Letter Beginnings

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Anonymous

#346443 Mon, 02 Apr 07 07:49 PM

Hi folks,

This is my first post. Nice forum. Recently I wrote an email letter to a company because I had a complaint, and I copied several of my friends. The letter began with, "Dear Sirs." I had no real idea who was receiving it, but I did assume that it included both male and female employees and their management.

I received only one reply from the company, and that was from a female, incidently. She thanked me for writing the letter. I did get a reply from a friend I copied the letter to. That was also a female. She also appreciated the letter but was upset at my use of the greeting, "Dear Sirs." She suggested, "To Whom it May Concern", or "To the Producers at XYZ". I don't disagree with her, but is Dear Sirs old fashioned now?

Thanks for your input.

Steve

Anonymous

Whom

Mister Micawber

#346527 Tue, 03 Apr 07 12:38 AM

Welcome to English Forums, Steve.

I don't think Dear Sirs is old-fashioned; it is a set phrase and still heavily in use. On the other hand 'to whom it may concern' is not really appropriate for business letters-- it is a formula used in testimonials mostly, and is rather old fashioned.

Still, I see the awkwardness of using the male gender in this day and age. If it is a very formal business letter, I would stick with Dear Sirs, but otherwise something like Dear ABC Production Department might be the better part of valour; personally, that is the way I greet in most e-mail business letters.

Mister Micawber

Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004

Yokohama

Veteran Member (20,393)

'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'

Business letters, Genders, Whom

Yoong Liat

#346644 Tue, 03 Apr 07 06:27 AM

In Singapore, we write 'Dear Sir / Madam' in letters when we do not know whether the addressee is male or female? . Is this form of address used in other countries?.