way to say this? [closed]

I'm writing a Salutatorian speech, and would like to say something to the effect "I'm up here and I don't know why." However, I don't know how to say it without offending anybody or seeming rude... ...
Destiny Andrews's user avatar
2 votes
4 answers
61k views

Why do they address me "Dear (surname)"?

I have a little international business contact, and sometimes, some people write me a mail and address me as "Dear (my surname)", no "Mr", no nothing. Where is this common and how so? I never knew ...
Kebap's user avatar
  • 29
0 votes
0 answers
83 views

Salutation in motivation letter for academic purpose [duplicate]

What salutation should be used except "Dear Sir\Madam," in motivation letter for enroll in Master or doctoral program? "Dear person responsible for application review," ? Also I read that ":" ...
user2952921's user avatar
1 vote
5 answers
409 views

I want to refer to Bill Gates on his blog with respect in the comments section

One way to address Bill Gates with respect would be to simply write Sir, but I don't want other readers to get confused about who I'm referring to. How do I refer to him with respect without creating ...
user72227's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
665 views

Word order in salutations

Can we use a reverse order in salutations? For example, Tom, hello/hi instead of Hello/hi, Tom
DiKo's user avatar
  • 11
5 votes
3 answers
38k views

Salutation for two doctors (not married)

Does use of the salutation Dear Drs. Apple and Banana, imply that Dr. Apple is married to Dr. Banana? That is, would it be better form to use: Dear Dr. Apple and Dr. Banana, when Dr. Apple ...
merv's user avatar
  • 153
0 votes
1 answer
1k views

Punctuating a salutation on a line by itself [duplicate]

In a salutation on a line by itself, which version is punctuated correctly? Hi, Mr Lawler, I am writing to say [...] Hi Mr Lawler, I am writing to say [...] Hi, Mr Lawler. I am ...
whippoorwill's user avatar
  • 2,471
5 votes
6 answers
25k views

Addressing a formal letter to multiple people with unknown names

What is the most appropriate way to address a motivational letter for a graduate program? Multiple people will read the letter. How should I address it if I want to avoid the "To whom it may concern" ...
superAnnoyingUser's user avatar
37 votes
2 answers
506k views

Title in a letter to an unknown person

Many times when writing a letter asking to a department of my university, I'm hesitating for the appropriate title. Say I want to email "Student Insurance Office" to ask about insurance coverage. ...
anecdote's user avatar
  • 481
8 votes
4 answers
92k views

To whoever it may concern

I received a letter of confirmation for funding from an English native speaker. She started the letter with: To whoever it may concern, I am not a native speaker, but that sounds quite odd to me ...
Miles's user avatar
  • 81
5 votes
7 answers
15k views

An alternative valediction to "godspeed" wishing someone success in a venture

I am essentially searching for a well-wishing exclamation that does not imply divine intervention.
XedMada's user avatar
  • 303
0 votes
1 answer
4k views

Start a letter/email with a minuscule or a majuscule

So in German when you write a letter, you start the body with a minuscule letter because the salutation is seen as an interjection, I presume: Dear Max, We just saw [yada, yada, letter] Dear Max, we ...
thekeyofgb's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
5k views

Addressing email to more than one person

Which ones are correct: 'Hi All' or is it 'Hi all'. (A)ll does not look right 'Hi Peter/John' or 'Hi Peter, John' when you want to specifically address the e-mail to two people, i.e. so they clearly ...
user59727's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
1k views

salutation for formal letters

I was taught in school that Sir is the appropriate addressing for a formal letter to say a head of institution or principal. Dear sir shows familiarity which is not preferred. Does this hold today?
user146297's user avatar
-1 votes
2 answers
12k views

Is this salutation correct, "Hi, <name>-" [duplicate]

I have seen this salutation written to me in an email, " Hi, -" Is this correct grammar ?
janiesue's user avatar