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Madam

February 24, 2024

This article is about the title. For other uses, see Madam (disambiguation). "Mme" redirects here. For other uses, see MME.

Madam (/ˈmædəm/), or madame (/ˈmædəm/ or /məˈdɑːm/),[1] is a polite and formal form of address for women in the English language, often contracted to ma'am[2] (pronounced /ˈmæm/ in American English[2] and this way but also /ˈmɑːm/ in British English[3]). The term derives from the French madame, from "ma dame" meaning "my lady". In French, the abbreviation is "Mme" or "Mme" and the plural is mesdames (abbreviated "Mmes" or "Mmes"). These terms ultimately derive from the Latin domina, meaning "mistress".[4]

Use as a form of address edit

Formal protocol edit

After addressing her as "Your Majesty" once, it was correct to address the Queen of the United Kingdom as "Ma'am" with the British short pronunciation (rhyming with "jam") for the remainder of a conversation.[5] A letter to the Queen may begin with Madam or May it please Your Majesty.[6][7] Other female members of the British royal family are usually addressed in conversation first as Your Royal Highness and subsequently as Ma'am.[7]

Madam President or Madame President is a formal form of address for female presidents and vice presidents of republics.[8][9][10][11] Madam Secretary is a formal form of address for a female member of the United States Cabinet;[12][13] a female Attorney General of the United States is formally addressed Madam Attorney General.[14][15] Madam Speaker is a correct form of address for a female speaker of the United States House of Representatives (e.g. Nancy Pelosi),[16] British House of Commons (e.g. Betty Boothroyd),[17] or Canadian House of Commons,[10] as well as a female speaker of the Canadian Senate.[10]

In the United States, between the early 19th century and 1980, justices of the Supreme Court were formally called Mr. Justice (surname). In 1980, the title was dropped in "to avoid the awkward appellation 'Madam Justice'" in anticipation of a woman joining the court.[18] Plaques on chamber doorways reading "Mr. Justice" were removed after Sandra Day O'Connor joined the court in 1981.[19] Female members of state supreme courts were previously sometimes styled as Madam Justice, matching the Mr. Justice formally used. Justice Rosemary Barkett of the Florida Supreme Court disliked the title, since she was unmarried, and announced that she would simply be called Justice Barkett, leading all the male justices to drop Mr. from their forms of address.[20]

In Canada, the appellation Mr/Madam Prime Minister and Mr./Madam Minister is "often heard informally" for prime ministers and other ministers, but is not in official use.[10] Madam is an appropriate title in conversation with a female Governor General of Canada or female spouse of a Governor General on second and subsequent reference (after "Your Excellency" or "Excellency" is used on initial reference).[10] Female members of the Supreme Court are addressed by counsel in hearings as either Madam Justice or Justice; in writing, a female justice is addressed as The Honourable Madame (Chief) Justice.[21] The same style is used for other female members of the Canadian federal courts.[10]

In the courts of England and Wales, a magistrate is addressed as "Your Worship" or "Sir" (if male) or 'Madam' (if female).[22] A female judge of the District Court may be addressed in writing as Dear Judge or Dear Madam, while a female judge of the High Court may be addressed as Dear Madam or Dear Dame (first name) or Dear Judge.[22] While in court, however, District Court judges are addressed as Judge (or according to title), and female High Court judges are addressed as My Lady or Mrs/Ms Justice (last name).[22]

In diplomacy, either Madam Ambassador and Ambassador (lastname) is an appropriate formal mode of address for a female ambassador.[10][11] In some countries, the wife of an ambassador also may be referred to as Madam Ambassador.[11][23] This is the case in French-speaking countries,[11] but not among U.S. diplomats or the foreign diplomatic corps in Washington.[23] In countries where the wives of ambassadors may also be titled Madam Ambassador, the Foreign Service Institute advises U.S. diplomats to "refer to a female ambassador by her last name (Ambassador Jones) to avoid confusion and ensure that she receives her due respect."[11] Madam High Commissioner is an appropriate formal mode of spoken address for a female high commissioner.[10] The title Madam may also be used to address female chargés d'affaires although titles "Mrs." or "Ms." may be used instead.[11]

