A missive is a written message that a sender sends to a receiver.
A letter is a written message that a sender (sender) sends to a recipient (receiver). Originating from the Latin missus , which is a conjugation of the verb mittere ( "to send" ), it is the letter or paper that is sent to someone.
For example: “I just received a letter from my Italian cousins,” “The young man blushed and, at the princess's request, confessed that he had never written a letter of love,” “The letters that both diplomats exchanged saved the world of a new war.”
Typically, the letter is sent in an envelope . The name and address of the recipient is indicated on the front of the envelope, while the name and address of the sender must appear on the back. These data allow the mail service to deliver the letter to the recipient and for them to know who the sender is.
Types of letters
The letters can have different characteristics depending on the distance between the sender and the receiver. Thus, a distinction can be made between family letters (intended for a family member), informal letters (addressed to friends, with colloquial language) and formal letters (with courtesy formulas and language that marks a distance between the sender and the recipient). addressee).
An informal letter usually contains colloquial language, more typical of a conversation than a document, while a formal one usually contains courtesy greetings and indicates titles such as "Doctor" or "Sir" , as well as expressions such as "who subscribes." » or «waiting for a response» .
The letters are usually sent inside envelopes.
Characteristics of a written communication
Written communication is especially fascinating from a sociological point of view, since it opens the doors to many possibilities that are not typical of speech. First of all, writing a letter allows us to think carefully about our words before putting them on paper, or correcting them during a review reading.
But this does not mean that a letter cannot contain spontaneous declarations of feelings, especially considering that correction is an optional step and more typical of the formal sphere.
Despite the difference in rhythm and spontaneity that may exist between oral and written communication, a letter can contain very intimate information about the person who writes it or confessions that he or she is not capable of making in person in front of the recipient, and this It makes it a very particular medium, which often offers the possibility of externalizing feelings and sensations that have been in the depths of our being for a long time.
Although letters are usually private for most people, there are epistolary exchanges well known throughout the world that took place in the past by some of the great figures of literature and music, among other fields, that have become in authentic cultural legacies that have enriched their works and research, bringing to light ideas and theories that, either because their authors died too young or because they did not consider them as relevant, would have been buried in oblivion if they had not been published.
From the traditional letter to email
Currently, traditional (printed) letters have fallen into disuse due to the advantages offered by electronic mail or email . The latter gives us the possibility of communicating immediately, which is very positive for both business and personal relationships, but this increase in efficiency placed it too close to oral communication, which is why it has lost popularity until it is overshadowed by chat and video conferencing.
Given the immediate nature of email, it does not usually have the level of dedication and review typical of a letter. On the other hand, especially when the exchange is carried out between people from different parts of the planet, it still offers the possibility of opening up emotionally just as happened decades ago.