atw: Re: Dear Sir/Madam,

  • From: Amanda Cat <amandacat22@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2010 03:45:13 +0000

I concur, Howard.  I always use a comma after "Hi" followed by <name>.

 

I was taught that, whenever addressing a person directly, always offset with a 
comma. 

 

People at my work have commented on it and asked why I do it. Out comes the 
grammar lessons.... ;) 

 

Amanda


 


Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2010 13:39:36 +1000
Subject: atw: Re: Dear Sir/Madam,
From: howard.silcock@xxxxxxxxx
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx


Hi all [is this OK for people on the list?]
 
I notice that this discussion has made me more than usually self-conscious in 
the emails I've been sending today!
 
At the moment I'm having to send emails to a few quite senior people that I've 
never met and I find myself wondering: Should I say 'Dear' or 'Hi'? Should I 
use their first names or 'Mr [or Ms] xxx'? Should I put 'Regards' or 'See ya'? 
 
Maybe sometimes we shouldn't think too much about these things...
 
Howard
 
P.S. Another concern that I'm sure troubles no one else but me is that I think 
we should really write 'Hi, Fred' (with a comma) rather than just 'Hi Fred'. No 
one ever does, but it seems to make more sense grammatically. The 'Dear' in 
'Dear Fred' is an adjective modifying the name, but 'Hi' isn't an adjective and 
doesn't modify anything, so it seems to me we should punctuate the phrase with 
a comma, as we would with 'Come here, Fred' or "good on ya, Fred'. 

 
On 3 August 2010 11:07, Suzy Davis <suzy.davis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:




I notice with my prospects that I am in discussions with will use Hey, or Hiya, 
or even G’day – to denote some level of familiarity with me.
 
I would say that you can assume that Bob and I know of each other.  
 
But it is very subjective.
 
I think the use of “Hi (name)” follows the same rule for the use of “Yours 
sincerely” (if you have an established relationship with them, or “Yours 
faithfully” if you don’t.
 
So I don’t ‘know’ you Bob, except through this list – but that is enough to 
place us in a known relationship, and in my world, use “Hi”, or “Hey” – I would 
normally use “Hi” unless we had chatted a bit.
 
The use of “Hey ...” when no relationship exists, tends to imply to much 
intimacy – and is likely to be used inappropriately by an inexperienced sales 
person – but then it would no doubt be accepted without resistance by younger 
people.  
 
But young people (under 35) may have a different set of rules – and lets face 
it, they are leading the way in social networking.
 
NOTE – I have not really investigated or thought about this in any formal 
sense.  Just exploring.

 
 
Regards Suzy
Suzy Davis 
Microsoft Word Templates
& Documentation Projects 

Create Space 
PO Box 404 
Brighton VIC 3186
Australia 
Direct +61 3 9593 6568 
Mobile +61 433 489 989 
Email suzy.davis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Email suzy.davis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
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From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Howard Silcock
Sent: Tuesday, 3 August 2010 10:20 AM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Re: Dear Sir/Madam,
 

Ahoy Suzy


> Hey Bob

 

> ...


 

> If I am sending an email to someone I don’t know; I will use Hi (name), and 
> Hello if it’s a team or more than one.

Do we assume, then, that you do know Bob and that this is another style that 
you use for people you know?

 

Howard 

 

 




On 3 August 2010 08:45, Suzy Davis <suzy.davis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: 

 



Hey Bob
Any email that begins with “Dear” is immediately in the category of spam until 
it proves itself to be otherwise J  And it may not get that chance.
 
If I am sending an email to someone I don’t know; I will use Hi (name), and 
Hello if it’s a team or more than one.
 
My second line will be where I will identify who I am and how I got their name 
and specify why I am contacting them, and apologise for interrupting their day 
if necessary..
 
Regards Suzy
 
Suzy Davis 
Microsoft Word Templates
& Documentation Projects 

 
Create Space 

PO Box 404 
Brighton VIC 3186 
Australia 
Direct +61 3 9593 6568 
Mobile +61 433 489 989 

Email suzy.davis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Email suzy.davis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Website www.appsforoffice.com

Facebook : Apps for Office
Twitter AppsForOffice

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