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Proper way to Address a Lady


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I love to confound people with strange, archaic word meanings. Want to really blow peoples' minds? Point out that the word "girl" could originally mean either a young woman or a young man. Think today's teen boys would like to be called girls? Oh, the possibilities of deviltry are endless!

Wow! Them would be fighting words these days for any poor youthful boy at high school level. Any example/proof of this, Red Sea Trade?

You can find it in any good dictionary that includes word origins. I think I found it in the Oxford Abridged, but a quick online search turned it up in a couple places. It is from the Middle English gurle or girle, a young person of either sex.

Red Sea Trade

In days of old when ships were bold just like the men that sailed 'em,

and if they showed us disrespect we tied 'em up and flailed 'em,

often men of low degree and often men of steel,

they'd make you walk the plank alone or haul you 'round the keel.

--Adam and the Ants

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I always address a lady thusly

Jane Doe

1234 Any St.

What Town, MD

12345

I've been wrong all this time.

No wonder they always come back marked .....

(In best Elvis imitator style)

"Return to sendah,

address unknown,

No such number

No such Zone"

Thankya, thankya vury much

Elvish has left the building.

By the way they do still refer to each other as girls .....

Hey B*&^%, gimme them shoes.

And yes they sometimes do fight about it.

Self Promoter Jim

Pirate Gear oldsutlerjohn.biz

American Civil War oldsutlerjohn.net

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I am wondering if being a Widow would change ones title in the Colonies during the late 17th Century?

If you have a chance Captain...do ask about this as well.

Call them...email them... No offense but I don't have time to do your homework as well.... :blink:


"I being shot through the left cheek, the bullet striking away great part of my upper jaw, and several teeth which dropt down the deck where I fell... I was forced to write what I would say to prevent the loss of blood, and because of the pain I suffered by speaking."~ Woodes Rogers

Crewe of the Archangel

http://jcsterlingcptarchang.wix.com/creweofthearchangel#

http://creweofthearchangel.wordpress.com/

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:lol:

I'll stick with M' Lady, thank ye very much! At least it shan't confuse th' b'devil out of ye devils. An' I deserve that title, I did pay th' commission fo' it. :)

Ye don't have t' worry about callin' me Mrs or Mistress or Miss Barbossa or whatever else. Captain or Lady be fine 'nough. :)

~Lady B

Tempt Fate! an' toss 't all t' Hell!"

"I'm completely innocent of whatever crime I've committed."

The one, the only,... the infamous!

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The proper way to address a Lady:

Use a 3x5 inch commercially available label. The label should have name and address of destination in the center. There should be a by name return address placed on the upper left of the label. Then the mailing label should be glued with a non-binding cement directly on her forehead, plainly visible to the mail carrier.

If she wasn’t a lady you could put it elsewhere, but visibility must be maintained.

(Further etiquette note- You should mail the Lady based on an estimation of weight or via a scale she does not see. Remember, even if it may save postage a gentleman doesn't ask a lady here weight.)

P.S. Kidding aside, Capt. Sterling that was a great link and an insightful document you posted.

Edited by Graydog

Why am I sharing my opinion? Because I am a special snowflake who has an opinion of such import that it must be shared and because people really care what I think!

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;)

I'll stick with M' Lady, thank ye very much! At least it shan't confuse th' b'devil out of ye devils. An' I deserve that title, I did pay th' commission fo' it. :)

Ye don't have t' worry about callin' me Mrs or Mistress or Miss Barbossa or whatever else. Captain or Lady be fine 'nough. :)

~Lady B

Hmmm daddy was a lord then? Earl? Or late husband?


"I being shot through the left cheek, the bullet striking away great part of my upper jaw, and several teeth which dropt down the deck where I fell... I was forced to write what I would say to prevent the loss of blood, and because of the pain I suffered by speaking."~ Woodes Rogers

Crewe of the Archangel

http://jcsterlingcptarchang.wix.com/creweofthearchangel#

http://creweofthearchangel.wordpress.com/

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:rolleyes:

I'll stick with M' Lady, thank ye very much! At least it shan't confuse th' b'devil out of ye devils. An' I deserve that title, I did pay th' commission fo' it. :)

Ye don't have t' worry about callin' me Mrs or Mistress or Miss Barbossa or whatever else. Captain or Lady be fine 'nough. :)

~Lady B

Hmmm daddy was a lord then? Earl? Or late husband?

