ProZ.com Translation Forums

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | That could be...

Matthias Brombach — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 18:55:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Matthias Brombach
Post title: That could be...

[quote]Lincoln Hui wrote:

But an email that addresses me by name will generally get a response even if I'm not interested. [/quote]
...the solution to get an answer to the still open question that we expect from you in one of the other threads. Mervyn, what do you think?

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | I don't expect it

Lincoln Hui — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 18:10:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Lincoln Hui
Post title: I don't expect it

But an email that addresses me by name will generally get a response even if I'm not interested, and an email that doesn't address me by name will generally not get a response unless I'm really interested.

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | Always a name, unless it's a multilingual job

Susan van den Ende — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:12:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Susan van den Ende
Post title: Always a name, unless it's a multilingual job

As a PM, I try to take care to always use a name when sending out an e-mail to one of our translators. If it happens to be a multilingual job, I might use both names or, with more languages, give a list of who-does-what language, so that translators know they're not the only ones working on a project. The profession can be impersonal enough without mass mails, and just makes it more fun - and not just for the translators, but for me as well!

Apart from that essential occasional smile behind the comp, there's another added benefit to this approach though: the more contact, the better I get to know the translator. If someone, for instance, just chattily tells me he or she has a passion for watersports, I know whom I'll send a text on sailing if one comes in - fun for the translator, as it's a text on a favourite subject, and better quality for the client, as he'll get a translator who knows what he's talking about. And that contact... starts with a name! So, the only time we ever send mass mails for a single language combination because there is some crazy rush (to translators who have worked with us before, mind you), we state that explicitly at the beginning of the job offer - might happen about once every 2 months.

As to what name or salutation to use, I usually go for Dear/Beste + First Name for a first-time contact (including the full signature in my e-mail), shifting to Hi/Ha + First Name as soon as I get to know the translator better (leaving out that signature from then on) - but I'm open to suggestions there!

Best,

Susan

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | ...and Miss Anderson?

Samuel Murray — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:28:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Samuel Murray
Post title: ...and Miss Anderson?

[quote]Christine Andersen wrote:
I really warm to anyone who takes the trouble to write "Dear Mrs Andersen" :-)[/quote]

And what about Dear Miss Anderson?

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | Only my enemies call me Chris...

Christine Andersen — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:47:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Christine Andersen
Post title: Only my enemies call me Chris...

This was one of my standard retorts in the 60s and 70s. The du/De discussion was raging in Denmark (= tu/vous in French or du/Sie in German etc.) and the intimate 'du' became universal. The older generation protested in vain, and now if you say De, except to the queen, people think you mean the plural, because it sounds the same.

In English the change happened a century or two earlier, and went the other way. We only use the intimate 'thou' to God, and even that has largely been phased out. 'You' is linguistically the 'polite' form.

But in the name of equality, everybody's name was shortened, whether they liked it or not. It was Chris, Dick, Sue, (or Suze, yuck!) Dave, Bob and Maggie (which I find ugly, couldn't they use Meg? Although in some accents Maggie does actually have an attractive lilt...)

There is more respect for personal names, but otherwise the rules seem to have gone completely, and you can't win!

At school (in the 60s) we learnt to write either the first name alone (strictly to family and close friends), or title and surname. One English teacher told us categorically that using both names was 'vulgar'. I can't imagine what she would have said about 'Hi!' ... But she hated anything to do with 'regards'. ("What do you do with your second-best regards?") :-D

It was easy enough to write Dear Mr Andersen.

But Miss, Mrs or Ms as 'appropriate' was tricky in those feminist days. Half the feminists hated Ms and it was none of your business whether any of them were married!

Adopting the 'continental' principle that any woman over 30 was automatically 'Madame' or 'Sehr Geehrte Frau ...' did not work either.

I really warm to anyone who takes the trouble to write "Dear Mrs Andersen" :-)

I don't actually know what is taught today as the polite forms of address in the UK or USA. I answer roughly in the way I am addressed in the e-mail, though I still cringe at 'best regards'! I hope someone will contribute some guidelines.

I have learnt to accept anything as long as they don't call me Chris!

:-) :-) :-)

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | Suzie

George Hopkins — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:30:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: George Hopkins
Post title: Suzie

I like Harry's contribution ... but please do not call me Suzie.

I received one of the often pathetic emails from an agency in which they even mentioned Robin. When asked who on earth this Robin was, male or female, they didn't know. So I continue through life not knowing.

I prefer sex to gender, saving gender for grammatical applications.

[Edited at 2008-04-21 11:34]

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | Some people take offence at sex

Samuel Murray — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 20:41:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Samuel Murray
Post title: Some people take offence at sex

[quote]CristinaPereira wrote:
Gender is another issue too (sometimes). Just to share, once a potential Japanese client approached me saying: I am XXXX YYYY (Ms.)”. Good way to know the person was a She, as I couldn’t figure it out in any way. Some sign of professionalism here?[/quote]

There are those whose attitude it is not to mention their gender because they feel that their gender has nothing to do with their professionalism. Well, you can't please everyone.

