Mr.

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Mister, usually written in its contracted form Mr. or Mr, [1] is a commonly used English honorific for men without a higher honorific, or professional title, or any of various designations of office. [1] The title Mr derived from earlier forms of master , as the equivalent female titles Mrs , Miss , and Ms all derived from earlier forms of mistress . Master is sometimes still used as an honorific for boys and young men.

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The modern plural form is Misters[ citation needed ], although its usual formal abbreviation Messrs(.) [note 1] derives from use of the French title messieurs in the 18th century. [2] [5] Messieurs is the plural of monsieur (originally mon sieur, "my lord"), formed by declining both of its constituent parts separately. [5]

Historical etiquette

Historically, mister was applied only to those above one's own status if they had no higher title such as Sir or my lord in the English class system. That understanding is now obsolete, as it was gradually expanded as a mark of respect to those of equal status and then to all men without a higher style.

In the 19th century and earlier in Britain, two gradations of "gentleman" were recognised; the higher was entitled to use "esquire" (usually abbreviated to Esq, which followed the name), and the lower employed "Mr" before the name. Today, on correspondence from Buckingham Palace, a man who is a UK citizen is addressed with post-nominal "Esq.", and a man of foreign nationality is addressed with prefix "Mr".

In past centuries, Mr was used with a first name to distinguish among family members who might otherwise be confused in conversation: Mr Doe would be the eldest present; younger brothers or cousins were then referred to as Mr Richard Doe and Mr William Doe and so on. Such usage survived longer in family-owned business or when domestic servants were referring to adult male family members with the same surname: "Mr Robert and Mr Richard will be out this evening, but Mr Edward is dining in." In other circumstances, similar usage to indicate respect combined with familiarity is common in most anglophone cultures, including that of the southern United States.

Professional titles

Mr is sometimes combined with certain titles (Mr President, Mr Speaker, Mr Justice, Mr Dean ). The feminine equivalent is usually Madam although Mrs is also used in some contexts. All of these except Mr Justice are used in direct address and without the name. In certain professional contexts in different regions, Mr has specific meanings; the following are some examples.

Medicine

In the United Kingdom, Ireland and in some Commonwealth countries (such as South Africa, New Zealand and some states of Australia), many surgeons use the title Mr (or Miss, Ms, Mrs, as appropriate), rather than Dr (Doctor). Until the 19th century, earning a medical degree was not required to become a surgeon. Hence, the modern practice of reverting from Dr to Mr after successfully completing qualifying exams in surgery (e.g., Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons or the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons) is a historical reference to the origins of surgery in the United Kingdom as non-medically qualified barber surgeons. [6]

Military usage

In the United States Army, male warrant officers are addressed as "Mister", while female warrant officers are addressed as "Miss" or "Missus", as appropriate. [7] In the US Navy, it was once customary to address commissioned officers below the rank of commander (O-5) as "Mister"; this practice ended in 1973 after an update of the Navy Regulations, which standardised addressing all officers by rank. [8]

In the British Armed Forces, a male warrant officer is addressed as Sir by other ranks and non-commissioned officers; commissioned officers, particularly of junior rank, should address a warrant officer using Mister and his surname, although often their rank or appointment is used, for example "Sergeant Major", "Regimental Sergeant Major", or "RSM".

In the British Armed Forces a subaltern is often referred to by his surname and the prefix Mister by both other ranks and more senior commissioned officers, e.g. "Report to Mister Smythe-Jones" rather than "Report to 2nd Lieutenant Smythe-Jones".

Judges

In the courts of England and Wales, Judges of the High Court are called, for example, Mr Justice Crane unless they are entitled to be addressed as Lord Justice. Where a forename is necessary to avoid ambiguity it is always used, for example Mr Justice Robert Goff to distinguish from a predecessor Mr Justice Goff. The female equivalent is Mrs Justice Hallett, not Madam Justice Hallett. When more than one judge is sitting and there is need to be specific, the form of address is My Lord, Mr Justice Crane. High Court Judges are entitled to be styled with the prefix The Honourable while holding office: e.g., the Honourable Mr Justice Robert Goff. In writing, such as in the law reports, the titles "Mr Justice" or "Mrs Justice" are both abbreviated to a "J" placed after the name. For example, Crane J would be substituted for Mr Justice Crane. [9] Female judges are still properly addressed "My Lord", but "My Lady" is acceptable in modern usage.[ citation needed ]

The Chief Justice of the United States may be referred to as either "Mr Chief Justice", or "Chief Justice". For example, "Mr Chief Justice Roberts" or "Chief Justice Roberts".

