Re: Old Norse (was Re: New to the list)

> Date:         Fri, 23 Jun 2000 12:51:12 +0200
> From: BP Jonsson <bpj@...>
> Up to ca 1960 Swedes had to keep track on each other's occupational etc.
> titles (or their husbands') since their definite forms had to be used for
> addressing in conversation.  To be addressed merely as _min herre_ or _ni_
> (sc. vous) meant you had no professional or academic degree!  Then there
> was a successful campaign (for egalitarian as well as linguistic hygiene
> reasons) ousting all that in favour of the simple _du_.  The older usage
> lingers on only with _kungen_ and his close kin -- and they used to be _Ers
> Majestät_ back when the practice was general, so they have been demoted
> too! :-)
Danish had more or less the same, when the middle class had to address
the bourgeoisie. But the bourgeoisie was ousted by the middle class
some time between the wars, and that usage with it, except for some
usages like Doktoren and Pastoren which lingered into the fifties.
(Danish Lutheran-Evangelical clergy were priests in mention, but
pastors in address).

Speakers who felt especially low-status would even produce Herr
Doktoren, Herr Dyrlægen and so on.

People like salesmen and waiters, whose jobs required politeness, did
keep up the usage Herren/Fruen/Frøkenen for some time after that ---
you might still find an older shop assistant in a high class shop
who'll ask "Ønsker Herren at betale kontant?" ("Does Sir wish to pay
cash?").

Lars Mathiesen (U of Copenhagen CS Dep) <thorinn@...> (Humour NOT marked)