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

> Exactly - which would be really weird!
> Similar to what The Gray Wizard said,
>
> "Stephen" = me
> "Mr. Belsky" = my father
> "Rabbi Belsky" = ¿¿¿???
>
> So i can just anticipate it feeling at least somewhat disconcerting.
> Something else which seems very strange to me is introducing yourself as
> "(title) (lastname)" instead of "(firstname) (lastname)" - i can see
> other people doing it, but i can't really see me doing it.
>
> Just to throw another title/name bit of information in here, for some
> reason i have a strong aversion to "nameless honorifics" as i call them,
> meaning the words "Sir" and "Ma'am".  Other titles (such as "Mister",
> "Mrs", "Doctor", "Rabbi", "Professor", etc.), even when used by
> themselves (like "Professor, what's going to be on the midterm?") seem to
> imply the name that goes along with them ("Professor Bailey"), so that
> feels fine to me.  But i can't stand it when other people call me "sir"
> (telemarketers seem to like that) even if they're joking.  And i don't
> think i've ever used the words "sir" or "ma'am" in my life....they just
> feel 'wrong'.
I don't mind being called "Sir" (although I would mind "ma'am" ;-) ), but
when I was in Romania I was really freaked out when people insisted on
calling me "dumneavoastra."  I was okay with using the formal address,
but I never expected others to use it on me!  Even after I told them
not to, most children younger than me insisted on calling me
"dumneavoastrea."  After a while I got used to it, though.

>
>
> -Stephen (Steg)
>  "mai hhazit, dedama didakh sumaq ttefei?"
>
Jesse S. Bangs jaspax@u.washington.edu
"It is of the new things that men tire--of fashions and proposals and
improvements and change.  It is the old things that startle and
intoxicate.  It is the old things that are young."
-G.K. Chesterton _The Napoleon of Notting Hill_