Hehehe... not at all... I paid commission to th' Spanish (ironically enough). Daddy dearest :::said rather sarcastically::: had nothin' to do with it. :::grumbles about daddy dearest::: Nor did m' mum. ::none too happy about the parents::: As to late Husband... well, um... Hmm, not sure how t' explain that one. Grants he be a Pirate Lord... the Fiancees before he, God rest their souls, none by blood nor marriage to my understandin' unless Doddard or Poyntz were lyin'.

Tis a long story, m'dear. :huh: Long, long story. Th' Spanish can be ..:: clears throat::: "persuaded" to do what one wishes... in a manner o' speakin'. hehehehe...

All in all, an interesting article.

~Lady B

Tempt Fate! an' toss 't all t' Hell!"

"I'm completely innocent of whatever crime I've committed."

The one, the only,... the infamous!

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Interesting information found in Antonia Fraser's, "The Weaker Vessel"

The book states that by Royal Warrant, issued on August 21, 1660, Englishwomen were permitted upon the stage for the first time. Yet, it wasn't until 1670s the word ‘actress’ had secured in England the ostentatious connotation which would linger for another 250 years!

Yet, the first actresses often concealed their origins, while the honorific appellation “MRS” (pronounced Mistress) which they were granted – as opposed to the opprobrious “Miss”, which would make their material status hard to unravel.

By 1680s the word actress was virtually synonymous with that of “Miss” or “Kept Woman” – at least in the public’s eye. So, the burden of proof otherwise fell upon the individual actress. As a result, the convenient identification of actress and/or Miss led to young ladies becoming actresses precisely in order to secure a rich admirer!

Well then...Lilly would desire to be a MRS (Mistress) but due to her occupation...she'd would be considered a MISS.

Edited by Cheeky Actress

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Member of "The Forsaken"

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  • 3 weeks later...
By 1680s the word actress was virtually synonymous with that of “Miss” or “Kept Woman” – at least in the public’s eye. So, the burden of proof otherwise fell upon the individual actress.

As a result, the convenient identification of actress and/or Miss led to young ladies becoming actresses precisely in order to secure a rich admirer!

Interesting...I wonder how many women were successful in landing a 'rich admirer'? Is there any evidence, other than Nelly Gwen or any of the other 'Miss' that ended up in the King's bed, that made out well?

It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul.

Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars, it is the cause.

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Interesting...I wonder how many women were successful in landing a 'rich admirer'? Is there any evidence, other than Nelly Gwen or any of the other 'Miss' that ended up in the King's bed, that made out well?

I'll never tell....... mwah1.gif

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  • 1 month later...
For the sake of argument, and poetic license, how would one address a female steward aboard a privateering ship? A young, unmarried steward with a mean left hook.

since there weren't any as far as we know, opt for the same way one would address a male steward...


"I being shot through the left cheek, the bullet striking away great part of my upper jaw, and several teeth which dropt down the deck where I fell... I was forced to write what I would say to prevent the loss of blood, and because of the pain I suffered by speaking."~ Woodes Rogers

Crewe of the Archangel

http://jcsterlingcptarchang.wix.com/creweofthearchangel#

http://creweofthearchangel.wordpress.com/

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For the sake of argument, and poetic license, how would one address a female steward aboard a privateering ship? A young, unmarried steward with a mean left hook.

William, it she be a young unmarried woman with a mean left hook...she is by no means a lady?!

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Cuppin the bum, a kiss on the neck and my sad puppy eyes always seem to work fer me!!

In the work of “The Virgin’s Pattern: in the Exemplary Life and lamented Death of Mrs. Susanna Perwick,” I noticed that “Mrs.” was the proper title then applied to ‘respectable unmarried females”. The title “Miss” – except in the case of very young girls - was being reserved for the “other sort of woman”.

These days, Mrs. Is a proper title used for a married woman. Miss, of course, is used for young ladies.

Therefore, when did the title rule(s) change?

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No rest for the wicked! Wait a minute... that's me?!

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For the sake of argument, and poetic license, how would one address a female steward aboard a privateering ship? A young, unmarried steward with a mean left hook.

Simple, Stewardess

Such as, "Oh, stewardess my rum totty is getting cold come here and warm it up."

or if you prefer;

Yaaarrr, Hooky get yer arse over er and look at this er grog. It's done gone cold it has.

Why am I sharing my opinion? Because I am a special snowflake who has an opinion of such import that it must be shared and because people really care what I think!

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