Re: CHAT: "Mister" (WAS: Re: New Lang: Igassik)

    Here in Israel, the situation regarding addressing people
is a curious mix of formality and informality.
    Preschool teachers, for example, are always addressed
by their first names. In fact, despite the fact that every preschool
has its own official name, they're commonly referred to as
"Ruthie's preschool", "Sarah's preschool", etc., using the name of the
teacher.
    In school, however, things are different. Teachers and
principals may be referred to by their first names, but if addressed
directly, the 3rd person honorific is usually used (by kids; adults usually
use first names): /ha-more/ (for a man), /ha-mora/ (for a woman)
= The Teacher.
    I always introduce myself to new kids using my first name.
If the kid is in preschool, I allow him/her  to use it when addressing me.
If  the kid is in school (and especially if the therapy is conducted
within the school building itself), I usually insist on being called
"ha-more". Teachers call me by my first name.
    Regarding rabbis here, the least formal way of addressing them is
to use the simple 3rd person honorific: /ha-rav/ = The Rabbi.
 It is also common to add "kavod" (= honor) as in
"kavod ha-rav". (=The Honorable Rabbi)
    Things really get interesting when addressing strangers.
One can rudely grab their attention: /alo/ (= hey!); one can be polite about
it:
/slixa/ (= pardon); and one can address them directly: /adoni/.
Now the literal translation of "adoni" is "My Lord". (for women:
/gvirti/ = My Lady ). But the use is something else again! ;-) It can mean
a respectful "sir". It can also mean "hey, you idiot!" as in when the
person ahead of you in line at the bank or post office doesn't
move when a teller becomes available and you shout in his
ear "adoni!" and point at the teller. :-)

Dan Sulani
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likehsna rtem zuv tikuhnuh auag inuvuz vaka'a.

A word is an awesome thing.