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | Culture

Cristina Pereira — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 20:06:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Cristina Pereira
Post title: Culture

What an interesting topic, as I was wondering about this issue for some time, even if not really related with the original post. I think this is mass-mailing and I've got no problem with that. Sometimes I "receive a "Dear all" message too. Well, I hope this is the case.

I’m more interested in the way different cultures deal with this kind of approach. I've had "Hello", "Dear Cristina", "Hi Cristina", "Dear Ms. Pereira" and... the most awkward to me, “Dear Pereira". I understand this has to do with culture and I don't resent it (most of the times), but sometimes I wonder if I might be offending someone with my own way of approaching them. Usually, I do what they do: if they “dear” me, I’ll “dear” them too. Then usually it tends to be “Hi”. But when I received a reply in French saying just this: "Bonjour./Merci./Cordialement", I really thought this was too impersonal. But then, I figured out, it's just a matter of culture, I should not resent it. This might be a different matter, of course, but is there a ”standard” way in an English-speaking (not exclusively native) approach as far as this issue is concerned? I mean, as English is usually the language used for a lot of non-English natives in our industry (and others, as well), what should be the etiquette to be followed?

Gender is another issue too (sometimes). Just to share, once a potential Japanese client approached me saying: I am XXXX YYYY (Ms.)”. Good way to know the person was a She, as I couldn’t figure it out in any way. Some sign of professionalism here? :)

I hope no one gets offended by the nationalities I mentioned, I just wanted to show the differences between cultures, I respect them all.

Personally, I prefer to be approached by my first name, but then again, in other cultures it may be regarded as offensive.

Kind regards,

Cristina

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | It is to me

Rad Graban (X) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:45:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Rad Graban (X)
Post title: It is to me

[quote]Kathryn Litherland wrote:

If the trainer is sending out the same e-mail to several people all at once, is it really all that more indicative of a personal relationship if he or she had pasted in the identical e-mails and typed in your individual name in the salutation? I used to work as a managing editor, which I imagine is similar in a lot of ways to the sorts of work done by PMs at translation agencies, and a lot of the "personalized" e-mails that I send out were computer-generated anyhow--they were not so much an indication of my personal interest in or having a relationship with the recipient, as they were an indication that I knew how to build a nifty relational database and integrate it in with Microsoft Word!

I've got no "personal" beef with mass mailings. There are times when they are appropriate. [/quote]

It is to me. A trainer can't have an "orientation session" with more than one person at the same time. There were suggested days and times as well as my language combination mentioned in the body of e-mail, so I believe it was sent just to me.
I get group e-mals as well and I don't mind them if PM has a text to be translated into tens of languages and if he/she starts with appologizing.

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | is it really that more personal?

Kathryn Litherland — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 12:40:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Kathryn Litherland
Post title: is it really that more personal?

[quote]Rad Graban wrote:

I've been exchanging e-mails with an agency about telephone interpreting for about a week now. We've finally agreed on all terms and conditions and decided to schedule "orientation session" for next week.
I was rather upset/disappointed, when I received an e-mail from the trainer with available days and times which was exactly as yours: beginning with "Dear interpreter" and finished with "Regards" [no name].
[/quote]

If the trainer is sending out the same e-mail to several people all at once, is it really all that more indicative of a personal relationship if he or she had pasted in the identical e-mails and typed in your individual name in the salutation? I used to work as a managing editor, which I imagine is similar in a lot of ways to the sorts of work done by PMs at translation agencies, and a lot of the "personalized" e-mails that I send out were computer-generated anyhow--they were not so much an indication of my personal interest in or having a relationship with the recipient, as they were an indication that I knew how to build a nifty relational database and integrate it in with Microsoft Word!

I've got no "personal" beef with mass mailings. There are times when they are appropriate.

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | Its hard to satisfy all

Heinrich Pesch — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 12:24:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Heinrich Pesch
Post title: Its hard to satisfy all

On the long run it is less dangerous to use first names, because then you can avoid the selection of mr/ms. For foreigners it is quite impossible to decide, if Pirkka is a man or a woman. Even Finns cannot always tell this from Estonian first names. And with Chinese its quite out of the question.
But this is restricted to English conversation, in German or French or Russian etc. you cannot communicate without knowing the gender of the recipient.
Cheers
Heinrich

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | Switch to first names after one or two mails

Samuel Murray — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:43:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Samuel Murray
Post title: Switch to first names after one or two mails

[quote]John Cutler wrote:
I have no problem receiving a “Hi John” message from someone who I know or with whom I’ve had prior contact, but I find it hard to take seriously a first-time message from a complete stranger addressing me as if we were old friends. In cases like that, I’d almost prefer a non-personal “Dear Translator” message.[/quote]

Well, I can't say that I 'hate' it but it does strike me as somewhat unprofessional to be so informal. On the other hand, I realise that different cultures do things differently, and it would be petty to take offence about such things (it would be more reasonable to be offended by things like inconsiderateness, blatant accusations, etc.

