Madame or Mademoiselle?
#47
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Paris, France
Programs: Flying Blue, Accor Silver
Posts: 302
I read through this thread and saw that two "anomalies" have not been mentioned.
Nuns, if you are not religious and do not want to call them "ma soeur," are always addressed as "Madame."
Actresses, even if they are 90 years old and have been married 5 times, are always "Mademoiselle."
Nuns, if you are not religious and do not want to call them "ma soeur," are always addressed as "Madame."
Actresses, even if they are 90 years old and have been married 5 times, are always "Mademoiselle."
#48
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: Miles and More, IHG, ANA Mileage Club, Hilton Honors
Posts: 118
The idea here is that women see the use of Mademoiselle / Madame as unfair discrimation: women are adressed differently if they are unmarried or married, while men are adressed in the same way. The goal is to use a term that is 'marriage-neutral' and not sexist.
#49
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Paris, France
Programs: United, TAP Victoria, AVIOS
Posts: 480
Possibly looking for a problem that doesn´t exist. Widely, adult females are referred to as madame. It has nothing to do with marriage status.
#50
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: Miles and More, IHG, ANA Mileage Club, Hilton Honors
Posts: 118
Now it is true that the usual form of address is Madame, when you speak to someone.
#51
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM MM SC; GE; Bonvoy Titanium; IHG Diamond
Posts: 2,306
#52
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Paris, France
Programs: United, TAP Victoria, AVIOS
Posts: 480
Sorry but I fail to see that choosing between mademoiselle or madame on a form indicates anything other than your personal preference of address. That is not the same as a form requiring your response to being single or married.
#53
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: Miles and More, IHG, ANA Mileage Club, Hilton Honors
Posts: 118
Wouldn't women choose according to their age and marital status?
#56
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,725
And to go utterly OT from the etiquette of address, could one of the French speakers here tell me how one would say "Get lost!" in French? I'm a writer working on a project set in Paris and I think Google translate's suggestion is failing to catch the nuances of what I need: think hoodlum telling someone annoying him to scram.
#57
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: DAY/CMH
Programs: UA MileagePlus
Posts: 2,474
And to go utterly OT from the etiquette of address, could one of the French speakers here tell me how one would say "Get lost!" in French? I'm a writer working on a project set in Paris and I think Google translate's suggestion is failing to catch the nuances of what I need: think hoodlum telling someone annoying him to scram.
#59
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: DAY/CMH
Programs: UA MileagePlus
Posts: 2,474
I'm afraid I replied without having under your whole question. My phrase really isn't very polite, but if you switch to tu it would be less so - especially if the character is talking to someone who normally merits a vous. That would be Laisse-moi/nous tranquille !