formaladdress

Formal address refers to the linguistic and social practice of referring to and addressing people using titles and honorifics that signal respect, rank, or formality. In many cultures, the choice of form is governed by factors such as role, age, gender, relationship, and context. In English, common forms include Mr., Mrs., Miss, Ms., or Dr., followed by a surname; when appropriate, professional titles such as Professor are used. In formal settings, people are typically addressed by title rather than by given name until invited to use the first name.

Across cultures, formal address systems vary: in many East Asian languages, honorifics and titles attach to names with specific politeness levels; in German, the use of Sie with a formal you contrasts with du for informal address. In diplomacy and royalty, special forms exist, such as Your Excellency for ambassadors, Your Majesty for a monarch, or Your Honor for judges in some jurisdictions.

In written communication, the formality level is often explicit through salutation choices and the use of surnames. When addressing emails or letters, the standard is to start with a formal greeting (Dear Mr. Smith) and to switch to a more informal mode only with consent.

Guidelines emphasize sensitivity to gender and identity, with growing use of gender-neutral or professional titles (e.g., Mx. Smith) and avoidance of unnecessary personal information. In multilingual or multinational contexts, accuracy may require consulting local conventions or the recipient, or defaulting to the most formal, respectful form.

See also: honorifics, politeness theory, social linguistics.