In any language, there is a stable etiquette for addressing the interlocutor, and English is no exception. This is especially important for those who begin a dialogue or pronounce the first phrase in relation to a stranger.
The absence of a difference in English between "you" and "you" - even beginners to learn English know about this, but when to use Sir, Madam, Missis and other similar expressions - it is difficult to navigate this without deep knowledge.
In many languages, words used for address have only one or two pairs (for women and men), and it is difficult to make a mistake. For example, in a Russian-speaking environment, it would never occur to anyone to say “girl” to an elderly lady, or to address “woman” to a teenage girl. There are many similar words in English, and a mistake of just one letter can lead to a negative reaction of the future interlocutor. This applies to conversations with both men and women.
Words used to correctly address a male interlocutor
Yes Sir!
Sir
The most frequently used word if they want to say something to a masculine person. There are several situations when it is acceptable, both in the first statement addressed to a man, and when talking with an already familiar person.
Appeal to a male person when he is higher in rank, official position. Used without a surname or given name. Allowed in a conversation with an unfamiliar person or if there has already been a dialogue before.
Sir, may I go home a little bit earlier today? “Sir, can I go home a little early today?” (In a request to a male boss whom the speaker knows).
Sir, unfortunately I forgot the way to my unit, can you help me? - Sir, unfortunately, I forgot the way to my military unit, could you help me? (When referring to an unfamiliar officer of a higher rank).
Yes Sir! - Yes, sir (Yes, sir)! Confirmation-response in military (or police) structures, says the one who gave the order.
Respectful address to a stranger, regardless of his age, rank, position in society.
Excuse me, Sir, can you show me the way to the nearest drug store? “Excuse me, sir, can you show me the way to the nearest pharmacy?”
In cases where the second participant in the conversation is a service worker and lower in unspoken rank, Sir is still a valid option.
It seems to me, Sir, you are going too fast, we will have a crash! - It seems to me that you are driving too fast, we can get into an accident! (A phrase spoken to a taxi driver).
Mr. [ˈmɪstə(r)]
At the beginning of a dialogue with a man; except for rare exceptions, this word in speech is followed by a surname.
When talking with a male interlocutor, when his last name is known to the speaker. It is used for official address both to a superior in position, and to an equal or subordinate.
Mr. Tinkov, where is the translation you had to do yesterday? - Mr. Tinkov, where is the translation that you were supposed to do yesterday? (Dialogue "boss/subordinate").
I'm so sorry, Mr. Garbo, I missed the train, that's why I am late. - Sorry, Mr. Garbo, I missed the train, so I was late. (Conversation "subordinate / boss").
When addressing a high-ranking male person with the following official status. The surname in this case is not voiced; the person with whom they communicate is known.
Mr. President, your pilot is waiting for you. - Mr. President, your pilot is waiting for you.
Request or appeal at conferences, meetings with a large number of observers. In this case, the given name and surname may follow.
Now, Mr. Alan Hithrow, we will ask you to come up on the stage. “And now, Mr. Alan Heathrow, we will ask you to come up to the stage.
If Mr. at the first phrase to a stranger, it is used with a playful nickname. They say this very rarely, because this phrase can offend the interlocutor.
Mr. Strong, will you please not slam the door, it will collapse! - Mister strongman, could you not slam the door, it will fall off!
Ways to address ladies, unfamiliar or known to the interlocutor
Madame is a polite way of addressing a lady of any age. To start a conversation with females in English, the set of special words is richer, and their use has a complex gradation.
Madam [ˈmædəm]
Respectful, polite start of dialogue with a lady of any age.
You can refer to a young woman in this way, but it is highly undesirable to a teenage girl. The surname / name of the person to whom the phrase is intended is not known.
Madam, can I help you to carry your heavy luggage? “Madame, may I help carry your heavy luggage?”
When talking with the one whose data the speaker knows, but if the one who started the dialogue is an employee much lower in rank(for example, a cleaner or a maid).
Madam, I have already done all work for today, may I have a break? - Madam, I have already completed all the work for today, can I take a break?
Important! Sir and Madam are the only acceptable forms of address when the speaker is an employee or servant.
Appeal to a lady with a high state rank; the word Madam is followed by the official title. It does not matter marital status, what age she is (even if young).
Madam President, I will take care of everything right now. “Madame President, I will take care of everything immediately.
Ma'am
The American variant of addressing a lady older than middle or old has recently also been found in British speech.