Other settings edit

Outside the settings of formal protocol, the term ma'am may be used to address a woman with whom one is not familiar.[24][25] The term is "meant to convey respect and graciousness lightly salted with deference."[25] For example, waiters, store clerks, or police officers may use the term.[25] Unlike miss, the term ma'am tends to be used for older women, which is one reason some dislike the term.[24][25] Others dislike the term for other reasons, such as the distance it created between the speaker and the person addressed; the "whiff of class distinctions" implied; and "dismissive, stiff and drab" associations.[25] Others, such as etiquette authority Judith Martin, defend the term as dignified.[25] Martin writes that Madam (or Ma'am) and Sir are "all-purpose titles for direct address, as a foolproof way of conveying the respect due to people whose names escape you."[26]

There are regional differences in use; in the United States, ma'am is more commonly heard in the South and Midwest and less common on the East and West Coasts.[25]

Military and police usage edit

"Ma'am" is commonly used as a verbal address for female officers of inspector and higher ranks in British police forces.[27] The word is also used by junior personnel to address female superiors in the British Armed Forces.[28]

The use of sir and ma'am as forms of address for superiors are common in the United States armed forces.[29] U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force regulations state that ma'am is an appropriate greeting for junior personnel when rendering a hand salute to a female superior.[30][31] The use of formal modes of address such as sir or ma'am, ingrained in military culture, is distinct from the American corporate or civilian setting, where most co-workers refer to each other by first name and use of formal titles is considered awkward.[32] A 2017 U.S. Army Human Resources Command publication noted that in the Northern United States, "it is common to hear young to middle-aged women say, 'Don't call me ma'am,' as it is seen as a title reserved for older women."[32]

In the Canadian Forces, "ma'am" is a proper response when coming to attention to a female officer or chief warrant officer calling the roll.[33]

Use in non-native English-speaking societies edit

The title Madame is commonly used in English for French-speaking women, e.g. "President and Madame De Gaulle."

The terms Madame Mao and Madame Chiang Kai-shek were frequently used in English to refer to Jiang Qing (the wife of Mao Zedong) and Soong Mei-ling (the wife of Chiang Kai-shek), respectively; Madame approximated the Chinese respectful forms of address.[34][35][36]

