Can 'engineer' be considered as title in salutation?

[skystar30097]

Is that correct to say 'dear engineer Long' as salutation in letter writing?

I wonder if engineer is used in this context?

 

[emsr2d2]

Not if their job is something like a mechanical engineer. However, I think "Engineer" is a rank in one of the military forces so it might be possible to address them as such. I'm really not sure about that rank though.

 

[skystar30097]

I just mean sb whose job is as mechanical engineering.

 

[emsr2d2]

I just mean [STRIKE]sb[/STRIKE] somebody whose job is [STRIKE]as[/STRIKE] mechanical engineer[STRIKE]ing[/STRIKE].

No. A person who has taken a degree in mechanical engineering would be able to put the letter "BEng" after their name at the end of the letter, but it doesn't give them a title in the sense you tried to use it. You would just address them as "Dear Mr Long" in a letter.

 

[5jj]

I think "Engineer" is a rank in one of the military forces

Not in the British Services.

 

[emsr2d2]

Not in the British Services.

Thanks. I know next to nothing about the military so I thought perhaps those in the "Royal Engineers" might be known as Engineers. Now I know better.

 

[bhaisahab]

Thanks. I know next to nothing about the military so I thought perhaps those in the "Royal Engineers" might be known as Engineers. Now I know better.

An ordinary soldier in the Royal Engineers is a "sapper". An officer is an "officer of engineers". I believe that's still the case, my grandfather was in the Royal Engineers from 1913 until 1921.

 

[5jj]

The Royal Englineers have the same rank structure as other units of the British army, except that the private of other units is is a sapper.

 

[5jj]

The Royal Englineers have the same rank structure as other units of the British army, except that the private of other units is a sapper.

I have just realised that that is slightly ambiguous. I meant that the rank known in most other units as private is known as sapper in the Royal Engineers - as bhai had already said.

 

[Tdol]

Is that correct to say 'dear engineer Long' as salutation in letter writing?

I wonder if engineer is used in this context?

Not in English. It is used in some European countries, but we don't. However, if we did, we'd use a capital letter. And one for Dear too. ;-)

 

[Barb_D]

We see things like this a lot in these forums: Teacher Tdol, Engineer Smith


In the US, with the exception of political titles (Senator Dummkopf, Assemblyman Graft) and professors but not teachers (Professor Jones), we just use Mr., Mrs., Miss, or Ms. (And yes, we still use the period after Ms., Mr., and Mrs.)

 

[5jj]

In the US, with the exception of political titles (Senator Dummkopf, Assemblyman Graft) and professors but not teachers (Professor Jones), we just use Mr., Mrs., Miss, or Ms.

And military/police ranks, in the right context: Major Rhode, Inspector Lorstit. In Britain, we address our members of parliament simply as Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms, [Sir.../Dame...] or Dr. Members of the House of Lords may be addressed as Lord/Lady ..., but many members of both houses now pretend that they prefer to be addressed by their first names. It shows how democratic they are.

(And yes, we still use the period after Ms., Mr., and Mrs.)

Fine. Many of us writers of BrE don't.

 

[5jj]

In the US, with the exception of political titles (Senator Dummkopf, Assemblyman Graft) and professors but not teachers (Professor Jones), we just use Mr., Mrs., Miss, or Ms.

And military/police ranks, in the right context: Commander Postule, Inspector Lorstit. In Britain, we address our members of parliament simply as Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms, [Sir.../Dame...] or Dr. Members of the House of Lords may be addressed as Lord/Lady ..., but many members of both houses now pretend that they prefer to be addressed by their first names. It shows how democratic they are.

(And yes, we still use the period after Ms., Mr., and Mrs.)

Fine. Many of us writers of BrE don't.

 

[Barb_D]

Yes, thanks - we (US) certainly do in the in military and law enforcement as well. Sorry!

 

[5jj]

Yes, thanks - we (US) certainly do in the in military and law enforcement as well. Sorry!

Carry on, sergeant.

 

[Barb_D]

Sigh. I've told you many times that I was in the NAVY! (So it's even more embarrassing that I forgot about using ranks as forms of address.)

 

[5jj]

Sigh. I've told you many times that I was in the NAVY!

So was I. Sorry. Carry on, chief.