Letter (message) 17845 225828942 2008-07-15T16:18:45Z Epbr123 1395162 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/OrgasGirl|OrgasGirl]] to last version by Lightbot (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]]) {{otheruses|letter}} {{Unreferenced|date=June 2007}} {{wiktionarypar|letter}} [[Image:Einstein Szilard p1.jpg|thumb|250px|A famous letter from [[Albert Einstein]] to U.S. President [[Franklin Roosevelt]] suggesting an [[atomic bomb]] project. [[:Image:Einstein Szilard p2.jpg|Click here for page 2.]]]] A '''letter''' is a [[written]] [[message]] from one person to another. The role of letters in communication has changed significantly since the 19th century. Historically, letters were the only reliable means of communication between two persons in different locations. As [[communication]] technology has diversified, letters have become less important as routine communication. The development of the [[telegraph]], [[telephone]], [[fax]] and the [[Internet]] have all had an impact on the writing and sending of letters. In modern industrialized nations, the exchange of personal letters has become less common, being replaced by technologies such as the telephone and also [[e-mail]]. With the advent of the [[compact cassette]], [[tape letters]] became a novelty. By analogy, the term ''letter'' is sometimes used for e-mail messages with a formal [[Posting_style#top-posting|letter-like format]]. Historically, letters exist from the time of [[ancient India]], [[ancient Egypt]] and [[Sumer]], through [[ancient Rome|Rome]], [[ancient Greece|Greece]] and [[ancient China|China]], up to the present day. Letters make up several of the books of the [[Bible]]. [[Archives]] of correspondence, whether for personal, diplomatic, or business reasons, serve as [[primary source]]s for [[historian]]s. ==Advantages== Letters are still used, particularly by companies and advertisers. This is because of three main advantages: *'''No special device needed - '''almost everybody has a home, which means he is easy to reach. A mailbox is all that the intended recipient needs - not like e-mail or phone calls where the intended recipient needs access to a [[computer]] and a [[telephone]] respectively. *''' ''"Catch-all"'' advertising-''' unlike e-mails, where the recipient needs an individual e-mail address to receive messages, addresses are not chosen (per se), and so with the help of a postal service, delivering an advertisement to all homes in a particular area is not hard. *'''Physical record - ''' important messages that need to be retained (e.g. receipts) can be kept more easily and securely. ==The letter-delivering process== [[Image:Letter balance.jpg|thumb|Vintage German letter balance for home use]] Here is how a letter gets from the sender to the recipient: # Sender writes letter and places it in an [[envelope]] on which he writes the recipient address. # Sender buys a [[postage stamp]], which he places on the front of the [[envelope]]. # Sender puts his letter in a mailbox and does nothing more. # The National Postal Service for the sender's country (e.g. the [[Royal Mail]] in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] or the [[U.S. Postal Service]] in the [[United States|U.S.]]) empties the postbox and takes all the contents to the regional sorting office. # The sorting office then sorts each letter by address and postcode, and delivers the letters belonging to a particular area to that area's [[post office]]. Letters belonging to a different region are sent to that region's sorting office, to be sorted further. # The local post office dispatches their letters to their delivery personnel (postmen) who deliver them to the appropriate houses. This whole process, depending on how far the sender is from the recipient, can take anywhere from a day to 3-4 weeks. International mail is sent via [[trains]] and [[Fixed-wing aircraft|plane]]s to other countries. ==Letter layout== {{Cleanup|section|date=June 2008}} ===United Kingdom, Canada & Australia=== The following is the normal way to set out a letter: (Note: This is the style in the [[United Kingdom|UK]],[[Canada| Canada]] and [[Australia]]. See below for the format used in the [[United