References edit

  1. ^ . Lexico — Powered by Oxford. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Ma'am Definition & Meaning". Dictionary by Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  3. ^ . Lexico — Powered by Oxford. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Madame - Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9e édition". Dictionnaire de l’Académie Française. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  5. ^ "Greeting The Queen". The Royal Household. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  6. ^ . Debrett's. February 19, 2021. Archived from the original on 2020-10-19.
  7. ^ a b "Greeting a Member of The Royal Family". The Royal Household. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  8. ^ Helen Cooper, Madame President: The Extraordinary Journey of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Simon & Schuster, 2017).
  9. ^ Protocol Reference, Office of the Chief of Protocol, United States Department of State.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Styles of address, Canadian Heritage (last accessed February 19, 2021).
  11. ^ a b c d e f Protocol for the Modern Diplomat, U.S. Department of State Foreign Service Institute, pp. 2-5 (last reviewed July 2013).
  12. ^ DeLysa Burnier, Frances Perkins' Disappearance from American Public Administration: A Genealogy of Marginalization, Administrative Theory & Praxis, Vol. 30, Issue 4 (2008), pp. 398-423.
  13. ^ Madeleine Albright, Madam Secretary: A Memoir (Macmillan: 2012).
  14. ^ Briefing by the Vice President and Attorney General Janet Reno, American Presidency Project, UC Santa Barbara (March 1, 1994).
  15. ^ U.S. Department of Justice: Office of the Inspector General: Semiannual Report to Congress, October 1, 1999 - March 31, 2000.
  16. ^ Marc Sandalow, Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi's Life, Times, and Rise to Power (Rodale Books, 2008).
  17. ^ Paul Routledge, Madam Speaker: The Life of Betty Boothroyd (HarperCollins: 1995).
  18. ^ Linda Greenhouse, Court Dropping Mr. Justice, New York Times (November 19, 1980).
  19. ^ Evan Thomas. Behind the Scenes of Sandra Day O'Connor's First Days on the Supreme Court, Smithsonian Magazine (March 2019).
  20. ^ Justice Rosemary Barkett, Florida Supreme Court (last accessed February 19, 2021).
  21. ^ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), Supreme Court of Canada (last accessed February 19, 2021).
  22. ^ a b c Forms of Address: Law, Debrett's (last accessed February 19, 2021).
  23. ^ a b Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin & Jacobina Martin, Miss Manners: Flowery courtesy titles are not really needed, Washington Post (March 20, 2016).
  24. ^ a b Laura Boyd, Please Call Me Miss, Not Ma'am, New York Times (September 26, 2013).
  25. ^ a b c d e f g Natalie Angier, The Politics of Polite, New York Times (August 28, 2010).
  26. ^ Judith Martin, 'Yo' and Other Respectful Titles, Washington Post (February 6, 2000).
  27. ^ Forms of Address: The Police: Debrett's.
  28. ^ Forms of Address: The Armed Forces, Debrett's
  29. ^ Alison Stewart, What's In A Title, Ma'am?, NPR, Weekend Edition Saturday (June 20, 2009).
  30. ^ Personnel—General Salutes, Honors, and Courtesy: 2–1, Army Regulation 600–25.
  31. ^ Personnel—General Customs and Courtesies: 8.1.2, Air Force Instruction 34-1201 (August 18, 2020_.
  32. ^ a b Jenny Hale, Translating Military Culture to the Civilian Workplace, U.S. Army Human Resources Command (June 14, 2017).
  33. ^ "Chapter 2: Squad drill at the halt without arms". Drill and Ceremonial Manual. Canadian Armed Forces. August 23, 2018.
  34. ^ Ross Terrill, Madame Mao: The White Boned Demon (Stanford University Press: 1999).
  35. ^ Thomas A. DeLong, Madame Chiang Kai-shek and Miss Emma Mills: China's First Lady and Her American Friend (McFarland: 2007).
  36. ^ Laura Tyson Li, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek: China's Eternal First Lady (Grove Press: 2007).

