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Madame or Mademoiselle?


SaligoBay
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As British woman living in France, I think they are both lovely words and like hearing them.

However, in the UK I used to think it so unfair that male teachers would be called Sir ( and I never met one that had been knighted [;-)] ) and women teachers regardless of age, marital status or rank would all be called 'Miss'.

So yes, I can appreciate their cause but still love the words!

I do think that only in France could a feminist organisation get away with calling themselves the Chiennes de Garde, some elements of the  British press would have a field day with feminists having an organisation with 'dog' in the title.

 

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Can they also get rid of Madame Le Maire, Madame Le Ministre at the same time?   I try to get round the Mademoiselle/Madame one by calling everyone Madame unless they're very young indeed, but hadn't thought before that I might be insulting them.......  Personally I don't like it when men call me Mademoiselle as though they are doing me a huge favour (I am well into Madameing age)!   However, there was an unmarried lady in our village who died last year at 93 who was called Mademoiselle Simone by everybody.
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In English, I use Ms as my title - as they say, why should my title be determined by my marital status?  I'm not keen on Madame, though to my anglophone ears it doesn't have quite the same conotations for me as "Mrs".  I prefer being adressed by my first name in any case and am not a big one for titles. (I know, living in the wrong country!).

There are people in the anglophone world though who think "Ms" means manhater.  It's not totally accepted there, so I'm sure it would take decades more in France.  Using Madame for all is better. 

From what I've experienced, men who use Mddle are either trying to be complementary, or slimy.

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>>>From what I've experienced, men who use Mddle are either trying to be complementary, or slimy.<<<

To me this sounds like muddle!!….but then men's brains are often muddled...[6]

 

I like being called Madame. At work, all letters I need to write to Officialdom in France, when I know that the other person is a lady whether married or not, I will refer to her as Madame even on the phone. A bit of the english : Dear Madam, Sir…

They should make it that Mademoiselle is up to say 21 to 25 years old then it’s Madame. Like the english Master for a boy who then becomes a Mister on reaching his 20's.

Mademoiselle evokes ideas of youth, happiness and happy-go-lucky girl. Though at the other end of life : a Mademoiselle is definitely a wallflower that has withered into an old spinter and is plain grumpy and set in her ways! I know many such characters in my French family...

Most of my ladyfriends in France, some married, some divorced, others who never married, but all had a very happy fulfilled life and ALL introduce themselves as Madame.

At that end of life whether married or not I will certainly insist on being  called Madame which will show that I am a happy open-minded and mature person [:$] [:D]
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I'm getting used to Madame a bit now, but it does still sound terribly formal, and just not me.  It's especially odd from other women.

I mean, I can accept it in a shop or somewhere like that, somewhere anonymous, but if a friend introduces me to another friend, it's really weird when they shake hands with me and solemnly say "Bonjour Madame".  I feel like they can not be serious.  

It's SO nice to go into town now and again and meet younger, not-so-stuffy people.  Saves your sanity.  [:)]

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I always work on the rule my neighbours gave me in that if a woman is married then Madame, is not married but has children also Madame and anything else Mlle. Mind you today I called a man, madame because I thought he was one behind the counter of a shop I hadn't been in before then I heard him speak and quickly acted dumb and left.
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[quote user="beryl"] women teachers regardless of age, marital status or rank would all be called 'Miss'.[/quote]

In france it's the opposite, we're all "madame". But on the timetables my collège gives out to pupils it's written madame or mademoiselle. All the male teachers are monsieur. I have to admit that I copy the ones I'm supposed to give to my class and retype them so that all women are madame. I really don't see what our marital staus has to do with our teaching.

I remember feeling a bit miffed when the ticket inspector on the train used to call me mademoiselle (that was a long time ago) I felt that there was an insult in it, that I was young didn't deserve adult respect (OK it was usually when he was telling me to take my feet off the seat, so maybe it was justified.) Nowadays, I'd just be flattered (or more probably surprised)

It's interesting that the Miss/Mrs fight that happened years ago in the UK, has only just got to france.

 

 

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