States|US]].) {| style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; width: 300px; border: #99B3FF solid 1px" |- | style="text-align: center" | '''Sender's address here''' |- | 24 Lambert Street |- | Stoke-on-Trent |- | ST4 4WE |} {| style="clear:right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; width: 300px; border: #99B3FF solid 1px" |- | style="text-align: center" | '''Date here''' |- | '''Formal:''' 3&nbsp;February 2008 '''Informal:''' 03/02/2008 |} {| style="clear:right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; width: 242px; border: #99B3FF solid 1px" |- | style="text-align: center" | '''Recipient's name and address here''' |- | Mr Albert Gribble |- | 25 Lambkin Street |- | Stoke-under-Lyme |- | ST3 9WR |} {| style="fixed: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; width: 800px; border: #99B3FF solid 1px" |- | style="text-align: center" | '''Main body''' |- | [[Salutation (greeting)|'''Formal:''' Dear Sir or Madam, '''Acquaintance:''' Dear Mr Doe, '''Informal:''' Dear John,]] |- | Content |- | [[Valediction|'''Formal:''' Yours faithfully, '''Acquaintance:''' Yours sincerely, '''Informal:''' Best wishes,]] |- | Sender's Name |- | '''Formal:''' Sender's Occupation and Enclosures '''Informal:''' Nothing (optional: P.S. / Post Scriptum = Afterthought) |} ===United States=== The following is the modified block format for a business letter, common in the United States: May 20, 2008 your Address<br /> date<br /> Mrs. Jane Doe<br /> 25 First Street<br /> Anytown, VA 10005<br /> Dear Ms. Doe: This is an example of a modified block letter. The difference between it and a full block letter style is that the date begins at the center point of the page; therefore, if a letter has a 6 inch line of type, the date begins approximately over 3 inches from the left margin. The closing block also begins half-way across the page. The complimentary close and the keyed signature (first and last name of the writer) begin at the same point as the date - approximately 3 inches from the left margin. Sincerely, Ashely Ferris Sales Representative jtp (the typist's initials appear at the left margin) ==See also== {| style="background-color: transparent; width:100%" | valign="top" | *[[Address]] *[[Carbon copy]] *[[Envelope]] *[[Historical Documents]] *[[Letter box]] *[[Mail]] *[[Manuscript]] *[[Pen pal]] *[[salutation (greeting)|salutation]] *[[valediction]] | *[[Postmaster]] *[[Postmaster General]] *[[Post office]] *[[Postage stamp]] *[[Private Express Statutes]] *[[Secrecy of letters]] *[[Snail mail]] *[[Stationery]] *[[Typography]] *[[Universal Postal Union]] |} ===Types of letters=== {| style="background-color: transparent; width:100%" | *[[Application letter]] *[[Business letter]] *[[Cease and desist|Cease and desist letter]] *[[Chain letter]] *[[Cover letter]] *[[Epistle]] *[[Hate mail]] *[[Introduction letter]] *[[Direct Marketing]] *[[Letter of credence]] *[[Letter of credit]] *[[Letter of inquiry]] *[[Letter of intent]] *[[Letter of marque]] *[[Letters patent]] *[[Letter of resignation]] *[[Love letter]] *[[Open letter]] *[[Poison pen letter]] *[[Query letter]] *[[Recommendation letter]] *[[Reference letter]] *[[Rejection Letter]] *[[Sales Letter]] *[[Thank you letter]] *[[Unbound Report]] ==External links== {{commonscat|Letters (written messages)}} * [http://www.howtowritealetter.net/ High Quality Letter Writing Guide] * [http://letterly.com/ Web form to Letter (PDF) generator] * [http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/BusinessLetter.html University of Wisconsin Writing Center Guide] * [http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ Purdue University Online Writing Lab] * [[wikihow:Write-a-Letter|How to Write a Letter]] [[Category:Letters| ]] [[Category:Paper products]] [[Category:Postal system]] [[az:Məktub]] [[bg:Писмо]] [[cs:Dopis]] [[da:Brev]] [[de:Brief]] [[el:Επιστολή]] [[es:Carta]] [[eo:Letero]] [[fr:Correspondance]] [[ko:편지]] [[hy:Նամակ]] [[it:Lettera (messaggio)]] [[he:מכתב]] [[nl:Brief]] [[ja:手紙]] [[no:Brev]] [[pl:List]] [[pt:Carta]] [[qu:Chaski qillqa]] [[ru:Письмо (сообщение)]] [[sr:Поштанско писмо]] [[fi:Kirje]] [[sv:Brev]] [[ta:கடிதம்]] [[th:จดหมาย]] [[yi:בריוו]] [[zh-yue:信]] [[zh:书信]]