Catholic clerics

Among Catholic clergy, "Mr" is the correct honorific and form of address for seminarians and other students for the priesthood. It was once the proper title for all secular clergy, including parish priests, the use of the title "Father" being reserved to religious clergy ("regulars") [note 2] only. [10] [11] The use of the title "Father" for parish clergy became customary around the 1820s.

A diocesan seminarian is correctly addressed as "Mr", and once ordained a transitional deacon, is addressed in formal correspondence (though rarely in conversation) as the Reverend Mister (or "Rev. Mr"). In clerical religious institutes (those primarily made up of priests), Mr is the title given to scholastics. For instance, in the Jesuits, a man preparing for priesthood who has completed the novitiate but who is not yet ordained is properly, "Mr John Smith, SJ" and is addressed verbally as "Mister Smith"—this is to distinguish him from Jesuit brothers, and priests (although, before the 1820s, many Jesuit priests were also called "Mr"). Orders founded before the 16th century do not, as a rule, follow this practice: a Franciscan or Dominican, for instance, becomes a friar after novitiate and so is properly titled "Brother" or, if a priest, "Father".

Permanent deacons in the United States are styled as "Deacon" or "the Reverend Deacon" followed by their first and last names (e.g. "Deacon John Jones", rather than "the Reverend Mr"). [12] It is also customary in some places, especially in the Eastern Catholic Churches, to address deacons while speaking, like presbyters, as "Father" or "Father Deacon".

Other usages

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Pronounced /ˈmɛsərz/ in English, [2] [3] and [mesjø] in French. [2] The French, however, do not abbreviate messieurs as Messrs but as MM. In India, one often finds messieurs abbreviated as M/S or M/s, especially as a prefix to the name of a firm. [4]
  2. ↑ Religious or regular clergy belong to institutes of religion and so follow the rule of the order, and lead a life in community. Secular clergy are ordained, but do not live by a rule or lead a life "in common".

Related Research Articles

A courtesy title is a form of address and/or reference in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer, as well as certain officials such as some judges and members of the Scottish gentry. These styles are used "by courtesy" in the sense that persons referred to by these titles do not in law hold the substantive title. There are several different kinds of courtesy titles in the British peerage system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Reverend</span> Christian religious honorific style

The Reverend is an honorific style given before the names of certain Christian clergy and ministers. There are sometimes differences in the way the style is used in different countries and church traditions. The Reverend is correctly called a style, but is sometimes referred to as a title, form of address, or title of respect. The style is also sometimes used by leaders in other religions such as Judaism and Buddhism.

A style of office, also called manner of reference, or form of address when someone is spoken to directly, is an official or legally recognized form of reference for a person or other entity, and may often be used in conjunction with a personal title. A style, by tradition or law, precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or political office, and is sometimes used to refer to the office itself. An honorific can also be awarded to an individual in a personal capacity. Such styles are particularly associated with monarchies, where they may be used by a wife of an office holder or of a prince of the blood, for the duration of their marriage. They are also almost universally used for presidents in republics and in many countries for members of legislative bodies, higher-ranking judges, and senior constitutional office holders. Leading religious figures also have styles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Right Honourable</span> Honorific prefix

The Right Honourable is an honorific style traditionally applied to certain persons and collective bodies in the United Kingdom, the former British Empire and the Commonwealth of Nations. The term is predominantly used today as a style associated with the holding of certain senior public offices in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, and, to a lesser extent, Australia.

Sir is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as part of "Monsieur", with the equivalent "My Lord" in English.

A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the first and last name. Some titles are hereditary.

The term Don abbreviated as D., is an honorific prefix primarily used in Spain and Hispanic America, and with different connotations also in Italy, Portugal and its former colonies, and formerly in the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Esquire</span> Honorific title

Esquire is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, esquire historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentleman and below the rank of knight. Some sources cite that the title was bestowed on "candidates for knighthood in England", and even used with respect to other dignitaries, such as justices of the peace, sheriffs, and sergeants.

Forms of address used in the United Kingdom are given below.

