Señores

English translation: To

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:Señores
English translation:To
Entered by: Edwin Dott

10:08 Oct 6, 2020
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Telecom(munications) / Glossary of technical ter
Spanish term or phrase: Señores
Where this is found at the top of a hand-delivered letter, e.g.:

Señores
Company name
Presente.-

I know this question has already been asked here in ProZ, but I didn't find they provided a satisfactory answer. Some suggested "Gentlemen" or "Dear Sirs" - the problem with this is that in English, in this day and age, it is glaringly sexist and un-politically correct, while in spanish the term embodies both male and female genders. And in plural, it seems a bit odd to write "Madams" as in "Gentlemen/Madams", and is not a formula used in English either. Any other suggestions to deal with this..?
Edwin Dott
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:05
To
Explanation:
Or leave it out.

"Messrs" would have been OK about fifty years ago, but it sounds dated and inappropriate now.
Selected response from:

philgoddard
United States
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5Dear / To
William Bowley
4To
philgoddard
3 +1For your attention
neilmac
4Messrs.
Tigranuhi Khachatryan
3To whom it may concern
Stephen McCann
3Name of the Company
Liliana Garfunkel
3 -1Board of commitee members
Gabriel Ferrero
Summary of reference entries provided
Ref.
Taña Dalglish

Discussion entries: 10





  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
To whom it may concern


Explanation:
This might work, and it certainly avoids the issues of gender and singular/plural.

I also though "Dear Sir/Madam" might do it, but then that would be weird when followed by the company name.

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Note added at 28 mins (2020-10-06 10:37:05 GMT)
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You could always do "To whom it may concern" at the top and then "Dear Sir/Madam" below ;-)

Stephen McCann
Spain
Local time: 13:05
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Yes perhaps.. But then below the address the same issue is faced with the "Estimados señores:", where it is more common to see the likes of "To whom it may concern,".


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  María Marta Semberoiz
8 hrs

disagree  YESHWANT UMRALKAR: Does not gel here. Sounds better as the addressee of a certificate/recommendation/certificate, but not before the Company name.
10 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Dear / To


Explanation:
As the company name follows, you can simply translate as 'Dear' (or 'To'), as an appropriate general greeting to a group within a company.

There is no need to use an archaic or overly wordy alternative (such as 'Gentleman', 'Messrs', Dear Sirs/Madams, etc.) that would seem out of place in current times.

William Bowley
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:05
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Yes, perhaps this is a simple solution to it, just to write "To:" and the company name on the next line. I don't think I would put "Dear" here though, this would be more appropriate following the address, where it precedes either a name or Sir/Madam. Thanks.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard: But "Dear" is wrong.
2 mins

disagree  Tigranuhi Khachatryan: Señores can't be translated as Dear...
5 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
To


Explanation:
Or leave it out.

"Messrs" would have been OK about fifty years ago, but it sounds dated and inappropriate now.

philgoddard
United States
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 44
Notes to answerer
Asker: Yes, perhaps this is a simple solution to it, just to write "To:" and the company name on the next line. Thanks!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  William Bowley: I've already suggested 'To' as an option in my answer. Your answer doesn't offer anything different to mine
2 hrs
  -> If you disagree with me, you're disagreeing with yourself! You offered two suggestions, one of which was wrong, but I'll give you an agree anyway.

agree  María Marta Semberoiz: Absolutely! Señores/Messrs is inappropriate now.
6 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Name of the Company


Explanation:
Name of the Company, Inc
206 N. Sell Dr.
Richmond, VA 23218

And then:
Dear Hiring Manager.
Dear Customer Support Team.
Dear Human Resources Manager.
Dear Sir or Madam.
Dear [Company Name] Recruiter.

Liliana Garfunkel
Argentina
Local time: 09:05
Native speaker of: Spanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  María Marta Semberoiz
5 hrs
  -> Muchas gracias, María.

disagree  Tigranuhi Khachatryan: The name of company is already written.
7 hrs
  -> Please clarify. I don't know what you mean. This is just an example where "Señores" is omitted as it is totally unnecessary.
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
For your attention


Explanation:
This might work if you're so desperate to avoid traditional forms of address.
Or else I suppose you could just omit the darned thing.
Having said that, I must admit I don't find "Dear Sirs" glaringly sexist or politically incorrect - it's just a formula.


neilmac
Spain
Local time: 13:05
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 87

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Antonella Perazzoni
1 day 3 hrs
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Messrs.


Explanation:
Messrs. plural of Mr.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Messrs.

En español ahora se usa mucho Señores y señoras.
Si usted no quiere poner ladies and gentleman..



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Note added at 7 hrs (2020-10-06 17:32:44 GMT)
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I've seen in many letters to use Messrs wirh company name without any surname...

