Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!ittvax!anderson
From: anderson@ittvax.UUCP (Scott Anderson)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Addressing unknown parties
Message-ID: <1039@ittvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 29-Sep-83 10:25:05 EDT
Article-I.D.: ittvax.1039
Posted: Thu Sep 29 10:25:05 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 30-Sep-83 11:34:04 EDT
Lines: 21


How do the people in this newsgroup handle addressing someone whose first
name is unknown?  For instance, you read in your employee handbook that
your contact in Personnel is J. Smith.  For the purposes of this exercise,
you're not allowed to write a letter to "Dear J. Smith"; you must telephone.

Someone answers, "Personel, may I help you?"

And you answer: "May I speak to ..."

Fill in the blank.  In the past, you could just say, "Mr. Smith," but in
1983, it might be (probably is) Ms. Smith.  Just "Smith" sounds rather
abrupt.  Should you assume one sex and allow yourself to be corrected if
you're wrong?  Use the first initial?  Other creative ideas I haven't
thought of?  (Since "Mx" is not yet an accepted asexual honorific, it
doesn't count.)

Thanks,

Scott D. Anderson
decvax!ittvax!anderson