On Sat, May 8, 2010 at 2:50 PM, Robin Hamilton <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Clearly when Hilary Clinton or Michelle Obama take office, we'll call her
>> Mrs. President.
>>
>
> Surely not, Uche -- that's too, too Alf Garnettish.
>
> I can just see Michelle (or, as it might be, Hilary), when you address her
> as "Mrs. [not Miz?] President", drawing herself up to her full executive
> stature and responding, "We, sir, are no missus -- we are a madam."
>
I'm fine with Madam President. I'm curious whether anyone would find that
sexist in any way.
I'd also be fine with a male honorific that differentiates the married from
the unmarried. Too bad the "master"/"mister" distinction doesn't *quite*
fit, and anyway, I expect there would be political objection to "master" :)
Brothelkeepers of the world, unite!
>
>
> In England, they call the monarch "his royal highness" or "her royal
>> highness",
>>
>
> -- or sometimes "ma'am", but more often Brenda.
>
> If, that is, you mean the lady who *should be referred to as Elizabeth the
> I and II (the first such of the UK only, but the second when it comes to
> England).
>
> A Punctilious Scot
I almost changed "England" to "UK", but I decided against, figuring that in
much of the rest of the UK they tend to use less friendly names (at least
when they really mean what they're saying).
--
Uche Ogbuji http://uche.ogbuji.net
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