Tigranuhi Khachatryan
Armenia
Local time: 16:05
Native speaker of: Native in ArmenianArmenian
Notes to answerer
Asker: Not sure this would apply here then, as there is no complement.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Gabriel Ferrero: Messrs is an appellative, it means that it holds the regent's surname. It can't be used without a complement.
21 mins

disagree  philgoddard: Edwin has already pointed out that this is sexist.
1 hr
  -> Phil, if must be translated Señores not Señores y señoras, there is no machism or sexism. If this is a rethorical question it's an another issue

agree  YESHWANT UMRALKAR: I believe this term suits the best here. Usually it would be Messrs followed by the name of the company. eg. M/s Proctor and Gamble
1 hr
  -> Thanks :)

agree  patinba: Fine, followed by a company name it cannot possibly be "sexist" and I dont understand how "Señores" isnt because while masculeine "it embodies both genders"
2 hrs
  -> Thanks:)

neutral  Liliana Garfunkel: Messrs is used before the names of two or more men as part of the name of a business. What if the company is run by women only? I agree with philgoddard. This is very "sexist" and old-fashioned.
5 hrs
  -> Liliana, if must be translated Señores not Señores y señoras, there is no machism or sexism. If this is a rethorical question it's an another issue

disagree  María Marta Semberoiz: This could have been correct some years ago. Now we know better about detecting and avoiding microsexism.
8 hrs
  -> As I stated above in this case the original text is sexist, but we are just translators ...In Spanish nowadays we say Señores y señoras, diputadis y diputadas... if it is written just Señores its mean Messrs.etc
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27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
Board of commitee members


Explanation:
I am not an expert but "señores" in this context is used to denote legal authority. I don't think that it is addressed to the secretary, the janitor, the company staff, but to people with decisive power and authority: CEOs and the like.

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Note added at 22 hrs (2020-10-07 08:29:54 GMT)
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Board of Committee members or other equivalent terminology would best fit the gender speech diatribe since member is neutral (men and/or women).

Gabriel Ferrero
France
Local time: 13:05
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Yes I see your reasoning, but as commented here, there is no specific mention addressing it to a board of directors or such.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Taña Dalglish: Nothing suggests that the letter is addressed to a Board of Directors (top of a hand-delivered letter, e.g.: Señores Company name Presente.-)
18 mins
  -> I understand but it is also true that in large corporations where there is a correspondence and secretary department, letters are entitled to "people in different positions". If I received a letter like that, I would inform the CEO or their delegate

disagree  Toni Castano: I agree with Taña. Why Board of Committee here? How do you know that?
4 hrs
  -> Indeed I don't know that. But unless the sender specifies the department or unit to which the letter is addressed I have to assume that it is not for the gardener (nothing wrong with being a gardener).
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Reference comments


11 mins
Reference: Ref.

Reference information:
https://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tpv2guides/guides/wrtps/in...
Messrs., Mmes., Mses., Mss.
In the plural, Mr. becomes Messrs. (pronounced MESSers), and Mrs. becomes Mmes. (pronounced mayDAM). For the plural of the abbreviation Ms., either Mses. or Mss. (both pronounced MIZZes) can be used.

With a long list of names, it is better to use the plural forms of these titles.

Messrs. Hamilton, Thorne, Bradley and Clarke addressed the gathering.
The chair introduced Mmes. Thorington, Warner, Black and Sigurdson.
Mses. Jacobson, Garner, Roberts and McGill founded the company.
However, with two or three names, you should simply repeat the honorific.

Mrs. Scarlet, Mrs. Peacock and Mrs. White were all present at the party.
© Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2020
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
Writing tools – Writing Tips
A product of the Translation Bureau

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Note added at 47 mins (2020-10-06 10:56:01 GMT)
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Edwin Dott:
1. Aren't you confusing the language pairing? The header is Spanish to English translations, yet your comment to my reference remark (only) is "but there is no name that follows the "Señores", it is just a formal structure of writing letters in Spanish".
2. So, let us have the entire context, then? Are you saying the following?
- Messrs.
- Company Name
- Address
- Hand Delivered (Presente)

- Attention: xxxxx ?


There are quite a number of previous glossary entries, but whether any of these will help is another matter.
https://www.proz.com/kudoz/spanish-to-english/bus-financial/...
https://www.proz.com/kudoz/english-to-spanish/business-comme...
https://www.proz.com/kudoz/spanish-to-english/law-general/28...

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Note added at 51 mins (2020-10-06 11:00:13 GMT)
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https://www.proz.com/kudoz/spanish-to-english/law-taxation-c... (another example)
Licenciada
Luis XXXXX
Evaluación Profesional Productos Afines
Presente

Estimada Licenciada:


In fact, Jane has just made a suggestion which is an option discussed elsewhere in one of the previous links posted where it says "leave it out" (omit it).

Taña Dalglish
Jamaica
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 32
Note to reference poster
Asker: Thanks. But there is no name that follows the "Señores", it is just a formal structure of writing letters in Spanish.

Asker: Not sure why you say this (1), the letter is in Spanish, translating it into English, as per the language pair here. So no confusion on my part in this regard.

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