Regardless of the language used, writing the recipient’s full name in the salutation is integral in preventing miscommunication, and hence, recommended in the formal context. Using the preposition “to” is often applied in rather formal business letters or those containing more sensitive content, such as financial or legal information.
Most likely the easiest, as well as the shortest, salutation that we can use is the preposition “To” and ideally followed by the addressee’s complete name. Here are some formal alternatives to “Dear Sir or Madam.”ġ0 Alternative Expressions for Dear Sir or Madam
#Alternatives for to whom it may concern how to#
Thus, it is crucial that we know when and how to calibrate details as such. Writing is context-bound, and interpretation is also dependent on the reader’s angle or point of view so, it is essential that we consider the overall context to be able to determine the appropriate tone of our message.Īpart from the date and the address information in formalistic letters, salutations are the first thing readers see. In the absence of a writer’s voice, any text with a mismatched tonality may impede the success of the message, and hence, it may come across as offensive.Ī salutation that’s too formal could be perceived as pretentious, whereas something too casual may also evoke feelings of discomfort toward the recipient. This is because…even the slightest details could bear certain connotations that may affect the reader’s interpretation of the writer’s message and attitude. In correspondence, it is ideal that we know whom exactly we should address our message to however, this seemingly no-brainer task can be a bit tricky sometimes. The conjunction “or” is used to mean that the two titles are optional, thereby suggesting that the gender is also unknown to the writer. The honorific “Sir” is masculine, while “Madam” is feminine in English. The salutation “Dear Sir or Madam” may imply that the writer doesn’t know the addressee. What does using “Dear Sir or Madam” imply? To deal with this, we can use alternative expressions instead, for having a bunch of options with certain connotations enables us to adjust the tonality of our message. This is what can be implied by using “Dear Sir or Madam” as salutation, which is a bit obnoxious for the reader. ‘Dear Sir or Madam’ is used when you are addressing the occupant of a particular post where you do not know their name or writing to a random member of an organisation.In a world driven by quick and easy access to information, it is almost impossible not to know whom we should dedicate our letters or e-mails to.Īs this is the case, it’s almost always considered impolite to write fleeting or unspecific addressees because it may suggest that we didn’t exert enough time and effort to inquire or search for such details.
Just imagine the doors that would open for you if you held a letter of introduction from Bill Gates! Letters of introduction were more important before the telephone age, but are still relevant, especially if signed by someone important. ‘To whom it may concern’ is used when the letter is to be given by the holder to anybody - for example, you write a letter of introduction for a relation, or an open letter of reference (that the person sends to prospective employers) for a good employee.