RE: Salutation Question: Hi Fred, or Hi, Fred ?

[Fred Ridder <docudoc -at- hotmail -dot- com>]

lhickling -at- Express-Scripts -dot- com wrote:
> I meant to ask the question within the> context of composing a letter (as a segue from the comma/colon thread),
> for example:
>
> Hello, Fred [salutation]
> How are Wilma, Dino, and little Pebbles? [body]
> 
> Does the direct address rule apply here? Lauren's point about treating
> the "Hi", "Hello" the same as "Dear" summarizes my argument. However,
> I'm not clear on whether there is a case for "Dear, Fred" out there.
> What do you think?
 
 
The "Hi" and "Hello" salutations are *not* parallel to the "Dear"
constructions. "Hi" and "Hello" are each a short message directly 
addressed to someone, which is why they are subject to the 
"direct address" punctuation rule. "Dear", on the other hand, is 
an adjective that modifies the name of the person being addressed
to express affection; as an adjective, there is no justification for
separating it with a comma from the noun (or name) that is modifies.
But if you were to adopt a rather old-fashioned style and say 
"Hello, dear Lisa" you would separate the message "hello" from 
the direct address "dear Lisa" according to the usual rule.
 
Fred Ridder
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