February 24, 2024
madam, this, article, about, title, other, uses, disambiguation, redirects, here, other, uses, madame, ɑː, polite, formal, form, address, women, english, language, often, contracted, pronounced, american, english, this, also, ɑː, british, english, term, derive. This article is about the title For other uses see Madam disambiguation Mme redirects here For other uses see MME Madam ˈ m ae d em or madame ˈ m ae d em or m e ˈ d ɑː m 1 is a polite and formal form of address for women in the English language often contracted to ma am 2 pronounced ˈ m ae m in American English 2 and this way but also ˈ m ɑː m in British English 3 The term derives from the French madame from ma dame meaning my lady In French the abbreviation is Mme or Mme and the plural is mesdames abbreviated Mmes or Mmes These terms ultimately derive from the Latin domina meaning mistress 4 Contents 1 Use as a form of address 1 1 Formal protocol 1 2 Other settings 1 3 Military and police usage 1 4 Use in non native English speaking societies 2 ReferencesUse as a form of address editFormal protocol edit After addressing her as Your Majesty once it was correct to address the Queen of the United Kingdom as Ma am with the British short pronunciation rhyming with jam for the remainder of a conversation 5 A letter to the Queen may begin with Madam or May it please Your Majesty 6 7 Other female members of the British royal family are usually addressed in conversation first as Your Royal Highness and subsequently as Ma am 7 Madam President or Madame President is a formal form of address for female presidents and vice presidents of republics 8 9 10 11 Madam Secretary is a formal form of address for a female member of the United States Cabinet 12 13 a female Attorney General of the United States is formally addressed Madam Attorney General 14 15 Madam Speaker is a correct form of address for a female speaker of the United States House of Representatives e g Nancy Pelosi 16 British House of Commons e g Betty Boothroyd 17 or Canadian House of Commons 10 as well as a female speaker of the Canadian Senate 10 In the United States between the early 19th century and 1980 justices of the Supreme Court were formally called Mr Justice surname In 1980 the title was dropped in to avoid the awkward appellation Madam Justice in anticipation of a woman joining the court 18 Plaques on chamber doorways reading Mr Justice were removed after Sandra Day O Connor joined the court in 1981 19 Female members of state supreme courts were previously sometimes styled as Madam Justice matching the Mr Justice formally used Justice Rosemary Barkett of the Florida Supreme Court disliked the title since she was unmarried and announced that she would simply be called Justice Barkett leading all the male justices to drop Mr from their forms of address 20 In Canada the appellation Mr Madam Prime Minister and Mr Madam Minister is often heard informally for prime ministers and other ministers but is not in official use 10 Madam is an appropriate title in conversation with a female Governor General of Canada or female spouse of a Governor General on second and subsequent reference after Your Excellency or Excellency is used on initial reference 10 Female members of the Supreme Court are addressed by counsel in hearings as either Madam Justice or Justice in writing a female justice is addressed as The Honourable Madame Chief Justice 21 The same style is used for other female members of the Canadian federal courts 10 In the courts of England and Wales a magistrate is addressed as Your Worship or Sir if male or Madam if female 22 A female judge of the District Court may be addressed in writing as Dear Judge or Dear Madam while a female judge of the High Court may be addressed as Dear Madam or Dear Dame first name or Dear Judge 22 While in court however District Court judges are addressed as Judge or according to title and female High Court judges are addressed as My Lady or Mrs Ms Justice last name 22 In diplomacy either Madam Ambassador and Ambassador lastname is an appropriate formal mode of address for a female ambassador 10 11 In some countries the wife of an ambassador also may be referred to as Madam Ambassador 11 23 This is the case in French speaking countries 11 but not among U S diplomats or the foreign diplomatic corps in Washington 23 In countries where the wives of ambassadors may also be titled Madam Ambassador the Foreign Service Institute advises U S diplomats to refer to a female ambassador by her last name Ambassador Jones to avoid confusion and ensure that she receives her due respect 11 Madam High Commissioner is an appropriate formal mode of spoken address for a female high commissioner 10 The title Madam may also be used to address female charges d affaires although titles Mrs or Ms may be used instead 11 Other settings edit Outside the settings of formal protocol the term ma am may be used to address a woman with whom one is not familiar 24 25 The term is meant to convey respect and graciousness lightly salted with deference 25 For example waiters store clerks or police officers may use the term 25 Unlike miss the term ma am tends to be used for older women which is one reason some dislike the term 24 25 Others dislike the term for other reasons such as the distance it created between the speaker and the person addressed the whiff of class distinctions implied and dismissive stiff and drab associations 25 Others such as etiquette authority Judith Martin defend the term as dignified 