Punctuation question

[Butler, Darren J Ctr 584 CBSS/GBHAC]

> Over the years, I have always used a colon on the open salutation of
any letter, both personal and formal.

 

A colon is the proper punctuation in business and formal correspondence.
A comma is used for personal and informal correspondence. I agree; it
does seem that using the comma in a formal or business letter is
becoming more accepted -- maybe because many of us were not taught this
in school. These days, the only letters that I receive where the
salutation ends with a colon, are bad news letters:

*   Mr. Butler:  <You screwed up....>

*   Mr. Butler:  <You owe us $$$....>

*   Mr. Butler:  <Your request has been rejected....>

*   Mr. Butler:  <Your idea is ridiculous....>

*   Mr. Butler  <Don't even *think* about....>

#;^)

 

Blessings,

Darren

****************************************

Darren J. Butler

Sr. Technical Writer-Editor, Template Wrangler, Mil-Spec Pharisee

Integrated Data for Maintenance

NG Corp

-----Original Message-----
From:
techwr-l-bounces+darren.butler.ctr=robins.af.mil at lists.techwr-l.com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+darren.butler.ctr=robins.af.mil at lists.techwr-l.
com] On Behalf Of Ron Wilbanks
Sent: Friday, November 02, 2007 3:15 AM
To: Techwr-l
Subject: Punctuation question

 

Over the years, I have always used a colon on the open salutation of any
letter, both personal and formal.  Lately, I have been receiving
business letters that use a comma, rather than a colon addressed to my
boss.  Likewise, I also see the use of the comma becoming far more
widespread than the colon in this area.

 

Has the rules of writing changed, and now favor the comma for a
salutation, or is the colon still the rule?  My boss, who is 54
years-old, uses the comma all the time, as does his 19 year-old
daughter.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Ron

 

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