Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms = ?

[bieasy]

Hi,

Could you tell me the meaning of: Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms?

 

[Szymon]

Mr - Mister, a male, Mr Smith, Mr Jackson
Mrs - married female, Mrs Smith, or Mr X's wife, contraction of 'mistress', mind pronunciation [mɪsɪz]

Miss - unmarried woman, [mɪs]
Ms - shows no reference to a woman's marital status, as with 'Mr'. pronounced [mɪz] or [məz])

 

[bieasy]

Mr - Mister, a male, Mr Smith, Mr Jackson
Mrs - married female, Mrs Smith, or Mr X's wife, contraction of 'mistress', mind pronunciation [mɪsɪz]

Miss - unmarried woman, [mɪs]
Ms - shows no reference to a woman's marital status, as with 'Mr'. pronounced [mɪz] or [məz])

Thank you

 

[Pollik]

This may be a little off track, but are there any legal requirements in using these terms?

Does a married woman have to use Mrs, or can she legally use Miss?

Or, a more extreme case, can a transsexual person simply start using a new salutation legally?



Polly

 

[thod00]

Does a married woman have to use Mrs, or can she legally use Miss?

I dont believe that the law cares at all about titles, unless that is the cause of the dispute. She would be tried as Jane Doe, if she calls herself Mrs Doe, Dr Doe, or Her Royal Highness Lady Doe of Windsor, it is of no import.

Many widows still use Mrs although they are no longer married.

 

[bieasy]

I dont believe that the law cares at all about titles, unless that is the cause of the dispute. She would be tried as Jane Doe, if she calls herself Mrs Doe, Dr Doe, or Her Royal Highness Lady Doe of Windsor, it is of no import.

Many widows still use Mrs although they are no longer married.

And a widow should be called "miss"?

 

[Ouisch]

And a widow should be called "miss"?

It depends upon the particular person. Some widows will continue to refer to themselves as "Mrs. John Doe" even 30 years after the passing of Mr. Doe. Others will revert to "Miss (or Ms.) Jane Roe" only months after Mr. Doe has passed.

 

[Searching for language]

It depends upon the particular person. Some widows will continue to refer to themselves as "Mrs. John Doe" even 30 years after the passing of Mr. Doe. Others will revert to "Miss (or Ms.) Jane Roe" only months after Mr. Doe has passed.

Just as an aside, in the province of Quebec, Canada, women MUST retain their birth name. They are now not allowed to use their husband's last name in any legal sense. It was and still is very difficult for women who were used to signing their last name as the one they aquired through marriage, to revert to a name that they might not have used for 40 years!

 

[Pollik]

It is all rather confusing, isn't it? Apart from the Provnce of Quebec, there doesn't seem to be any legal basis for which courtesy titles people are able to adopt.

So that leaves me wondering why a particular insurance company is refusing to change mine...I was hoping to twist their corporate arm into seeing sense, backed up with the letter of the law.

Oh well, nothing is ever simple, is it? :roll:


Polly

 

[Anglika]

This may be a little off track, but are there any legal requirements in using these terms?

Does a married woman have to use Mrs, or can she legally use Miss?

Or, a more extreme case, can a transsexual person simply start using a new salutation legally?



Polly

There is no legal requirement, It is largely a social nicety, and the problem of the transexual is still under discussion. If she/he calls themselves, "Miss" or "Ms", noone is likely to challenge the use.

 

[whitechalk]

Mr - Mister, a male, Mr Smith, Mr Jackson
Mrs - married female, Mrs Smith, or Mr X's wife, contraction of 'mistress', mind pronunciation [mɪsɪz]

Miss - unmarried woman, [mɪs]
Ms - shows no reference to a woman's marital status, as with 'Mr'. pronounced [mɪz] or [məz])

Sorry, if mine is off-topic. What about 'Madam' (contracted 'Mdm')?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

And a widow should be called "miss"?

In the U.S., widows are Mrs. or Ms.

 

[Anglika]

Sorry, if mine is off-topic. What about 'Madam' (contracted 'Mdm')?

Never used as a title. Apart from in France or Francophone countries.

 

[Tdol]

'Ma'am' is used as to address the queen, though it's not a title. It is also pronounced with a short A. ;-)

 

[whitechalk]

Isn't it true that people of some eastern countries once under British rule prefer to address distinguished ladies (government servants/officers, business people, etc...) with "madam" or "ma'am"?

 

[Ouisch]

'Ma'am' is used as to address the queen, though it's not a title. It is also pronounced with a short A. ;-)

"Rhymes with 'spam'," the Duchess of York told us uneducated Colonists during her first "official" visit to the US. ;-)

 

[Ouisch]

Isn't it true that people of some eastern countries once under British rule prefer to address distinguished ladies (government servants/officers, business people, etc...) with "madam" or "ma'am"?

In AmE, it is traditional to address the female head of a committee as "Madam Chairman" or "Madam Chairperson," but only in corresondence or during an official meeting or hearing.

 

[thod00]

"Rhymes with 'spam'," the Duchess of York told us uneducated Colonists during her first "official" visit to the US. ;-)

My only experience is from the TV. I notice that they seem to rhyme it with 'farm' rather than 'spam'. This explains why the royals have never dropped by my house for a cup of tea, or a beer. Too busy off educating the colonials to have time for the likes of me.