Dear ???

When replying to a business inquiry, if we don't know wether the person is male or female (but know the name), we can't use Mr. and Mrs. How can we start the e-mail? Just the family name after "Dear" is OK??

"Dear Sir or Madam" would be the best way to go.

mjd

I was told by an American girl at uni that American women don't like being addressed as "madam"....it has different connotations over there. I read a book called "84 Charing Cross Road" about communication by mail over many years between a woman in New York who collected old and rare books and a firm of booksellers in London. The first letter she received from England opened with "Dear Madam". In her reply she said: "I hope Madam doesn't mean over there what it means here".

In the US South they seem to use ma'am a lot.

Damian,

Yeah, this issue has been brought up before. It's possible that some women would feel old if someone were to address them as "madam." However, I disagree with what that girl told you. It's not a title that is often used...it sounds very formal, but it certainly isn't impolite. "Dear Sir or Madam" is used in the business world, where formality in letters and documents is commonplace.

"Ma'am" is commonly used as a courtesy, especially in formal situations, throughout the U.S.

Although I have never used it myself, I was taught in school (in the US) that formal business letters should start with "To whom it may concern."

Hehe I was also told that a formal business letter should end with "Yours truly" even though, at least to my ears, that sounds much too informal.

"To whom it may concern" is fine too.

With formal stuff, like business or official letters I think in the UK here it should be:

Dear Sir/Madam, then ending with "yours faithfully". I don't think we use "truly" here so maybe it's American.

For informal letters, addressed to whoever ...friends etc.. eg Dear Mary...they would end "Yours sincerely". If you write (but WHO the hell writes letters now anyway with email and texting?) to close mates/friends..you can put anything you like who cares? LOL

Textpeak is a different language altogether and universal. I rd in papr tht 1 grl wrote exm ppr al in txtspk...& pssd

i know the word madamE with an "e" means a woman who runs a whorehouse, so maybe thats what she meant.