To Whom It May Concern

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Forbes

#402359 Thu, 09 Aug 07 12:43 PM

Honie wrote:
I would like to know, we can use this phrase or not "to whom this may concern" instead of "to whom it may concern" if using it, that wrong or not?

I have never seen the phrase "to whom this may concern".

Forbes

Joined on Thu, Jun 16 2005

Regular Member (834)

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Clive

#402625 Thu, 09 Aug 07 11:48 PM

Hi Honi,

Welcome to the Forum.

I'd just like to repeat for you this note that I wrote in an earlier post in this thread.

A few special cases were described earlier in which 'To whom it may concern' could be used. Other than those, my advice to English learners is to never use this phrase. I don't remember the last time that I used it myself.

Best wishes, Clive

Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004

Canada

Veteran Member (21,212)

El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

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Aronika28

#403652 Sun, 12 Aug 07 07:51 PM

I would like to thank you for explanations on this phrase. Personally, I hate it. I work as an interpreter and I always have difficulties to deal with this phrase. Part of the problem is in the fact that I can hardly find anything similar in my language and greater part of the problem is in the fact that I work in the company where official working language is English but people who work in the company are rarely English native speakers and tend too much to use phrases they do not understand properly. Thus, I often come to the situations to either completely drop this phrase or change it as best fits the context.

Aronika28

Joined on Tue, Jul 31 2007

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Junior Member (88)

Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.

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Clive

#403657 Sun, 12 Aug 07 08:06 PM

Hi,

I often come to the situations to either completely drop this phrase or change it as best fits the context. Your instincts are right. Smile [:)]

Good luck, Clive

Clive

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Forbes

#404216 Tue, 14 Aug 07 01:03 AM

Strangely enough I used the phrase only recently. It was in a letter signed by a parent to allow their child to travel with me. In that case it is entirely correct because it is not known who is going to read the letter. I concede that the phrase is completely unnecessary, but then so is "Dear Sir". It is just a matter of form.

Forbes

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Forbes

#404217 Tue, 14 Aug 07 01:12 AM

Aronika28 wrote:

I would like to thank you for explanations on this phrase. Personally, I hate it. I work as an interpreter and I always have difficulties to deal with this phrase. Part of the problem is in the fact that I can hardly find anything similar in my language and greater part of the problem is in the fact that I work in the company where official working language is English but people who work in the company are rarely English native speakers and tend too much to use phrases they do not understand properly. Thus, I often come to the situations to either completely drop this phrase or change it as best fits the context.

Lots of languages have phrases that can be translated literally, but have no equivalent. A French sign would say: Il est formellement inderdit de fumer = It is formally forbidden to smoke, but an English sign would just say No smoking.

As an aside, I loved the sign I saw in Tunisia: Don't come inside.

Forbes

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Anonymous

#410654 Tue, 28 Aug 07 06:14 PM

This is the phrase used at the beginning of a letter when you do not know the person who should recieve the letter. We often use "Dear Sir or Madam" in this situation too, which is a bit more polite and personal. "To whom it may concern" is very impersonal and means the letter is addressed "to who ever may be interested" in the information in the letter. Is that clear?

Anonymous

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Clive

#410684 Tue, 28 Aug 07 07:24 PM

Hi,

However, if I may repeat my earlier comment, I think that most people would need to write such a beginning to a letter quite rarely. Smile [:)]

Clive

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Feebs11

#410868 Wed, 29 Aug 07 01:44 AM

Clive wrote:
Hi,

I disagree.

A few special cases were described earlier in which 'To whom it may concern' could be used. Other than those, my advice to English learners is to never use this phrase. I don't remember the last time that I used it myself.

In addition, I never see letters here in N. America with 'Yours faithfully'.

Best wishes, Clive

The only time I have ever used it was in an open reference for an employee leaving without a specific job to go to. In this case, it is impossible to address the letter to anyone. It is best not used in most circumstances.

Feebs11

Joined on Thu, Nov 23 2006

Senior Member (4,928)

Whom, Yours faithfully

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