Quillan Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I meant to ask this before but never got round to it.If you have a ladies name (surname and first name) but do not know if she is married or not what would be the correct way of addressing her when writing a letter? Do you assume she is single until told otherwise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I suspect politeness would imply the other way round. Memory tells me that one beyond the age of "discretion" or in any doubt of age, Mlle becomes Mme even if single.Interesting, 'cos I've been addressed as Mlle even at my age, but they were trying to flatter!!Maybe wait to see if our french contributors can give a definitive response, but in doubt (as with tu/vous) always aim for the polite .. so unless you know the lady is very young, my advice would be to use Mme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I'm with Judith on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nectarine Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I agree with the above, use Mme over the age of, say 40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 I didn't think of the age thing which I wouldn't know.I get reservation requests and enquiries from many different websites and most contain the title except for one. They also contain first and surname but of course no age. Does that help? It is not such a big thing really but I wuld like to be 'correct' as it seems to be polite to use the right title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I'm sure it's Madame, too.Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 French administrations now use Madame for anyone over 14, stoopid though it may sound. You had better do the same Quillan, just to be on the safe side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 Madam it is then, thanks guys (and girls). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 MadamE, Quillan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 [quote user="woolybanana"]MadamE, Quillan[/quote]Yes Wooly of course your right (as always), I will try and remember. [;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 [quote user="Quillan"][quote user="woolybanana"]MadamE, Quillan[/quote]Yes Wooly of course your right (as always), I will try and remember. [;-)][/quote]Q, "you'RE right......"Sorry, just joining in the fun............no offence meant![:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Ride him hard, Sweets, he can take a fence and even a decent ditch; you wanna see him at Bit ches Book! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I have no pretensions.More than happy to be addressed as M'lud Grauniad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkkent Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Can we all join in then?Q, in his tag line, wrongly imputes Peter O'Toole with rather more wit and wisdom than is his due. The line quoted should be attributed to Peter Barnes, whose play "The Ruling Class", when it was filmed, had Mr O'Toole reciting it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Oh well, since you are all now at it, I might as well split hairs:Did you know that M., short for Monsieur, takes a fullstop but Mme, short for Madame, doesn't?[:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkkent Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 [quote user="sweet 17"] Oh well, since you are all now at it, I might as well split hairs:Did you know that M., short for Monsieur, takes a fullstop but Mme, short for Madame, doesn't?[:P][/quote]I remember something about this from school (the war had ended and the Kaiser had gone into exile).A "rule" which went something like if the abbreviation ends with the same letter as the abbreviated word then there is no full stop, otherwise there should be a full stop.It sounds like those other silly rules about never splitting infinitives and never ending sentences with prepositions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 It's fun though, don't you think, Clarkkent?Guaranteed to stop any free-flowing conversation in its tracks and label you as a pernickety fossil from another age?[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbie Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 [quote user="sweet 17"]It's fun though, don't you think, Clarkkent?Guaranteed to stop any free-flowing conversation in its tracks and label you as a pernickety fossil from another age?[:D][/quote]It is fun but don't you get irritated by your instead of you're and its and it's being confused. Not to mention formally being used when they mean formerly. But as a pernickety fossil with a strong measure of pedantry it does keep my brain occupied. [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 predatory fossil with pedantic tendency? Hmmmm, could get you arrested in some parts of Blighty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 [quote user="woolybanana"]predatory fossil with pedantic tendency? Hmmmm, could get you arrested in some parts of Blighty![/quote]Oh Wools, now YOU'RE getting confused! He DIDN'T say paedophilic fossil....etc........you're getting a bit hard of hearing, maybe?[:-))][:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Just checking that the Dogdogne has not put you entirely to sleep, Sweets!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Well, Wools, as your good friend Norman has said on a recent thread: you need to p r i c k up your ears because then, you'd hear the snores......zzzzzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 You mean the barrel dwelling, jaw's harp playing beggar from the dodgy end the the south of France? Is he OK, been very quiet recently, or is he still being detained at the pleasure and expense of the Republic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 [quote user="Rabbie"]It is fun but don't you get irritated by your instead of you're and its and it's being confused. Not to mention formally being used when they mean formerly. But as a pernickety fossil with a strong measure of pedantry it does keep my brain occupied. [:D][/quote]My new pet hate:He was SAT in front of traffic lights.He was STOOD at the counterSo, would they also say:He was ATE his dinnerHe was TOOK the air?Gets my goat each and every single time.I have heard Cameron make the same error on TV and I just KNEW that I could NEVER vote for a man with his fancy Eton education and who makes such simple mistakes that would have any cat chortling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbie Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I agree with you on those. Also I get riled by people using lay when they mean lie.I suppose a display could be stood at the counter but a person should be standing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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