How do you refer to people?

[deird1]

Just a poll, because I'm wondering if being in a different country makes a big difference to this...

(Ignore the "dear" if that's not what you'd say - I just put it there because it's the start of a letter.)

Poll #5814 forms of address

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 29

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At work, you're writing a letter to John Smith, whom you've never met. You start...

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Dear Mr Smith
22 (78.6%)

Dear John Smith
2 (7.1%)

Dear John
1 (3.6%)

Dear Mr John Smith
0 (0.0%)

Dear Sir
3 (10.7%)

At work, you're writing a letter to John Smith, whom you've met several times. You start...

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Dear Mr Smith
13 (44.8%)

Dear John Smith
2 (6.9%)

Dear John
13 (44.8%)

Dear Mr John Smith
0 (0.0%)

Dear Sir
1 (3.4%)

At work, you're writing an email to John Smith, whom you've never met. You start...

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Dear Mr Smith
18 (62.1%)

Dear John Smith
1 (3.4%)

Dear John
7 (24.1%)

Dear Mr John Smith
0 (0.0%)

Dear Sir
3 (10.3%)

At work, you're writing an email to John Smith, whom you've met several times. You start...

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Dear Mr Smith
4 (14.3%)

Dear John Smith
0 (0.0%)

Dear John
23 (82.1%)

Dear Mr John Smith
0 (0.0%)

Dear Sir
1 (3.6%)

It makes a difference if you're...

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not at work
20 (69.0%)

writing to Jane Smith instead of John
4 (13.8%)

an inferior, a superior, or an equal
18 (62.1%)

trying to be polite
14 (48.3%)

talking to them face-to-face
18 (62.1%)

Questions? Comments?

Comments

[beer_good_foamy]

I mostly just continue to be boggled by how formal most languages are. I start almost all my work e-mails (I haven't written a letter in years) with "Hi First Name," regardless of how well I know them. I once had to spend several days convincing my German boss that "Hi" is acceptable and that most Swedes would either laugh their asses off, be offended, or assume that it was poorly translated spam if they were addressed as "Highly Esteemed Mr Doctor Last Name."

[deird1]

*nods*

If I started a business email with "Dear Mr Smith", I'd probably get people assuming I was snobby, aloof, and unfriendly. Mostly I'd start with "John -"

[quinara]

I'd probably get people assuming I was snobby, aloof, and unfriendly. Mostly I'd start with "John -"

See, to me, a name without anything preceding it comes across as abrupt and slightly rude!

[deird1]

How strange and different!

Someday I'm going to work for an international conglomerate, and offend every single international person I have to email...

[swellen.livejournal.com]

Almost without fail, when I get an email that starts with just my first name and no salutation, it's from someone who is annoyed and wants to complain about something. So my back goes up immediately when I see that!

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

Every email I ever receive from Swedes begins with "Hi Stephen" apart from the ones that start "Hello Stephen", so you're not alone. :)

I don't think I've ever been emailed by a German, though...

[shipperx]

There is one engineer that I work with who is German but who has lived in the U.S. Deep South for well over a decade, and speaking on the phone with him is always an experience because he now has some strange combination of German and U.S. Southern accent. :)