I am very sorry, ma'am, I will open the window, it is very hot here. “I'm very sorry, ma'am, but I'll open the window, it's very hot in here.
In the police and army structures, this is how they begin a dialogue with a female officer, regardless of her age.
Ma'am, the victim cannot hear us! - Ma'am, the victim can't hear us!
Mrs. [ˈmɪsɪz]
When talking to a married woman. Behind the word, the surname of the husband is necessarily indicated.
I have always enjoyed meeting with you, Mrs. Smellow. “It has always been a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Smallow.
As with Mr., there are times when Mrs. call the full data of the lady. This is allowed with a purely official address, if it is necessary to emphasize the high position of women in society.
Mrs. Agnes de Torro, your husband is waiting for you in the hall. “Mistress Agnes de Torro, your husband is waiting for you in the hall.
Miss
Miss is a polite term used at the beginning of a conversation with a girl or young woman, if it is assumed that she is not married.
Miss no last name it is said when an unfamiliar female person is clearly young for marriage, or she does not have a wedding ring.
Would you be so kind, miss, to show me your customs entry? - Would you be so kind, miss, to show me your customs declaration.
Miss with a last name- the young lady is known to the speaker, she is definitely not officially married.
Miss Brane, will you come to our party tonight? – Miss Brain, will you come to our party tonight?
Miss with a name– when talking to a teenager or a little girl.
Miss Elisa, aren't you ashamed? Your dress is messy! "Miss Eliza, aren't you ashamed?" Your dress is stained!
Miss is a polite way of addressing a teacher in England. Miss and then the name is also the standard polite address adopted in the UK for a teacher, and her marital status and age are not important. It is worth explaining why this is so. Once upon a time, English schools tried to hire only single women, citing the fact that they would not miss classes because their children were sick, and would not be distracted by family problems. A long time ago, this rule did not work, but the appeal to a female teacher was firmly entrenched in speech in this version.
Miss Jane, I am sorry I didn’t write my composition yesterday… – Miss Jane, I’m very sorry, I didn’t write my composition yesterday…
Ms.
It should not be confused with the previous word, and it is pronounced differently, with a ringing sound at the end.
Now this is a common polite address to women in a business conversation. Next comes the lady's name.
Ms. Belmire, you will be appointed to the next working group. - Mrs. Belmir, you will be assigned to the next working group.
This word is used daily in the field of business and eliminates the need to guess the marital status of the one to whom they turned. It is possible to start a dialogue in this way, if the woman herself does not correct and clarify that she would like to hear another appeal to herself.
Ms. Akhad, I fully support your remarks. – Ms. Ahad, I fully support your amendments.
It is interesting! The word appeared in the English language in the middle of the 20th century, activists of feminist movements were the first to insist on its use. By this they emphasized their equality with the strong half of humanity and denied the obligation of marriage for themselves.
We hope that now, after reading this article, you will no longer have a question what is the difference between Miss and Mrs, and you will definitely know how to politely address a stranger in a given situation.
If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.
There is an opinion that the appeals to the representatives of the fair weaker sex, which are now common in Russia, such as “girl” or “woman”, are extremely indecent!.. Say, to define “girl” or “woman” is the prerogative of a gynecologist!... Thus, it turns out that using calls like “civilian” and so on is much more preferable?!....)
In pre-revolutionary Russia, the appeals "sir" and "madame" were common! ...
But, for example, in English and now there are many options for polite forms of addressing a person.
In relation to a man, the forms Mr., Sir, Esq. are used, and in relation to a woman: Mrs., Ms., Miss, Madam.
Now let's look at each of them separately.
The form Mr. can be used when referring to a man, regardless of his age and marital status. The only restriction is the fact that it must be followed by the last name of the person being addressed:
Dear Mr. Ivanov, Dear Mr. Ivanov!
When addressing multiple people, use Messrs, and to the surnames themselves, the ending is plural. -s is not added and no dot is placed after the politeness form:
Messrs Thomas and Smith
If the addressee's last name is unknown, use Sir(Sirs when addressing multiple people):
Dear Sirs, Dear Sirs!
As a synonym for Mr. in England they sometimes use the form Esq. However, it is not placed before the name, but after it, and, naturally, in this case the form Mr. missing:
Michael S. Johnson, Esq.
For reference: This form goes back to the word esquire esquire. In medieval England, an esquire was a knight's squire, and later this word came to mean one of the lowest noble titles. For some time this form was used in letters, but now it is becoming less and less common.
