Smalltalk

Btw, can Mrs even be used without a surname? Otherwise I suppose that Madam replaces Mrs in case the surname is unknown. On the other hand I'm pretty sure that I've heard and read Miss without a surname behind it. I'm not sure about Ms. Confusing. Milady is my favourite anyway. ;D

Madam is the correct word to use in a polite conversation, especially with a customer, it is the female equivalent to "Sir." So the guy on the phone in Texas, where people are known for their politeness, was absolutely correct.

"Miss" (not followed by a name) sometimes is used to address a younger woman, but it is not really polite, but rather condescending, as in "Excuse me, Miss..." when an older customer might address a younger clerk who is chatting with a co-worker.

You never would address someone superior, or a customer, as "Miss."

Using "Mrs", which would be pronounced Misses, is equally impolite, but is basically never heard.

Sometimes people address a woman as "lady," as in "Excuse me lady, you are in the way!" but here again it is rude to do so. Lady in the correct use always requires the name, as in "Good morning Lady Cunningham, how are you doing today?"

The correct address of someone whose name you don't know always would be "Madam."

@Rick_Blaine

Thank you for your explanation. Are you a native speaker?

Even though I was born in Germany, I have been living in the United States for about two decades, and before that I lived in the United Kingdom, so I guess I am something close to a native speaker. :)

It's always good to have native speakers around. We could use one in the "Help me translate this" discussion, too, I guess. (The question is whether it's more appropriate to use an infinitive or a gerund after "help me".)

I'll be happy to help.

Rick_Blaine schrieb am 18.12.2014:You never would address someone superior, or a customer, as "Miss."

Not quite true. During sophomore year in high school our teachers encouraged us to call them Miss rather than Mrs.

.

But I assume it was Miss.(name)., as in Miss Jones etc. That is something different.

@Abernathy

Was it Miss or Ms.?

@Strigoaica
That's the same.

@Rick_Blaine
Not necessarily + name. Sometimes just solely Miss.

@Abernathy

There is a difference: http://www.diffen.com/difference/Miss_vs_Ms

The difference is that Miss is used generally by unmarried women, whereas Ms can be used by women regardless of their marital status.

@Strigoaica

That is correct. "Miss" is like the German "Fräulein," which also has almost disappeared in use in Germany. It defines an unmarried woman. "Mrs," on the other hand, is clearly defining a married woman. So, modernly, people thought it would be more polite to leave the marital status out of the discussion and invented "Ms." as a generalized address. Nowadays here we always use "Ms." when we address someone we don't know in writing. Of course, this is written English and it is always used with the name.

To address someone as "Miss" without her name, has the same connotation as doing so in German, using "Fräulein!" It was typically used in restaurants and cafes when calling a waitress, as in "Fräulein! Zahlen bitte!" and nowadays is regarded as rude and not political correct. It is regarded as condescending. In my wife's school, where she is teaching, it would never be accepted if used to address a teacher. Kids would either have to say: "Miss Johnston, could you please have a look here?" or "Ma'm, could you help me with this, please?"

The same goes for addressing gentlemen: You never use "Mister" without the name, it is regarded, in the same way, as rude. A teacher will always be addressed as "Mr. Berger" or "Sir."

@Rick_Blaine

"Fräulein" can also be used by parents to address their misbehaving daughter. Another negative connotation of the German equivalent. :D

:) Yes, that is a scenario where we might use "Miss" as well. Teenage daughters, I have two of them, are a special situation. :)

@Rick_Blaine

Two Frolleins at once! What a blessing! Do you sometimes use their full names after or instead of "Miss"? If so, it would certainly be fun to add embarrassing middle names they don't even (know they) have. Preferably in public. ;D

Oh yeah, first, middle and last name. But they are not embarrassing :) I always thought my middle name was embarrassing, and my wife thought so about her's, so we were careful to spare our kids the same fate. :)

Actually, my older one likes her middle name more than her first name. Go figure.

@Rick_Blaine

If only more parents were as careful as you and your wife when it comes to choosing their children's names!

Well, yeah, what I sometimes see nowadays...

Since we have German roots we also chose names that would be equally understood and common in both countries. This helps a lot.

My first name is relatively common in Germany, or at least was when I was born, but it always makes Americans wonder what kind of name this is. Of course, my parents had no idea I would live here some day.