letter to the editor
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letter to the editor
A letter or email from a reader to a newspaper, magazine, or online medium in which they express an opinion about a published article or a general topic.
Nach dem kontroversen Kommentar erhielt die Redaktion zahlreiche wütende Leserbriefe.
After the controversial opinion piece, the editorial team received numerous angry letters to the editor.
The word is built very logically: it consists of 'der Leser' (the reader) and 'der Brief' (the letter). So it is literally a letter written by a reader.
Viele Zeitungen haben eine eigene Seite für Leserbriefe.
Many newspapers have their own page for letters to the editor.
Common verbs used with 'Leserbrief' (letter to the editor) are 'einen Leserbrief schreiben' (to write a letter to the editor), 'veröffentlichen' (to publish), or 'an die Redaktion schicken' (to send to the editorial team).
Er hat einen langen Leserbrief an seine Lokalzeitung geschrieben.
He wrote a long letter to the editor of his local newspaper.
To indicate the topic of the Leserbrief (letter to the editor), you use the preposition 'zu' followed by the dative. This links the letter to the original article or topic.
Ich möchte einen Leserbrief zu Ihrem Artikel über die neue Stadtbibliothek schreiben.
I would like to write a letter to the editor about your article on the new city library.
comment
'der Kommentar' and 'der Leserbrief' can both express an opinion on a topic, especially in the media. A 'Kommentar' often comes from an editorial team, a journalist, or an author and is sometimes its own journalistic text type. A 'Leserbrief' comes from a reader and is a reaction to an article or a topic. On the internet, 'Kommentar' can also be a short remark under a post. A 'Leserbrief' is usually more formal and is sent to a newspaper or an online medium. The words can be confused because both contain personal opinions. As a practical rule: Who is writing? The editorial team is more likely to write a 'Kommentar'; a reader writes a 'Leserbrief'.
Nach dem Bericht über die Schule schickte ein Vater einen Leserbrief an die Zeitung.
After the report about the school, a father sent a letter to the editor to the newspaper.
Unter dem Artikel schrieb jemand einen langen Kommentar zur Verkehrspolitik.
Under the article, someone wrote a long comment about transport policy.