Dear Sir

Dear Sir Dear Sir Dear Sir By Maeve Maddox Daniel recently asked me, Is it correct to address someone by Sir even in informal contexts such as Instant Messaging or on a blog comment? The word sir serves a very useful purpose in English, even in those cultures that cherish democratic ideals to the extreme. Sir has been used as a respectful form of address in English since about 1350. Its use as a salutation at the beginning of letters can be traced to 1425. Originally used as a title for a knight, baronet, or (until the Seventeenth Century, a priest), the word sir, like sire, comes from a Latin word related to the word senior and had the meaning older or elder. Sir is still used to preface a knights given name: Now that Rudy Giuliani has been knighted, he can be called Sir Rudy. The form sire, with the sense of your majesty, is used to address a king. As a noun in more general use, sire has the meaning father or male parent. The word can also be used as a verb: John Brown sired several sons. The most frequent general use of sir is in the context of letter writing, a form of expression that is notoriously conservative in its language. For example, the British complimentary closing yours faithfully sounded really abject to my American ear the first time I heard it, but, living in England, I soon became accustomed to it for what it is, a polite convention that no one takes literally. Outside its conventional use as a written salutation, sir is a convenient word to have in a situation in which one wishes to politely catch the attention of a stranger: Sir, youve dropped your credit card. Excuse me, Sir, can you direct me to the town center? The female equivalent in such a situation would be Miss or Maam. Even in a democracyperhaps especially in a democracythe older forms of courtesy are never out of place. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Slang Terms for Money45 Synonyms for â€Å"Old† and â€Å"Old-Fashioned†One "L" or Two?

How to Punctuate Introductory Phrases

How to Punctuate Introductory Phrases How to Punctuate Introductory Phrases How to Punctuate Introductory Phrases By Mark Nichol With a comma. Always. Except when you don’t. Perhaps I should annotate that: In the overwhelming majority of cases, follow an introductory phrase at the beginning of a sentence with a comma. Adverbial Conjunctions Eight classes of adverbial conjunctions exist, and a comma should generally follow one in every class. Each of these sentences includes an example of one such part of speech from each class: Addition: â€Å"Finally, I reached the station.† Comparison: â€Å"Similarly, chickens are omnivores.† Concession: â€Å"Naturally, you’ll want to see for yourself.† (Note, however, that however isn’t always an adverbial conjunction. In this sentence, it’s an adverb modifying important: â€Å"However important you think it is, I’m not giving him the message right now.†) Contrast: â€Å"Nevertheless, he didn’t go into detail.† Emphasis: â€Å"Of course, she’ll be there, too.† (An exception can be made for this particular phrase: There’s a subtle but distinct difference between â€Å"Of course, you’ll want to do it your way† and â€Å"Of course you’ll want to do it your way.† In the first sentence, your is stressed; in the second, course, perhaps accompanied by a sneer, is emphasized, with a secondary stress on your and likely an exclamation point to signal emotion.) Example: â€Å"For instance, the floor was swept but not mopped.† Summary: â€Å"In conclusion, I recommend that we approve the measure.† Time sequence: â€Å"At last, we saw their car approaching.† (Some writing and editing guides suggest that short introductory phrases don’t require commas; often, such brief modifying phrases involve time: â€Å"Yesterday I saw a ghost,† for example, or â€Å"In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.† I recommend, though, use of commas in such cases. Otherwise, the exception to the rule is rather arbitrary; how long does a short phrase need to be before it merits a comma? And why omit commas in some cases and include others?) Hence, Still, Then, and Thus Another class of words may or may not be followed by a comma depending on subtle differences: â€Å"Hence the name,† but â€Å"Hence, I was back where I had started.† â€Å"Still the waters raged though the rain had ceased,† but â€Å"Still, I try one more time.† â€Å"Then I tried to start the car again,† but â€Å"Then, I would have acted differently.† â€Å"Thus we are back where we started,† but â€Å"Thus, I concede the point.† Infinitive Phrases â€Å"To get there, turn right at the second intersection.† Participial Phrases â€Å"Under the circumstances, I cannot allow it.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Is Irony? (With Examples)Whenever vs. When EverTypes of Ignorance