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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
Addressing a letter to a committee
Hello all.
I have to write an application to a committee, I seem to remember one option being "Dear Sirs/Mesdames" but that seems horribly formal and outdated. Is there a preferred greeting?
Mekon
I have to write an application to a committee, I seem to remember one option being "Dear Sirs/Mesdames" but that seems horribly formal and outdated. Is there a preferred greeting?
Mekon
Top answer
Gentlemen:
- Gentlemen:
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29 Answers
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[nq:1]I prefer "Dear Committee".[/nq]
"Dear Sirs/Mesdames" strikes me as odd. I have seen both "Dear Sirs" and "Messieurs & Mesdames" in British guides, but if these are too formal and outdated, then why not address the letter to the Committee and then as a salutation use "Dear Committee Members"?
Redwine
Hamburg
(previously: Berlin, Northants, Derbs, Staffs, NSW, Tasmania, Me
"Dear Sirs/Mesdames" strikes me as odd. I have seen both "Dear Sirs" and "Messieurs & Mesdames" in British guides, but if these are too formal and outdated, then why not address the letter to the Committee and then as a salutation use "Dear Committee Members"?
Redwine
Hamburg
(previously: Berlin, Northants, Derbs, Staffs, NSW, Tasmania, Me
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"Mekon" (Email Removed) schrieb im Newsbeitrag
[nq:1]Hello all. I have to write an application to a committee, I seem to remember oneoption being "Dear Sirs/Mesdames" but that seems horribly formal and outdated. Is there a preferred greeting?[/nq]
Until fairly recently, it was always "Dear Sirs", even if it was likely that some committee members were women. These days, of course, that's n
[nq:1]Hello all. I have to write an application to a committee, I seem to remember oneoption being "Dear Sirs/Mesdames" but that seems horribly formal and outdated. Is there a preferred greeting?[/nq]
Until fairly recently, it was always "Dear Sirs", even if it was likely that some committee members were women. These days, of course, that's n
00
Almost anything is better than this. American use of the slash / is borrowed from military signals
(to save space), looks unusual (since it has no
other function in writing except URLs) and has
been too often abused (e.g. people write about
the gay/lesbian communities or even the gay/
lesbian/transexual communities.)
The conventional meaning of the slash is and/or
i.e.
(to save space), looks unusual (since it has no
other function in writing except URLs) and has
been too often abused (e.g. people write about
the gay/lesbian communities or even the gay/
lesbian/transexual communities.)
The conventional meaning of the slash is and/or
i.e.
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"Don Phillipson" (Email Removed) schrieb im Newsbeitrag
[nq:1]The conventional meaning of the slash is and/or i.e. it should be interpreted to mean (indifferently) either one or both ... as if the word etudiants excluded every female student which is unlikely or ridiculous, depending on your initial attitude.)[/nq]
German is even better or worse, depending on your point of view.
[nq:1]The conventional meaning of the slash is and/or i.e. it should be interpreted to mean (indifferently) either one or both ... as if the word etudiants excluded every female student which is unlikely or ridiculous, depending on your initial attitude.)[/nq]
German is even better or worse, depending on your point of view.
00
[nq:1]"Dear Sirs and Mesdames" is only accurate if the committee is made up of both men and women; "Dear Sirs ... up of the members of one *** only. "Dear Sirs and/or Mesdames" is accurate, but ugly. "Dear Committee" is impersonal.[/nq]
So is your address to the committee. You don't address each member personally (not even if one of them is your uncle), but as part of the committee.
T
So is your address to the committee. You don't address each member personally (not even if one of them is your uncle), but as part of the committee.
T
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[nq:2]I prefer "Dear Committee".[/nq]
[nq:1]"Dear Sirs/Mesdames" strikes me as odd. I have seen both "Dear Sirs" and "Messieurs & Mesdames" in British guides, but if these are too formal and outdated, then why not address the letter to the Committee and then as a salutation use "Dear Committee Members"?[/nq]
Because you address the committee as a whole.
I know it's hairsplitting, but i
[nq:1]"Dear Sirs/Mesdames" strikes me as odd. I have seen both "Dear Sirs" and "Messieurs & Mesdames" in British guides, but if these are too formal and outdated, then why not address the letter to the Committee and then as a salutation use "Dear Committee Members"?[/nq]
Because you address the committee as a whole.
I know it's hairsplitting, but i
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[nq:1]Because you address the committee as a whole. I know it's hairsplitting, but isn't it a difference between addressing an institution and addressing each member of that institution?[/nq]
I like hairsplitting! Yes, there is a difference - although in some legal bodies there is no difference at all, whereas in others the difference is significant.
On the basis of the OP's question and i
I like hairsplitting! Yes, there is a difference - although in some legal bodies there is no difference at all, whereas in others the difference is significant.
On the basis of the OP's question and i
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"Arcadian Rises" (Email Removed) schrieb im Newsbeitrag
[nq:1]Because you address the committee as a whole. I know it's hairsplitting, but isn't it a difference between addressing an institution and addressing each member of that institution?[/nq]
A committee is a collection of individuals, though, that's the point. When the US President addresses the country as a whole, he doesn't say, "
[nq:1]Because you address the committee as a whole. I know it's hairsplitting, but isn't it a difference between addressing an institution and addressing each member of that institution?[/nq]
A committee is a collection of individuals, though, that's the point. When the US President addresses the country as a whole, he doesn't say, "
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