The form Mrs. (Mmes when referring to several women) is used when referring to a married woman, regardless of her age, and should be followed by a surname:
Mrs. Smith, Mrs Smith!
The form Miss used in relation to an unmarried woman and after it there should be a surname:
Dear Miss Willis, Dear Miss Willis!
The form Ms.(read or) is the language equivalent of the Mr. form, since it is used in relation to a woman, regardless of the fact of her marital status. This form was recommended by the UN in 1974 as a result of campaigns by various organizations for the equality of women. It should be noted, however, that in everyday life this form is not used as often as in official correspondence, because most women prefer to use the form Mrs. (married) or Miss (unmarried). However, modern formal and even semi-formal correspondence tends strongly to use the form Ms. This form must also be followed by the last name:
Ms. S. Smith
madam(Mesdames when referring to several women) is the most formal address to a woman. This form can be called the language equivalent of Sir, since it is also used when the addressee's last name is unknown:
Dear Madam, Dear Madam!
Dear Mesdames
In addition, this form is used in writing in relation to a high-ranking woman, married or unmarried, to the queen (queen), princess (princess), countess (countess), duke's daughter, maid of honor (maid of honor), as well as to a woman, holding an official position; with the title of the position (Madam Chairman, Madam Chairman!)
The article used materials in the note:English titles
Girls are different ... And appeals to them too. Let's look at the peculiarities of the English appeal to women of different social status, because the rules of good manners oblige us to know this.
In Western culture, when introducing a woman (in oral and written speech), it is customary to indicate not only her first and last name, but also her “status”. This status is usually denoted by a special word, which often acts as an appeal. There are no analogues of such treatment in Russian culture. Appeal to a woman with the designation of her status was typical for holders of a noble title. In general, this division of statuses is not typical for Russian culture, so the English “Miss” and “Mrs.” cannot be unambiguously compared with similar appeals to women in Russian culture.
The Miz[UK spelling], Ms. [ˈmɪz], , [ˈməz], [ˈməs]) - "Madam ...". This treatment is neutral in English-speaking countries. Ms is placed before the surname of both married and unmarried women, if her marital status is unknown or the woman deliberately emphasizes her equality with a man. This appeal appeared in the 1950s and came into use since the 1970s at the initiative of representatives of the feminist movement.
As The American Heritage Book of English Usage states, “Ms. eliminates the need to guess is the addressee Mrs. or Miss: using Ms., it is impossible to make a mistake. Whether the female addressee is married or not, whether she has changed her last name or not, the use of Ms. always correct." In its style guide, The Times states: “Today, Ms is completely acceptable if a woman wants to be called that, or if it is not known exactly, Mrs. she or Miss. The Guardian, which uses "women's titles" exclusively in editorials, advises in its style guide to "use Ms for women...unless they have expressed a desire to use Miss or Mrs."
Appeal Ms. is the standard term for a woman, unless another preferred term is given to her. For the standard use of Ms. etiquette authors also perform, including Judith Martin (also known as "Miss Manners").
Appeal to an unmarried girl
Miss (Miss)- an English-language address to an unmarried woman. Is an abbreviation for mistress(an obsolete form of addressing a woman). It can be used before a surname or as a direct address. An analogue in Russian can be the word "girl" or the pre-revolutionary "lady" or "mademoiselle".
The address "miss" is also used in relation to the teacher, regardless of her marital status. This rule is associated with a period when only unmarried women could engage in teaching activities.
Appeal to a married woman
Mrs (Mrs)- Appeal to a married woman. Addressing a woman using her husband's name is rare nowadays, although it is possible to address a couple jointly, such as Mr and Mrs John Smith. It is generally considered polite to address women as Miss (Ms.) rather than Mrs., especially if the woman's preference for addressing her is not known, especially when communicating in writing.
Punctuation after abbreviation
A period is put on the letter after the abbreviations:
- Dear Miss Jones! Dear Miss Jones!
- Dear Mrs. Wilson! Dear Mrs Wilson!
- Dear Ms. Smith! Dear Miss Smith!
If the appeal is written in full, then the point is not put:
- Miss Dana Simms - Miss Dana Simms.
Let's summarize:
- Ms- a polite form of addressing a woman in letters without a direct indication of marital status.
- Miss- Appeal to an unmarried woman.
- Mrs- Appeal to a married woman.
Adapted texts in English
Rhyming words in English
English female names
In European culture, the rules of etiquette provide for addressing a woman in a form that corresponds to her status, age and marital status.
