Calling someone by their first name
 

I was wondering if you receive a letter or e-mail from someone and they sign it using their first name only if that makes it okay for you to call them by their first name?

Hypothetical example: You write a letter to John Doe. In your letter you refer to him as "Mr. Doe". He writes back and signs it John.

If I were to write back again would it be cool for me to just call him John, as opposed to Mr. Doe?

Re: Calling someone by their first name
 

This is fine unless its a job application-related I think, then I still feel a little weird. Anyone that would be pretentious enough to care would have signed the email with their full name.

Re: Calling someone by their first name
 

I think it depends a bit on your relationship with this person, but in the vast majority of cases it would be OK.

For example, if I was corresponding with a perspective employer, I'd still use "Mr. XXXXX" until I was actually hired.

Re: Calling someone by their first name
 

wait, letters? like in the mail? whoa, i didn't think anyone did that anymore

Re: Calling someone by their first name
 

Funny story- My friend is in law school and was applying for judicial clerkships. He called the office to check the status of his application and see if they needed any additional information. THe person answering the phone was some type of clerk.

Him- "Hello, My name is John Doe and I recently applied for the summer internship position and was wondering if you knew when a decision would be available. I also wanted to let you guys know that grades recently came out, if those or any other additional information could be helpful in making your decisions."

Seems fine right? The clerk then went off an a fifteen minute long lecture about him saying "you guys". He declared it an insult to the judge, and told him that he's lucky his application didn't get thrown in the trash right then for such an informal, blah blah.

Re: Calling someone by their first name
 

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wait, letters? like in the mail? whoa, i didn't think anyone did that anymore

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Just an example. I haven't written a mail letter in about 10 years. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

For the record: The real life situation does not involve any type of future employment.

Re: Calling someone by their first name
 

[ QUOTE ]
Funny story- My friend is in law school and was applying for judicial clerkships. He called the office to check the status of his application and see if they needed any additional information. THe person answering the phone was some type of clerk.

Him- "Hello, My name is John Doe and I recently applied for the summer internship position and was wondering if you knew when a decision would be available. I also wanted to let you guys know that grades recently came out, if those or any other additional information could be helpful in making your decisions."

Seems fine right? The clerk then went off an a fifteen minute long lecture about him saying "you guys". He declared it an insult to the judge, and told him that he's lucky his application didn't get thrown in the trash right then for such an informal, blah blah.

[/ QUOTE ]

Lol, he should insult the guy for being a secretary and ask if any real employees of the office were available to chat.

Re: Calling someone by their first name
 

[ QUOTE ]
Funny story- My friend is in law school and was applying for judicial clerkships. He called the office to check the status of his application and see if they needed any additional information. THe person answering the phone was some type of clerk.

Him- "Hello, My name is John Doe and I recently applied for the summer internship position and was wondering if you knew when a decision would be available. I also wanted to let you guys know that grades recently came out, if those or any other additional information could be helpful in making your decisions."

Seems fine right? The clerk then went off an a fifteen minute long lecture about him saying "you guys". He declared it an insult to the judge, and told him that he's lucky his application didn't get thrown in the trash right then for such an informal, blah blah.

[/ QUOTE ]

In this case the correct usage would've been "y'all".

Re: Calling someone by their first name
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Funny story- My friend is in law school and was applying for judicial clerkships. He called the office to check the status of his application and see if they needed any additional information. THe person answering the phone was some type of clerk.

Him- "Hello, My name is John Doe and I recently applied for the summer internship position and was wondering if you knew when a decision would be available. I also wanted to let you guys know that grades recently came out, if those or any other additional information could be helpful in making your decisions."

Seems fine right? The clerk then went off an a fifteen minute long lecture about him saying "you guys". He declared it an insult to the judge, and told him that he's lucky his application didn't get thrown in the trash right then for such an informal, blah blah.

[/ QUOTE ]

Lol, he should insult the guy for being a secretary and ask if any real employees of the office were available to chat.

[/ QUOTE ]

actually the guy that bawled him out probably held the position he was applying for. being a judge's bitch for a year or two is considered prestigious.

Re: Calling someone by their first name
 

I've been dating my gf for 5 years, living with her for 3, and still have no idea if its okay to call her father by his first name.