25 Martin writes that Madam or Ma am and Sir are all purpose titles for direct address as a foolproof way of conveying the respect due to people whose names escape you 26 There are regional differences in use in the United States ma am is more commonly heard in the South and Midwest and less common on the East and West Coasts 25 Military and police usage edit Ma am is commonly used as a verbal address for female officers of inspector and higher ranks in British police forces 27 The word is also used by junior personnel to address female superiors in the British Armed Forces 28 The use of sir and ma am as forms of address for superiors are common in the United States armed forces 29 U S Army and U S Air Force regulations state that ma am is an appropriate greeting for junior personnel when rendering a hand salute to a female superior 30 31 The use of formal modes of address such as sir or ma am ingrained in military culture is distinct from the American corporate or civilian setting where most co workers refer to each other by first name and use of formal titles is considered awkward 32 A 2017 U S Army Human Resources Command publication noted that in the Northern United States it is common to hear young to middle aged women say Don t call me ma am as it is seen as a title reserved for older women 32 In the Canadian Forces ma am is a proper response when coming to attention to a female officer or chief warrant officer calling the roll 33 Use in non native English speaking societies edit The title Madame is commonly used in English for French speaking women e g President and Madame De Gaulle The terms Madame Mao and Madame Chiang Kai shek were frequently used in English to refer to Jiang Qing the wife of Mao Zedong and Soong Mei ling the wife of Chiang Kai shek respectively Madame approximated the Chinese respectful forms of address 34 35 36 References edit Madame Meaning amp Definition for UK English Lexico Powered by Oxford Archived from the original on October 19 2021 Retrieved 2 December 2021 a b Ma am Definition amp Meaning Dictionary by Merriam Webster Retrieved 2 December 2021 Ma am Meaning amp Definition for UK English Lexico Powered by Oxford Archived from the original on October 29 2020 Retrieved 2 December 2021 Madame Dictionnaire de l Academie francaise 9e edition Dictionnaire de l Academie Francaise Retrieved 2 December 2021 Greeting The Queen The Royal Household Retrieved 6 June 2022 Addressing Royalty Debrett s February 19 2021 Archived from the original on 2020 10 19 a b Greeting a Member of The Royal Family The Royal Household Retrieved February 19 2021 Helen Cooper Madame President The Extraordinary Journey of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Simon amp Schuster 2017 Protocol Reference Office of the Chief of Protocol United States Department of State a b c d e f g h Styles of address Canadian Heritage last accessed February 19 2021 a b c d e f Protocol for the Modern Diplomat U S Department of State Foreign Service Institute pp 2 5 last reviewed July 2013 DeLysa Burnier Frances Perkins Disappearance from American Public Administration A Genealogy of Marginalization Administrative Theory amp Praxis Vol 30 Issue 4 2008 pp 398 423 Madeleine Albright Madam Secretary A Memoir Macmillan 2012 Briefing by the Vice President and Attorney General Janet Reno American Presidency Project UC Santa Barbara March 1 1994 U S Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Semiannual Report to Congress October 1 1999 March 31 2000 Marc Sandalow Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi s Life Times and Rise to Power Rodale Books 2008 Paul Routledge Madam Speaker The Life of Betty Boothroyd HarperCollins 1995 Linda Greenhouse Court Dropping Mr Justice New York Times November 19 1980 Evan Thomas Behind the Scenes of Sandra Day O Connor s First Days on the Supreme Court Smithsonian Magazine March 2019 Justice Rosemary Barkett Florida Supreme Court last accessed February 19 2021 Frequently Asked Questions FAQ Supreme Court of Canada last accessed February 19 2021 a b c Forms of Address Law Debrett s last accessed February 19 2021 a b Judith Martin Nicholas Martin amp Jacobina Martin Miss Manners Flowery courtesy titles are not really needed Washington Post March 20 2016 a b Laura Boyd Please Call Me Miss Not Ma am New York Times September 26 2013 a b c d e f g Natalie Angier The Politics of Polite New York Times August 28 2010 Judith Martin Yo and Other Respectful Titles Washington Post February 6 2000 Forms of Address The Police Debrett s Forms of Address The Armed Forces Debrett s Alison Stewart What s In A Title Ma am NPR Weekend Edition Saturday June 20 2009 Personnel General Salutes Honors and Courtesy 2 1 Army Regulation 600 25 Personnel General Customs and Courtesies 8 1 2 Air Force Instruction 34 1201 August 18 2020 a b Jenny Hale Translating Military Culture to the Civilian Workplace U S Army Human Resources Command June 14 2017 Chapter 2 Squad drill at the halt without arms Drill and Ceremonial Manual Canadian Armed Forces August 23 2018 Ross Terrill Madame Mao The White Boned Demon Stanford University Press 1999 Thomas A DeLong Madame Chiang Kai shek and Miss Emma Mills China s First Lady and Her American Friend McFarland 2007 Laura Tyson Li Madame Chiang Kai Shek China s Eternal First Lady Grove Press 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Madam amp oldid 1207554305, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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