Mr.

English translation: master

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

English term or phrase:	Mr.
Selected answer:	master
Entered by:	Kim Metzger

20:18 May 15, 2004

English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Accounting

English term or phrase: Mr.

At which age can a person obtain the title of Mr. or Miss.? What is the title for a boy, a girl and a just-born baby in English? In my previous question, they say 'master' is used for a male baby. How come I never heard of it and it can't be found in dictionary?

adda

Explanation

Explanation:
Dear Adda, what is true for one country/culture may not be true in another country/culture. For example, it seems from your question that there are strict rules regarding titles for people of different ages in your country. This isn't quite the case in the United States or in Britain, as far as I know (speaking as an American).
It's quite possible that a young person in his teens would be addressed as Mr. in a preparatory school in the US. But there is no legal age when a male receives the title Mr. In official documents, it's possible that a male boy could be referred to as master. My grandfather always addressed letters to me when I was a boy as Master Kim Metzger. The same applies to females, ie. Miss vs. Ms. or Mrs. I dont' know why you never heard of it. But you can find master in most English dictionaries. Merriam Webster's - master: a youth or boy too young to be called mister.

Selected response from:

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 02:23

Grading comment

Graded automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

5 +8

Explanation

Kim Metzger

3 +8

there are no fixed rules...

Gabo Pena

5 +3

Master: as long as the boy is a minor

jebeen

5 +2

depends on the context

Hanna Stochnialek

5 +1

Even six-year-olds can be called Mister or Miss to get their attention

Refugio

Answers

7 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

depends on the context

Explanation:
master:
3 a (1) archaic : MR. (2) : a youth or boy too young to be called mister -- used as a title b : the eldest son of a Scottish viscount or baron
(Webster´s dictionary). It is definitely old fashioned, was used mainly in noble families when the servants had to address the sons of the family. For a girl it is always Miss or, in a familiar and informal way, missy.

Hanna Stochnialek
Local time: 10:23
Native speaker of:

Polish

16 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +8

mr.

Explanation

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 02:23
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 12

Grading comment

Graded automatically based on peer agreement.

18 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +8

there are no fixed rules...

Explanation:
but usually when one becomes responsible for one's own finances, the correspondence begins to be addressed as 'Mr.' However in popular norm it is relative. For example a seven year old boy may address a 20 year old young man a 'Mr.' because the boy wil pereive the young amn as 'old' enough to merit the 'Mr.' appellation. There is a humorous remark among adults that the day a boy calls you 'Mister is the day you begin to get old.

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Note added at 2004-05-15 20:38:32 (GMT)
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=:^D

Gabo Pena
Local time: 01:23
Native speaker of:

English,

Spanish

2 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

mr. Master: as long as the boy is a minor

Explanation:
**Acording to the Oxford Dictionary And Thesaurus: Apart from other
meanings:
"Master is a title prefixed to the name of a boy not old enough to
be called Mr".
**A boy can be called a Master, as long as he is a minor.
**These titles of Master and Miss may not be used in many Countries;
but Master and Miss or some other equivalents in their respective
languages, are definitely still in use, in some Countries.
**It is usually out of respect. Yes, a boy or a girl also deserves
respect from older people.
**In India: Servants are never seen calling a minor of the house,
or minor guests, just by the name. There is always some kind of
honorific.
**In addressing letters: I would still use Master for my little nephew
(I think, I will use it until he goes to College.) and Miss for my
13 year old niece (will be a Miss until she is married).

jebeen
Local time: 04:23

18 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

Mister Even six-year-olds can be called Mister or Miss to get their attention

Explanation:
As a first-grade teacher, I was usually able to prevent or remedy hehavior lapses in class by simply saying to the child, "MISter Gonzales?"

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Note added at 35 days (2004-06-20 01:16:57 GMT) Post-grading
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DEAR ABBY: Please tell me if it is still appropriate to address a card to a young male child as \"Master\" and then the child\'s name? I have been doing it for years, but my husband says that the practice is outdated. -- UNSURE IN ELYRIA, OHIO

DEAR UNSURE: Continue to do it if you wish. According to the 16th edition of Emily Post\'s \"Etiquette\" (Harper Collins, 1997): \"Boys may be addressed as \'Master\' on envelopes and formal correspondence until they are about 7 years old, and \'Mr.\' when they become 18. In between, no title is used.\"

Refugio
Local time: 01:23
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

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