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Original poster

BBC today magazine thing about France and how some areas are dropping / have dropped "Mademoiselle" for women

33 replies

SardineQueen · 12/01/2012 11:54

bbc today

Article about how parts of France are dropping Mademoiselle and just using Madame, and saying that the Germans did this years ago.

Why are people so attached to Miss and Mrs here? When there are threads saying why not have one for men and one for women people get very exercised about the idea.

OP posts:
mousyMouse · 12/01/2012 13:37

it's true about germany, already since 1971.

if someone calls a woman "Fräulein" today is used more in the sense of "bitch" or "old spinster".

I have to admit that the Miss/Ms/Mrs thing is very confusing and a minefield. I never know how to call myself!

CogitoErgoSometimes · 12/01/2012 13:26

They're attached because it confers - or used to confer - status. Your mum opts to play down her Doctor status when not at work for her own reasons - maybe she doesn't want to stick out from the crowd? Others will correct you quite firmly if you get it wrong the other way around because they want you to know they're important/educated/successful. Wouldn't like to be the person that called Alan 'Mr Sugar', for example. 'Miss' ... aside from meaning unmarried is shorthand for 'young' and can therefore be flattering as vitaminC pointed out. I use 'Mrs Surname' if I'm dealing with my bank or something else official because I think allowing people to use your first name can make things too chumsy and unprofessional.

'Ms' is a horrible word. Wish we had something better. Think it sounds like a wasp with a speech impediment :)

Original poster
SardineQueen · 12/01/2012 12:21

I don't think we do Ninja. Like I say, most workplaces have dropped them.

OP posts:
Original poster
SardineQueen · 12/01/2012 12:21

I find it interesting how attached people are to different modes of address.

My mum is a Dr but always used Mrs when not at work - I never really got to the bottom of why.
My MIL absolutely hated the title Ms with such force that it was quite a shocker to hear

Why are people so attached to them? Why does it matter?

Agree that at work etc it's all first-name last name these days - it comes up with utilities and banks etc

OP posts:
OnlyANinja · 12/01/2012 12:19

I sometimes wonder why we need titles at all.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 12/01/2012 12:17

If we're attached I think it's because it can be useful. I use Mrs or Ms depending on who I'm talking to and/or how I'm feeling on the day. Don't ever use 'Miss' because I think, at the grand old age of 47, my Miss days are firmly behind me. 'Mrs' is handy if I'm battleaxe mode and expecting people to cower before me. 'Ms' if I want to merge anonymously into the background.

Then again, you rarely hear someone referred to as 'Mr' these days. Not outside a school, that is.

Original poster
SardineQueen · 12/01/2012 12:12

Oh is it not true then?

What about Germany?

OP posts:
vitaminC · 12/01/2012 12:00

Huh? Lived in France most of my life and it's the first I've heard of this! I agree with the journalist from the independent that it's a bit of a non-issue!

As I approach 40, I love it when servers in shops or restaurants address me as "Mademoiselle", rather than "Madame" :) Makes my day :o

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