When I respond to a query from an agency, I use the person's surname for an exchange or two, and if they start using my first name, then I start using theirs.

One interesting thing I found from two agencies (both from India, actually) was that the agency guy signed his mail using a single name (no surname, no indication of sex, no title). I continued using that name as if it were a first name, and much, much later I discovered that it was in fact the person's surname (and even then I had no idea whether it was Mr so-and-so or Mrs so-and-so). I find it very strange that people would sign their mails using just their surname, but it may be cultural thing, and I'm not offended by it (as long as the other person don't expect me to know instictively that it is a surname and that I should correctly deduce their sex from it).

It does irk me, however, if people address me by my surname, without using a title. To my ear, it sounds rude. Addressing someone by their surname only is something you'd expect a military commander to do when addressing one of his troops, or a school principal when addressing one of his boys. Still, one shouldn't take offence at such details.

[Edited at 2008-04-20 08:46]

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | I see no problem with it, and more answers...

Samuel Murray — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:26:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Samuel Murray
Post title: I see no problem with it, and more answers...

[quote]Lucinda wrote:
I have just received an email from an agency wanting to have me translate something for them. They had seen from my profile that I handled that languge combination and this area of expertise.

However, they started the email: Dear translator...[/quote]

The salutation is just an indication that they sent the same e-mail to many other people as well. There is no cause of offence. However, I think it would be fair of them to indicate in some other ways that the mail was a generic mail and not one sent to you specifically.

But your reaction is interesting to me. If someone were to write me an e-mail and use both my name and surname in the salutation, I'd be cautious immediately (but probably without reason because even though it is clear to me which is my name and which is my surname, it may not be obvious to someone else).

Would you have preferred "Dear Sir/Madam" instead of "Dear Translator"? Personally I associate "Dear Translator" with a newsletter or an advertisement and not with a personal or business letter (even if the letter is generic and sent to hundreds of other people as well).

When I sent e-mails to translators from ProZ.com, I include the name and surname in the salutation, but I also use words to imply that the message is generic. I toyed with not using people's names, because it might look like the sender had used spam software if the e-mail contains both name and surname in the salutation, don't you agree?

Another option is to send the mail to yourself and include the recipient in the BCC, and then write "Hello everyone!", which indicates clearly that the message was sent to many people. But then there is the change that some people might think the message is not urgent or not specifically relevant to them.

What would you suggest?

[quote]Textklick wrote:
Yep - especially when you noticed that they have addressed it to themselves and presumably blind copied the world...

I recently translated an article about 'Netiquette' for a company magazine...[/quote]

Are you saying it is bad netiquette to put your own address in the TO field and put everyone else in BCC? Personally I think having the sender's address in the TO field look much prettier than having something like "Undisclosed recipient" in it. But... what alternative would you suggest to a mass mailing in which the sender wants to respect the privacy of the recipients?

[Edited at 2008-04-20 08:34]

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | Not everyone uses a coma

M. Anna Kańduła — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 05:07:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: M. Anna Kańduła
Post title: Not everyone uses a coma

[quote]John Cutler wrote:

it starts, “Hi John!” (The exclamation mark really bugs me.) :evil:

[/quote]
If you get an email from a Polish agency, don't get bugged :) In Polish an exclamation mark is used in such cases, unlike in English.

As for the subject matter - there are some cases that no-name is acceptable (eg. an agency sends the same email to 10 translators of 10 languages, because the project needs to be translated to 10 languages - it saves their time to do it that way and I understand that). "Dear Friends" is ok in such case for me.

But a mass mail? That means this person/agency didn't choose me - or anyone else - for their professional "attractiveness", but for language pair and most likely will pick up the cheapest translator. I just ignore such things.

Anni

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | It may be a cultural thing...

Amy Duncan (X) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 02:53:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Amy Duncan (X)
Post title: It may be a cultural thing...

[quote]John Cutler wrote:

My pet peeve sort of goes the other way from the gist of this topic. I [i]hate[/i] it when I receive an email from some agency or outsourcer, who I don’t know from diddlysquat, and it starts, “Hi John!” (The exclamation mark really bugs me.) :evil: [/quote]

Hi John!! :D
I lived in Brazil for a long time and every e-mail I ever got from a translation company or client addressed me by my first name. In Brazil that's definitely a cultural thing...you can have friends there you've known for years and never know their last names! Personally, I really enjoy the informal approach, but that's just me...

