"Mr" "miss", "mrs", "ms".

[Rachel Adams]

Hello.

When we know the name of the person we are writing to either Dear Mr./Miss/ Mrs./Ms. is used. But are they followed by both first name and surname or surname only?
For example, Dear Mr. Ben Brown, Dear Miss Anna Smith, Dear Mrs. Anna Smith, Dear Ms. Anna Smith.

 

[GoesStation]

Surname only.

 

[Tdol]

You can use the full name on the envelope if you're writing a letter, but use only the surname in the letter.

 

[Rachel Adams]

You can use the full name on the envelope if you're writing a letter, but use only the surname in the letter.

If the name is known Dear Sir and Dear Madam are also followed by surnames, aren't they?

 

[PeterCW]

No.

Using sir or madam in the salutation if you know the recipient's name is rather old fashioned in British English.

 

[emsr2d2]

If the name is known, "Dear Sir" and "Dear Madam" are also followed by surnames, aren't they?

No. The point of "Dear Sir" and "Dear Madam" is that you either don't know the person's name or you don't want to use it. "Dear Sir/Madam" is used when you have no idea who you're writing to.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

No. The point of "Dear Sir" and "Dear Madam" is that you either don't know the person's name or you don't want to use it. "Dear Sir/Madam" is used when you have no idea who you're writing to.

And then only if you're certain that the person who will get it is a man or a woman (which is unlikely).

And Sir and Madam sound old-fashioned and aristocratic.

So I don't use them. When I write to an organization and don't know the name of the person the letter will go to, I use the name of the organization:

- Dear Coca Cola:
- Dear American Civil Liberties Union:
- Dear Wendy's:

. . . or the name of the department:

- Dear Accounts Receivable:
- Dear Customer Service:
- Dear Service Department:

. . . or the recipient's job title:

- Dear Executive Director:
- Dear Volunteer Coordinator:
- Dear Webmaster:

 

[Tdol]

And Sir and Madam sound old-fashioned and aristocratic.

They don't sound that aristocratic when I use them. ;-)

 

[emsr2d2]

I don't really have an opinion on the formality or old-fashionedness. I honestly can't remember the last time I wrote a letter rather than sent an email! If I'm sending an email to an address that includes the name of the recipient, clearly I know the name of the recipient and could start with "Dear Mr/Mrs etc ...". If I'm sending it to an email address that starts with something like "accounts@" or "info@", I just start with "Good morning/afternoon".

Having said that, even if I know the name of the person I'm emailing, I'm still more likely to start with "Good morning/afternoon". I really would reserve "Dear Sir/Madam/Mr/Mrs etc" for handwritten letters on paper in an envelope. Now that's antiquated!

 

[Rollercoaster1]

Surname only.

I barely controlled my laugh when I thought of people whose surname is Butt! No offence.

Should one still use the surname in this sort of situation?

 

[emsr2d2]

I barely controlled my laugh when I thought of people whose surname is Butt! No offence.

Should one still use the surname in this sort of situation?

Are you suggesting that you might not use someone's surname just because you think it's funny? If so, don't be ridiculous. If it's appropriate to use someone's name, use it. It doesn't matter what the name is.

 

[GoesStation]

I barely controlled my laugh when I thought of people whose surname is Butt! No offence.

Should one still use the surname in this sort of situation?

Yes, because that's the person's name. My wife once worked for the Butt and Head Construction Company. It's a funny name, but the owners apparently weren't ashamed to name the company after themselves. They must have had a sense of humor.

 

[PeterCW]

I barely controlled my laugh when I thought of people whose surname is Butt! No offence.

Should one still use the surname in this sort of situation?

Slang does change, in BrE that wouldn't have raised a smile twenty or thirty years ago but we are more aware of the American usage now.

 

[Rover_KE]

Furthermore, we were watching Nicky Butt play football for Manchester United and England for decades until he retired in 2010.

Most of us grow out of smirking at names like Ed Balls (former senior British politician), Michelle Wie (professional golfer – pronounced 'wee') and Cressida Dick (Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service in London) when we leave our adolescence behind.

 

[Tdol]

I barely controlled my laugh when I thought of people whose surname is Butt! No offence.

Should one still use the surname in this sort of situation?

Practise saying it with a straight face before you meet them.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

. . . I really would reserve "Dear Sir/Madam/Mr/Mrs etc" for handwritten letters on paper in an envelope. Now that's antiquated!

Absolutely! That's what I thought we were talking about.

Until I retired just a few years ago, I sent postal letters all the time. In an email, I would never use "Dear" anything.

 

[emsr2d2]

Absolutely! That's what I thought we were talking about.

It probably would have been a good idea for us to clarify with the OP, at the start of the thread, whether they were talking about a posted (mailed) letter or an email. It definitely makes a difference.

 

[Rachel Adams]

It probably would have been a good idea for us to clarify with the OP, at the start of the thread, whether they were talking about a posted (mailed) letter or an email. It definitely makes a difference.

I was talking about both. But don't you use "mr", "ms", "mrs", "miss" in a posted letter?

 

[Tdol]

Until I retired just a few years ago, I sent postal letters all the time. In an email, I would never use "Dear" anything.

If you wanted to come out of retirement, what would you use in an email applying for a job?

 

[Tdol]

I was talking about both. But don't you use "mr", "ms", "mrs", "miss" in a posted letter?

I do, with the first letter capitalised.