Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
Salutation in a letter to someone not well-liked
English answer:
Mr/Mrs/Ms
English term
Lithuania
Translator/Journalist/Voiceover Pro
Native in: Russian (Variants: Standard-Lithuania, Standard-Belarus, Standard-Ukraine, Standard-Russia, Standard-Latvia) 
Works in: English to Russian, Russian
How shall start a letter addressing a person whom I neither like nor esteem?
| 3 +8 | simply: "Mr (Mrs, etc) <Jane-John Doe>" |
Kirill Semenov
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| 5 +11 | Dear. . . |
Fuad Yahya
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| 4 +12 | Sir/Madam |
Susana Galilea
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| 5 +7 | To Mr. X |
Marian Greenfield
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| 5 +7 | memo format |
RHELLER
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| 5 +4 | Mr. X, |
Catherine Bolton
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| 5 +1 | Dear Deadbeat |
Christopher Crockett
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Apr 20, 2005 13:52: Kirill Semenov changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"
Jan 14, 2006 06:42: Fuad Yahya changed "Field" from "Other" to "Art/Literary" , "Field (write-in)" from "message to a crook" to "(none)"
Responses
Ukraine
60+ books translated and published
Native in: Russian
Works in: English to Russian, Russian
simply: "Mr (Mrs, etc) <Jane-John Doe>"
| agree |
Ariser
0 min
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thank you :)
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| agree |
Сергей Лузан
12 mins
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thank you :)
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| agree |
Will Matter
59 mins
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thank you :)
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| agree |
leff
3 hrs
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thank you :)
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| agree |
Maria Knorr
5 hrs
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thank you :)
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| agree |
pcovs
: The receiver will not be in any doubt whether this is a friendly or a formal letter!
9 hrs
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thank you :)
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| agree |
Georgios Paraskevopoulos
: Yes, this is formal and enouph civilized, lawyers use this form
9 hrs
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probably because they neither like nor esteem us? ;-)
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| agree |
Empty Whiskey Glass
21 hrs
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thank you :)
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Over 30 years in financial translation
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, Portuguese to English, English
To Mr. X
or simply
To Mr. X
| agree |
Ariser
: or just "Sir,"
3 mins
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| agree |
Dagnia
6 mins
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| agree |
Сергей Лузан
14 mins
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| agree |
Will Matter
57 mins
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| agree |
Maria Knorr
5 hrs
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| agree |
pcovs
9 hrs
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| agree |
Empty Whiskey Glass
21 hrs
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Dear. . .
Fuad
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-11-29 19:20:39 (GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
Typo correction: maintain, not mantian.
With apologies.
| agree |
awilliams
: yes. My mother always said "kill them with kindness". :)
10 mins
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| agree |
Will Matter
57 mins
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| agree |
Erika P (X)
: For the sake of subtlety....However you do it, do it in style.:-)
1 hr
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| agree |
Ino66 (X)
2 hrs
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| agree |
Lia Fail (X)
: Absolutely, it's devoid of affection, is merely a convention
4 hrs
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| agree |
???
: agree with amy's mother
8 hrs
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| neutral |
Georgios Paraskevopoulos
: I understand Amy's mother but a crook don't understand her
9 hrs
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You are confusing my answer with Amy's mother's answer.
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| agree |
Viktoria Gimbe
: It doesn't mean you like them, but they can't say you're not polite. I always smile at people I dislike ;) It can't be held against me :D
16 hrs
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| agree |
Sarah Ponting
: absolutely
20 hrs
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| agree |
Empty Whiskey Glass
21 hrs
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| agree |
Anna Moorby DipTrans
: You can't really get away from the 'Dear' option, anything else would not be appropriate to start a formal letter
1 day 19 hrs
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| agree |
AhmedAMS
237 days
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United States
Customized Translation Services ENG>SPA
Native in: Spanish (Variants: Latin American, Standard-Spain, US)
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish
Sir/Madam
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-04-06 01:49:10 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
And I agree with Amy\'s comment above, no need to give them the courtesy of your anger ;-)
| agree |
Ariser
1 min
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| agree |
Maria Rosich Andreu
7 mins
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| agree |
Сергей Лузан
12 mins
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| agree |
Jack Doughty
17 mins
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| agree |
Will Matter
55 mins
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| agree |
Maria Knorr
5 hrs
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| agree |
Yuri Geifman
: I like Rita's suggestion too
6 hrs
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yes, that would be quite effective
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| agree |
pcovs
8 hrs
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| agree |
Refugio
: And don't forget the colon, to make it formal.
8 hrs
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hehehe...
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| agree |
Antonio Camangi
10 hrs
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| agree |
Empty Whiskey Glass
21 hrs
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| agree |
Anne Lee
1 day 12 hrs
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Mr. X,
In other words,
Mr. XX,
and then the body of the letter.
| agree |
Сергей Лузан
10 mins
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| agree |
Will Matter
52 mins
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| agree |
pcovs
: It doesn't leave any doubt.
9 hrs
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| agree |
Paul Svensson
1 day 10 hrs
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memo format
DATE: 3/4/03
TO: xyz
FROM: abc
RE: past business, ref. no. 589
This note is to remind you that you need to....
for authentification, you can initial it in ink, or even sign your name at the bottom
one more option :-)
| agree |
Yolanda Broad
: Exactly my thought!
4 hrs
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thanks Yolanda!
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| agree |
pcovs
: That sounds quite useful in a case like this. Poor receiver.
6 hrs
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thank you
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| agree |
Gayle Wallimann
8 hrs
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thanks Gayle!
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| agree |
Сергей Лузан
15 hrs
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thank you
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| agree |
Guy
19 hrs
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| agree |
Spiros Doikas
1 day 9 hrs
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| agree |
Christopher Crockett
: Businesslike and avoids the possible misunderstanding of "Dear."
1 day 15 hrs
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M.A., Ph.D. Historian/Art Historian
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English, English
Dear Deadbeat
Works for me.
| agree |
airmailrpl
: Dear Deadbeat Scumbag..
6 hrs
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Well, that last should only be used if you've given up all hope of every getting the debt paid. Thanks, airmailrpl.
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Discussion