Miss, Mrs. or Madam? The demise of Ms?

[Barbigirl]

I am guilty of sometimes calling other women broad, or the horrible word chick, but never to their faces. Usually it's about someone with whom I've disagreed or don't care for, not many people. I had an administrator who I referred to as broad ALL of the time.

Also, my brother uses broad but, I think he got that from me, not sure.

I realized the other day that I call other women "chicks" all the time and my own daughters "chickeebabies".

A really unprofessional use of it in a sentence, said to your 70 yr old (yet, really cool) boss. "Linda, that Essense health care chick keeps calling me every day, she's an idiot!" It was pointed out to me later that I refered to her that way. Oops

 

[Nashoba]

Ladies, speak up: would any of you like to be called a broad? Or would you like your husbands or boyfriends to call you their "old lady"? lol

.

When I was a freshman in High School there was a Senior (football player) who used to call me toots. (like as in Tootsie rolls but without the ie at the end.) I'd take that over "broad" but I've been called that too. The worst to me is chick. I hate that.
Nash

 

[Paisley]

Ladies, speak up: would any of you like to be called a broad? Or would you like your husbands or boyfriends to call you their "old lady"? lol

.

No. :rage:

"Old lady" reminds me of the Hell's Angels.

 

[Alighieri]

Honorifics

All,

As I was taught;

Miss was a girl till puberty, a Ms. till marriage (or if marital status is unknown) and a Mrs after marriage. One should normally address a woman as Ms. unless she corrects you to Mrs. or more commonly her first name.

A boy was Master till he was in puberty and a Mister after he was 18, with no title between 13-18. However it is appropriate to call a boy master till 18 as well.

Sir and Madam or Ma'am are used for people older than yourself or of a higher social standing.

Master and Mistress are terms used for the owners of a household with servants. Servants would use those titles as it was easier than saying "Mr. Barryworth, Sir." Master and Mistress maintain the social rank without the use of formal names. Often servants developed a personal relationship with their employeers and so the formal speech as not really called for, but respect for the persons status was.

Other honorifics would, of course, be applied in place of these if someone was a doctor or held office.

Alighieri

 

[Marc Chevalier]

As I was taught; ... A boy was [called] Master till he was in puberty and a Mister after he was 18, with no title between 13-18. However it is appropriate to call a boy master till 18 as well.

They taught you that "master" stuff in Indiana? lol

.

 

[czack]

Colorado State are you? I like Ft.Collins. Anyway, Ms. iz still around a lot. To me it is a neutral, ambiguous signifier. I have had this debate with girlfriends. That and taking the man's last name upon marriage. Also, the MWRs out there are very frustrating to single men. MWR? Married Without Ring. Another social convention that seems to be easily put aside now.

I haven't really thought about it, it's just irritating when someone cops an attitude if you ask them out. "You know I'm married, don't you?" NO! I don't.

 

[Alighieri]

They taught you that stuff in Indiana? lol

.

Well, I had a rather demanding etiquette teacher, my mother.
And my Great Aunt, was from the deep south, She always addressed my letters as Master until my 18th birthday and then I became Mister.

Alighieri

 

[Marc Chevalier]

And my Great Aunt was from the deep south, ...

'Nuff said; that explains a lot. The south is a world unto itself. Thanks!

.

 

[czack]

Yup, that's the ticket.

Bella, if you ever visit Texas, just remember that in that state, any female over 18 is referred to as "Ma'am" by polite sales staff.

Well brought up Texas kids will consistently answer Yes Sir and No Sir, and Yes Ma'am and No Ma'am.

Especially to an adult, learned that lesson the hard way.

 

[Elaina]

I haven't really thought about it, it's just irritating when someone cops an attitude if you ask them out. "You know I'm married, don't you?" NO! I don't.

I don't wear a ring and I don't get offended. Usually I just thank them and say I have to ask my husband.

I don't wear one for any reason other then the fact the ones we want were/are out of the budget, out of the country and my husband is a gorilla. Size 14 rings are hard to find, and we haven't settled on anything to cope with until we can get the rings we want.