Mrs. or Mrs is a commonly used English honorific for women, usually for those who are married and who do not instead use another title or rank, such as Doctor, Professor, President, Dame, etc. In most Commonwealth countries, a full stop (period) is usually not used with the title. In the United States and Canada a period is usually used.

Monsieur is an honorific title that was used to refer to or address the eldest living brother of the king in the French royal court. It has now become the customary French title of respect and term of address for a French-speaking man, corresponding to such English titles as Mr. or sir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minister (Christianity)</span> Religious occupation in Christianity

In Christianity, a minister is a person authorised by a church or other religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community. The term is taken from Latin minister. In some church traditions the term is usually used for people who have been ordained, but in other traditions it can also be used for non-ordained.

An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an honorary academic title. It is also often conflated with systems of honorific speech in linguistics, which are grammatical or morphological ways of encoding the relative social status of speakers. Honorifics can be used as prefixes or suffixes depending on the appropriate occasion and presentation in accordance with style and customs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English honorifics</span> Courtesy form of address

In the English language, an honorific is a form of address conveying esteem, courtesy or respect. These can be titles prefixing a person's name, e.g.: Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms, Mx, Sir, Dame, Dr, Cllr, Lady, or Lord, or other titles or positions that can appear as a form of address without the person's name, as in Mr President, General, Captain, Father, Doctor, or Earl.

Master is an English honorific for boys and young men. It is usually abbreviated to MSTR or Mstr.

A salutation is a greeting used in a letter or other communication. Salutations can be formal or informal. The most common form of salutation in an English letter includes the recipient's given name or title. For each style of salutation there is an accompanying style of complimentary close, known as valediction. Examples of non-written salutations are bowing, waving, or even addressing somebody by their name. A salutation can be interpreted as a form of a signal in which the receiver of the salutation is being acknowledged, respected or thanked. Another simple but very common example of a salutation is a military salute. By saluting another rank, that person is signalling or showing his or her acknowledgement of the importance or significance of that person and his or her rank. Some greetings are considered vulgar, others "rude" and others "polite".

Ecclesiastical titles are the formal styles of address used for members of the clergy.

Pre-nominal letters are a title which is placed before the name of a person as distinct from a post-nominal title which is placed after the name. Examples of pre-nominal titles, for instance professional titles include: Doctor, Captain, EUR ING, Ir. (ingenieur), Ts., Ar. (architect), Sr. (surveyor), Br., Gs. (geologist), Mons. (monsignore), CA and Professor.

Honorifics are words that connote esteem or respect when used in addressing or referring to a person. In the German language, honorifics distinguish people by age, sex, profession, academic achievement, and rank. In the past, a distinction was also made between married and unmarried women.

The Honourable or The Honorable is an honorific style that is used as a prefix before the names or titles of certain people, usually with official governmental or diplomatic positions.

References

  1. 1 2 "Mr" . Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press.(Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  2. 1 2 3 "Messrs." . Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press.(Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  3. ↑ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. "Messrs." Merriam-Webster (Springfield, 2015.
  4. ↑ Sengupta, Sailesh. Business and Managerial Communication , p. 278 (PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd., 2011).
  5. 1 2 "messieurs" . Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press.(Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  6. ↑ "Qualifications of a Surgeon". Royal College of Surgeons. n.d. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  7. ↑ Bonn, Keith E. (2005). Army Officer's Guide (50 ed.). Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stockpole Books. p. 16. ISBN   978-0-8117-3224-6.
  8. ↑ Mack, William P.; Paulsen, Thomas D. (1991). The Naval Officer's Guide (10 ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. p. 139. ISBN   0-87021-296-6. In official spoken communications, officers will be addressed by their grade (as distinct from the custom prior to 1973, when officers...below commander were called 'mister.'
  9. ↑ Sutherland, Douglas (1978). The English Gentleman. Debrett's Peerage Ltd. ISBN   0-905649-18-4.
  10. ↑ Bevak, Jon-Paul (1 July 2022). "Father's Column - July 2022". The Cincinnati Oratory. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  11. ↑ Keefe, Kate (8 August 2022). "Addressing a priest as 'father' when he is so much younger than you are". The Tablet. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  12. ↑ USCCB, National Directory for the Formation, Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States §88. Washington: 2005.
  13. ↑ "A–Z of Italian Football". fourfourtwo.com. Archived from the original on 29 September 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
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