A person or entity that sends a physical or electronic mail, a package or a message, among other items, is known as a sender .
A recipient , on the other hand, refers to the person or entity that receives the shipment made by sender.
At the communication level, the sender is the sender of the message and the recipient is the receiver.
| Sender | Addressee | |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | It is that person or entity that sends something to another person or entity. | It is that person or entity that receives something from another person or entity. |
| ID | The sender can be anonymous. | The recipient is always identified. |
| Location in a mailing envelope | On the flap, on the back of the envelope or in the upper left corner of the front. | On the front, in the lower right corner or in the center. |
| Location in an email | The email address is placed in the “From:” space. | The email address is placed in the “To:” space. |
Index
What is a sender?
The sender is the person or entity sending something to a recipient. This means that a sender is not always a natural person, and may be a company, organization, service or educational institution, among others.
What the sender sends can be a document, a written text, for example a letter or email, as well as a package.
The word sender comes from the Latin remittentis , specifically from the active participle of the verb remittere , which is composed of the prefix re- , which means’ again ‘,’ again ‘,’ undo ‘,’ go back ‘,’ backwards ‘; and de mittere , which means ‘to send’. The suffix -nte indicates that someone performs the action. Thus, according to its etymology, sender refers to the identification or direction (backwards) of the person who sends something.
Generally, the sender is made explicit in the return address of a physical envelope or package, as well as in the header of an email. However, the sender may not always be identified or be anonymous .
In an email, the sender appears in the area marked “From:” (“ From :” in English). In addition, depending on the type of mail, generally the sender signs or presents himself at the end of it. In any case, it is common for the sender to identify himself, both in the body of the email and in that of a letter.
In addition, it is important that the sender put certain contact details in the return address, as the letter or package might not be delivered to the recipient and would need to be sent back to the sender.
Identifying the sender is not always mandatory, and depends on the type of message being sent. However, their identification is a formality that serves to inform the recipient of who made the shipment.
The data that is commonly included in the envelope or package, when a letter is sent by physical mail, are:
- Identification of the sender (your name and surname).
- Complete address, which could include street name and house number.
- Postal Code.
- The region, state, or province.
- The country.
In an envelope that is sent by a physical mail service, the return address with the sender’s information is usually placed on the back or back, on the closing flap of the envelope , or in the upper left margin of the front of the envelope (front side) . It should be noted that the disposition of this data will depend on the format of the letter, or package, as well as the type of shipment.
What is a recipient?
In a communicative act, the addressee is the receiver of a message. When it comes to sending a document, mail or package, the recipient is the person or entity that receives said shipment.
The word recipient comes from the Latin destiny , and is composed of the prefix- , which means ‘from top to bottom’; -stinare , which means ‘to be firm’ or ‘to be fixed’; and from the suffix – Aryan , which means ‘place’ or ‘belonging’. In this way, recipient refers etymologically to the movement (direction) towards the specific place where the person who receives something is.
Unlike the sender, who can be anonymous, when it comes to sending a letter, document or physical package, the recipient must always be present .
In an email, the recipient appears in the area that reads “To:” (” To :” in English). As in the case of the sender, it is common for the recipient to be made explicit in the body of the email.
When it comes to an envelope or physical mail package, the recipient is identified in the same way as the sender. Thus, the data that identifies the recipient, such as their name and full address, are placed.
In the case of the recipient, the data that is generally included in the envelope or physical package are the following:
- Identification of the recipient (your name and surname).
- Full address, which may include street and house number.
- Postal Code.
- Region, state, or province.
- Country.
Recipient information is placed on the front or front side of the envelope , usually in the lower right corner or in the center. However, the disposition of these data may vary, depending on the format of the letter and the type of delivery.
Treatment of the recipient
The treatment given to the recipient depends on the relationship between the recipient and the sender, as well as the type of mail or document sent and the reason for the contact.
Regarding the courtesy title, if it is an email that is made to someone you trust, such as a friend or a relative, use the first name of the person, or an abbreviated title such as “Mr.”, “Mrs.” , “D.”, etc., may be sufficient in most situations.
In the case of a formal email or in the case of a recipient who is not known or with whom there is no relationship of trust / familiarity, it is better that a formal treatment is also given. Thus, the most appropriate would be to use a treatment of “Sir / a”, or the abbreviation of the professional or academic title of said person.
Treatment of the addressee in the body of the document
Already in the body of the document, letter or mail, the pronouns and the treatment in the speech are also important, when the sender refers to the recipient.
For example, the pronoun “tú” and tuteo are generally reserved for recipients with whom a relationship of trust is maintained. The pronoun “you” and the ustedeo are recommended for situations in which the recipient is not known or there is a formal and respectful relationship with him.
