Miss
Miss(pronounced/ˈmɪs/) is anEnglish-languagehonorifictypically used for agirl,for an unmarriedwoman(when not using another title such as "Doctor"or"Dame"), or for a married woman retaining hermaiden name.Originating in the 17th century, it is a contraction ofmistress.The plural ofMissisMissesor occasionallyMses.[1]
History
[edit]Origins
[edit]LikeMsandMrs,Misshas its roots in the titleMistressand was originally a title given primarily to children rather than adults. During the 1700s, its usage broadened to encompass adult women. The title emerged as a polite way to address women, reflecting changing societal norms and class distinctions. Prior to this, referring to an adult woman as aMissmight have carried connotations of prostitution.[2]
Evolution of meanings and usage
[edit]The meanings of bothMissandMrsunderwent transformations over time. Historically, these titles did not solely indicate marital status.[2]Even after the adoption ofMissby many adult single women in 18th-century England,Mrscontinued to signify social or business standing, rather than merely marital status, until at least the mid-19th century.[2]
Racial discrimination
[edit]Being addressed with "Miss" or "Mrs." was frequently denied to Black women in theSouthern United Statesin the past.Mary Hamilton,acivil rightsprotester arrested in 1963 inGadsden, Alabama,refused to answer the prosecutor in a subsequent hearing unless he stopped addressing her as "Mary", demanding that instead she be called "Miss Hamilton".[3][4]She was subsequently jailed for contempt of court after refusing to pay a fine. This led toHamilton v. Alabama,376 U.S. 650 (1964), aUnited States Supreme Courtcase in which the court held that Mary Hamilton was entitled to the same courteous forms of address customarily reserved solely for whites in the southern United States[5]and that calling a Black person by her or his first name in a formal context was "a form of racial discrimination."[4][6]
See also
[edit]- Fräulein,the German equivalent ofMiss
- Fröken,an archaic Swedish equivalent ofMiss
- Mademoiselle,the French equivalent ofMiss
References
[edit]- ^Gormandy White, Mary (2020)."Messrs., Mmes. and Mses.: Quick Guide to Meaning & Use".yourdictionary.Retrieved14 August2023.
- ^abcErickson, Amy Louise (Autumn 2014)."Mistresses and Marriage: or, a Short History of the Mrs".History Workshop Journal.78(1): 39–57.doi:10.1093/hwj/dbt002.
- ^Lawless, Joseph F. (2008).Prosecutorial Misconduct: Law, Procedure, Forms.LexisNexis. p. 1207.ISBN9781422422137.
- ^ab"Call Her Miss".Time.April 10, 1964. Archived fromthe originalon July 19, 2005.RetrievedJuly 13,2013.(Subscription required.)
- ^Bobrow, Jerry (2005).Barron's How to Prepare for the LSAT, Law School Admission Test.Barron's Educational Series. p. 587.ISBN978-0-7641-2412-9.Archivedfrom the original on August 14, 2023.RetrievedJuly 13,2013.
- ^"Hamilton v. Alabama, 376 US 650 – Supreme Court 1964 – Google Scholar".Archivedfrom the original on 2022-11-06.Retrieved2022-11-06.