Elaina

 

[Weston]

I was thrilled to see someone else's grandmother went by the formal system also – in every single piece of correspondance and on her credit cards, my grandmother had

Mrs. John E. Weston

Every time. She was quite the stickler for observing polite society.

 

[MrBern]

Kat wrote some time back:

"No girl likes to hear "Fr?§ulein" anymore. And nobody is using it , except for older people.Young women wanna feel mature and think it sounds weird and too old fashioned...maaaaaaan that what its about... well i still like and prefer it, It sounds way nicer and I dont want people calling me "Frau" ..that makes me old."

So "gn?§dige Frau" is right out, I suppose?

Haversack

I've been told that as well.
Funny, last week on ProjectRunway, Heidi Klum introduced the German contestant as "Fraulein" Uli Hertzner. I guess she can get away with it.

 

[carebear]

I've been told that as well.
Funny, last week on ProjectRunway, Heidi Klum introduced the German contestant as "Fraulein" Uli Hertzner. I guess she can get away with it.

Heck, she can even call me "Fraulein" if she wants...

 

[Lady Day]

I like Miss (Mizz).
It sounds sassy to me. I use Ms.or Miss on paper. I recall an instructor I had who always wanted us to call her Miss (Mizz) and she was sassy.

I guess thats why I like it.

LD

 

[MissQueenie]

I always use Miss when referring to myself on paper.

I call almost everyone "Honey" and surprisingly, no one has every called me out over it. I sometimes get asked what part of Texas I'm from (haha), but on the whole it doesn't seem to bother most people.

My grandfather always called me "kiddo" when I was growing up, and I liked it. He called me "kiddo" until I was a grown girl -- 20! -- when he sadly passed away...I have no doubt that he'd still be calling me that today!

Forms of address I don't mind:

Miss
Kid/Kiddo
Honey
Darling
Sweetheart
Baby

I won't take offense, regardless, but some have a sweeter ring than others. And of course, I wouldn't want the cashier at the market calling me darling! I'd give him a sharp right hook to the jaw

Is anyone else guilty of calling their loved ones almost entirely by petnames? I realize the closer I get to a lover, the less often I use his name (and the less often he uses mine)...names become superceded by terms of endearment. I can't tell if this is irksome or touching. Maybe it's both!

 

[Matt Deckard]

I prefered to call my secretary toots.

 

[Barbigirl]

I prefered to call my secretary toots.

Does she sit on your lap and take dictation as well? lol

 

[Christopher]

...And I don't like being called "ma'am" unless it's preceded by "yes."

Thing is, I was raised to address women as "Ma'am" as in "A pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

Its the Virginia Gentleman in me, sorry Ma'am.

 

[DancingSweetie]

Is anyone else guilty of calling their loved ones almost entirely by petnames? I realize the closer I get to a lover, the less often I use his name (and the less often he uses mine)...names become superceded by terms of endearment. I can't tell if this is irksome or touching. Maybe it's both!

Oh dear MissQueenie, I am guilty of the same. My daughters and my sweetie are never addressed by their real names.

 

[BigDawgBarkin]

This is how I was taught as well (and I've lived in the deep South all my life if that means anything).

My question is how do you pronounce Ms. ? Is it mizz or the same as Miss? In the South Mrs. usually gets pronounced mizz except by those that know better.

BDB

All,

As I was taught;

Miss was a girl till puberty, a Ms. till marriage (or if marital status is unknown) and a Mrs after marriage. One should normally address a woman as Ms. unless she corrects you to Mrs. or more commonly her first name.

A boy was Master till he was in puberty and a Mister after he was 18, with no title between 13-18. However it is appropriate to call a boy master till 18 as well.

Sir and Madam or Ma'am are used for people older than yourself or of a higher social standing.

Master and Mistress are terms used for the owners of a household with servants. Servants would use those titles as it was easier than saying "Mr. Barryworth, Sir." Master and Mistress maintain the social rank without the use of formal names. Often servants developed a personal relationship with their employeers and so the formal speech as not really called for, but respect for the persons status was.

Other honorifics would, of course, be applied in place of these if someone was a doctor or held office.

Alighieri