Amy

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | It depends..

Harry Bornemann — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 20:28:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Harry Bornemann
Post title: It depends..

[quote]Lucinda wrote:

Am I too sensitive?
[/quote]
I remember a great movie with Vinnie Jones where he takes some employees hostage and one man asks him timidly "How may we call you, Mr...?" and Vinnie replies "You may call me Suzie as long as you'll do what I say!"

:lol:

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | The flip side

John Cutler — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 20:23:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: John Cutler
Post title: The flip side

My pet peeve sort of goes the other way from the gist of this topic. I [i]hate[/i] it when I receive an email from some agency or outsourcer, who I don’t know from diddlysquat, and it starts, “Hi John!” (The exclamation mark really bugs me.) :evil:

I have no problem receiving a “Hi John” message from someone who I know or with whom I’ve had prior contact, but I find it hard to take seriously a first-time message from a complete stranger addressing me as if we were old friends. In cases like that, I’d almost prefer a non-personal “Dear Translator” message.

The clients who inspire my confidence are those who write a well composed email preferably addressed to me with a “Dear John” salutation and with a serious formal approach. So, perhaps in that case Lucinda we do have the same basic desire in common: I like to see my name (but with a formal “Dear”) at the start of an email too.

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | Not necessarily

Claudia Alvis — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 18:55:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Claudia Alvis
Post title: Not necessarily

I've worked in several large projects that involved a team of translators (sometimes dozens of translators). In those cases, the the PM usually has to "mass" email all the potential translators and eventually the selected translators. Of course I'm referring to a very specific scenario here. However, there are so many signs that suggest an agency is not professional enough, that a mere "Dear translator," doesn't do anything for me. So to answer your question, yes, I think you are being over-sensitive.

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | There are ways....

Mats Wiman — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 16:31:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Mats Wiman
Post title: There are ways....

for an outsourcer not to be chosen by a translator.

With us, one of the better ones is to send a mass mail to us.

That is valid indicator to say "No thank you".

Mats

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | Mail and the masses

Textklick — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:33:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Textklick
Post title: Mail and the masses

[quote]Lucinda wrote:

Dear translator sounds so like a mass mailing. I almost deleted it before reading it. Am I too sensitive to expect to be called by name?

I am not sure is this if really 'off topic,' if not, could someone please guide me to the correct forum? Thank you so much.

Lucinda [/quote]

Yep - especially when you noticed that they have addressed it to themselves and presumably blind copied the world...

I recently translated an article about 'Netiquette' for a company magazine. Shame I can't publish it; it was quite sensibly written.

What also annoys me is when people can't even be bothered to add a full signature to their mails.

Regards,
Translator person ;-)

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | same here

Karin Seelhof — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:16:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Karin Seelhof
Post title: same here

I also often receive such emails and wonder if it is a big job to enter my name?

I really would like to answer with "dear agency" but up to now I hesitated to put me onto the same level....

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | Of course, it was a mass mailing

Natalie — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 14:27:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Natalie
Post title: Of course, it was a mass mailing

Or at least a standard message that they keep somewhere and send each time they need something. But this is not the worst case. I sometimes (and not so rarely!) get messages through my profile starting with "Dear Sir" :???:

Be that as it may, but all this is the evidence of the lack of professionalism.

Natalia

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email | Happened to me just yesterday!

Rad Graban (X) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 14:24:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Rad Graban (X)
Post title: Happened to me just yesterday!

Hi Lucinda,

I'm glad you brought it up as it happened to me yesterday.
I've been exchanging e-mails with an agency about telephone interpreting for about a week now. We've finally agreed on all terms and conditions and decided to schedule "orientation session" for next week.
I was rather upset/disappointed, when I received an e-mail from the trainer with available days and times which was exactly as yours: beginning with "Dear interpreter" and finished with "Regards" [no name].
Are we too sensitive? I don't know, but I'm having second thoughts about working with them. I'm used to work with my agencies on more personal level.

Rad

[Edited at 2008-04-19 14:28]

Using someone's name when addressing them in an email

Lucinda Hollenberg — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 14:10:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Using someone's name when addressing them in an email
Poster: Lucinda Hollenberg

Am I too sensitive?

I have just received an email from an agency wanting to have me translate something for them. They had seen from my profile that I handled that languge combination and this area of expertise.

However, they started the email: Dear translator ...

If they found my profile with that information at Proz, they surely saw my name, that is my last name or at least my first name.

Should I expect them to say Dear [first name] or [last name].

Dear translator sounds so like a mass mailing. I almost deleted it before reading it. Am I too sensitive to expect to be called by name?

I am not sure is this if really 'off topic,' if not, could someone please guide me to the correct forum? Thank you so much.

Have a great day!

Lucinda