33 replies to this topic

[Helene]

I had never heard or read about "Ms." used for divorced women.  The proper address for a divorced woman, if a woman kept her ex-husband's name, was, as dirac notes, "Mrs. [First Name] [Married Last Name].

This history of "Ms." as described in this article in The New York Times is what I'm familiar with:
http://www.nytimes.c...age-t.html?_r=0

Moonlily, on 24 September 2012 - 02:11 PM, said:

At least in Germany, 'Fräulein' for unmarried women is nowadays only used very, very rarely. It has a rather antiquated connotation.

I noticed the last time I was there that Fräulein was used rarely, when it was more common in the '70's when I first went.  It sounds as antiquated as "Master," the formal address used for a boy.

[kfw]

kbarber, on 17 September 2012 - 01:56 PM, said:

sandik, on 17 September 2012 - 01:52 PM, said:

I have always thought that the use of first names, unless you were personal friends with someone, and discussing that friendship, was a poor choice in public documents -- it trivializes dancers and their contribution to the art form.

Your question about generational preferences is an interesting one, though -- it could be that my preferences do indeed mark me as part of an older demographic.  Nevertheless, I try to use first names sparingly.

Even dropping the "Mr" and "Ms" though, and using the surname by itself, seems to me to make it less stuffy, if one doesn't want to go the whole way to first names.

As a child, I remember being told that referring to a woman by her last name was rude. Nowadays I often hear men refer to each other or to another man by last name, and I sometimes do the same, in the rough teasing way that men have with each other. As for addressing strangers or referring to them in print, I find "Mr." and "Mrs". respectful and not at all stuffy. I've had guys half my age refer to me as "man," and I know they meant no disrespect, but neither did they show the respect they should have, and I think that's unfortunate - not for me, but for them that they don't have in their bones that automatic respect for age - even middle age - that my generation was taught.

[dirac]

Helene, on 24 September 2012 - 02:40 PM, said:

I had never heard or read about "Ms." used for divorced women.  The proper address for a divorced woman, if a woman kept her ex-husband's name, was, as dirac notes, "Mrs. [First Name] [Married Last Name].

This history of "Ms." as described in this article in The New York Times is what I'm familiar with:
http://www.nytimes.c...age-t.html?_r=0

Moonlily, on 24 September 2012 - 02:11 PM, said:

At least in Germany, 'Fräulein' for unmarried women is nowadays only used very, very rarely. It has a rather antiquated connotation.

I noticed the last time I was there that Fräulein was used rarely, when it was more common in the '70's when I first went.  It sounds as antiquated as "Master," the formal address used for a boy.

Thanks, Helene. I believe that's the same NYT article I linked to earlier in this thread. I don't know what to tell you, only that I do remember reading that some once used Ms. for divorced women and that Ms. no longer had that particular significance. I don't have any personal experience of such.

[diane]

quote cubanmiamiboy: One way I find easy in my workplace while dealing with female doctors of all ages, is by addressing them as Dr. so and so,hence eliminating the confusion of the Miss/Mrs...


there is a program on bbc radio (I get the podcasts) called the "Naked Scientist" and they have "phone ins", where people can ask questions and discuss mainly scientific matters. Everyone who phones in is referred to as "doctor" so-and-so.

At first I thought that everyone who phoned in WAS a doctor, but then it got to the point where I realised that this was probably not the case.


-d-