Okay, quick question to the grammar geeks on my FList:

[out_there]

*hugs the grammar geeks* Because you're sexy in an articulate way.

When you address a letter "Dear sir/madam", should the "sir" be capitalised?

People keep saying it should, and yet to me, it feels that it shouldn't. It's not a proper name (it's more like a terminally un-capitalised pronoun). Am I looking at this from the wrong light? Is it a title and therefore should always be capitalised?

Comments

[speshope.livejournal.com]

Sir is in the same catagory as Mr. or Ms. so, yeah, it's capitalized in that respect.... but, on the other hand, if you put it at the end of a sentence like "You've lost your pants, sir." it's not capitalized....

*sics one of her Grammar Maven friends on you for better help*

[raendrop.livejournal.com]

Augh! Point I did not think of.

Yes, in that case it would not be capitalized. But in salutations it is.

*curls up in a corner, sucking thumb and clutching OED*

Re:

[out-there.livejournal.com]

*sics one of her Grammar Maven friends on you for better help*

Dude, thanks! You rock.

Re:

[speshope.livejournal.com]

*laughs* I do what I can.