Definition
madam- obligatory word usage in France and some European countries in official communication with the fairer sex. Initially, this form of polite address meant that a woman belonged to the upper class or a noble family. Later appeal madam lost its pronounced class coloring, moved into the category of words used in etiquette formulas of speech, and began to be used in relation to women in general.
Ma'am- short form of address madam, which was actively used in England in the 18th - 19th centuries in relation to a woman who occupied a significant position in society. Currently in English word form ma'am is obsolete and almost never used. In the meanings of " mistress», « hostess», « mentor"It has become entrenched in the countries of North America and has become part of the active vocabulary of modern Americans.
Miss and Mrs- Forms of polite address to a woman in England and America. Appeal Mrs. in combination with the surname of the husband is used in relation to persons who are married. In relation to an unmarried woman, the rules of etiquette prescribe the treatment miss.
Mademoiselle- polite address to girls and young women before their marriage, which in France until recently was considered a sign of good taste. With the spread of the French language and French etiquette in the Russian noble environment of the 18th - early 19th centuries, this form began to be used in Russian speech. Modern use of address mademoiselle limited: under the influence of the feminist movement since 2012 in France, it has been excluded from official use.
Comparison
Married women are usually addressed in the form madam and Mrs..
Miss- a form of address for unmarried women, which is used in countries that inherit the rules of English etiquette, regardless of the age of the fair sex.
The form mademoiselle as a polite appeal to a girl is gradually losing its meaning: since February 2012 in France, it has been officially replaced by the commonly used form madam.
Appeal ma'am widespread in America: it is used by subordinates in relation to a woman who has a certain official position.
Findings site
- Appeal madam to married women is accepted in France and some English-speaking countries of Europe.
- In American communication, the word madam converted to short form ma'am and partially lost its meaning, indicating the social status of a married woman.
- The use of addresses miss and Mrs. common in England. The form Mrs. in combination with the husband's surname, it is used in relation to a married woman; miss It is customary to use in combination with the surname received at birth.
- Appeal mademoiselle can refer only to young unmarried women and young girls. It is excluded from official business communication in France, but traditionally remains in speech use.
The modern world is small. Today you live and work in your own country, and tomorrow you will go to rest or work in the UK or the USA. Knowledge of the English language and the mentality of these countries will be very useful. For example, do you know how to address a woman in a formal setting? Not? So let's take a look and be clear.
Traditional forms of addressing a woman Mrs, Miss, Ms
Everyone knows that the British are famous for their good manners. In Russian, when addressing women, we do not indicate their marital status, and according to English etiquette, in official cases it is necessary to indicate whether a woman is married or not. Therefore, in order to refer to her in England or the USA, the forms Miss, Mrs, Ms are usually used:
Miss - to an unmarried woman;
Mrs (Missis) [ˈmɪsɪz] - to a married woman;
Ms is a neutral form of polite address.
These words in English are placed before the surname. The now-famous Missis and Miss appeared in speech in the seventeenth century from "mistress" ("mistress of the house").
To whom do we address the word "Miss"?
To an unmarried lady. Sometimes there are older ladies who introduce themselves as "Miss". This is a form of address to the teacher, waitress, maid. It is used only with a maiden name, for example: Good morning, Miss Brown.
A divorced woman decides how to present herself: "Mrs" or "Miss".
Who is Mrs (Mrs)?
Let's figure it out. This is a married lady. When referring to it, the following formulas apply:
- Mrs + husband's last name: Mrs Black;
- Mrs + her first name and husband's last name: Mrs Sarah Black;
- Mrs + husband's first and last name: Mrs Peter Black.
Good afternoon, Mrs. Wood! Good afternoon Mrs Wood!
If the woman is widowed or divorced, "Mrs" remains, but is followed by her given name and maiden name, for example: Mrs Sarah Brown.
Who is called "Ms"?
The word is translated as "lady". It appeared in the 50s of the twentieth century in the United States and was a neutral appeal to a woman. It is believed that it was first used by feminists who fought for equality with men. Today, Ms is officially used when referring to many office workers.
Good afternoon, Ms Wood! Nice to meet you! Good afternoon Mrs Wood! Pleased to Meet You!
Looking through English magazines and newspapers, you will notice that Ms is increasingly used when referring to a woman in business. Authors of books on etiquette also advocate the use of this standard address.
How to address a woman in a letter?
Dear Miss/Ms Hall! Dear Miss/Mrs Hall,
