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I'd never head of this until sometime last spring. And before that, only in movies/TV that depicted 'slavery' times. The difference being that the persons in captivity were addressing the Caucasian females as "Miss" then their first name, or the Caucasian males as "Master." Why is this resurgent? What happened to Sir, Ma'am, Mr., Mrs., Ms. and then a LAST NAME? Or if the situation allows it, a first name?

2006-10-17 21:35:24 · 21 answers · asked by lewisthomasp 2 in Society & Culture Etiquette

21 answers

I just got back from Africa, visited Stone town on Zanzibar, the largest former slave market in the world. Slaves were sold there to all over the world Europe, Asia, the Arab world and later to America. I looked around and there were lots of things for sale, spices, paintings, jewelery but not one person was offered up for sale. I was a white person in a sea of black people some people did call me Mr. Ted, they were just being polite. These other countries that imported slaves do not have this lingering anger about this period of history. Slavery is a crime that has existed in the human race since the beginning and it still exists today in some places.

We should be horrified and focus our energies where slavery still exists, not where it doesn't.

2006-10-17 23:20:10 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3 0

I think it's because Caucasian can cover a wide variety of ethnicities. For ex: German, English, Irish, Scottish, etc. And since it is those races which mostly make up America at the moment, it's just easier to say Caucasian rather than have people who are Scottish-Irish American, or Welsh-Irish-German American, etc. I will use myself as an example, I am Japanese, Irish, Scottish, English, Peruvian and Native American, but for all intents and purposes, I'm just Caucasian because there's no other name for my particular ethnic background because it's so mixed. This probably doesn't make much sense, I know what I mean, it's just hard to write it down. Hope I made some kinda sense;) I think cocoanutt says it in a much clearer way.

2016-05-21 22:57:44 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0 1

The use of miss before the proper name did start back in the day but it's used now in our culture as a means of showing an older person respect but not formally so. If you are close to Helen Williams and she is a lot older that you and you don't feel comfortable calling her Helen and your relationship is not a Mr. or Mrs. tag, then you would address her as Miss Helen. I find the title friendly and respectful at the same time. I hope I explained it correctly.

2006-10-17 21:47:26 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3 0

I think it's a combination of RESPECT (the Miss part) and FAMILIARITY (their first name). The 'Miss' elevates it above just using the first name. My friends and I (all races) use it quite often with each other. Sir, Ma'am, etc seem quite stuffy, & indicate that the person being addressed is somehow 'above' you, or better than you. I like conversing on an "even field". (I even call all of my doctors by their first names, or Dr & then their first name.
After all, they call me by my first name, so it seems to even out the communication. GOOD QUESTION !

2006-10-17 22:02:56 · answer #4 · answered by Maewest 4 · 2 1

A friend and I were having this same conversation. I am an African-American female and my supervisor is a Caucasian female. When I met her son she told him to say hi to "miss (first name)..", I was like "just (first name) is fine or Mrs.(last name). It reminded me of slave movies, too...LOL.

2006-10-21 11:30:42 · answer #5 · answered by Annette 2 · 1 0

i live in the south now (used to be in the north) and it actually goes both ways. it's a sign of respect and women are miss and men are mister. often times people's last names are not known or esily spoken (hey i'm Polish so....). also by using the first name insted of thelast it's a little more familiar and friendly versus in business when it's always the last name.

2006-10-18 06:08:37 · answer #6 · answered by Marysia 7 · 0 0

Actually, it is a southern thing to refer to ALL women as "Miss Daisy" or whatever. It is a sign of repect to use "Miss" rather than just use the first name (or to be super formal and just use the last name). I've never known this to be a black/white thing. (I'm white and live in the south).

2006-10-18 03:34:53 · answer #7 · answered by Goose&Tonic 6 · 0 0

I was called 'master' when I was a boy... not once you've grown up though. Then you're mister. Or doctor, depending on what you do. And isn't 'miss' associated with old spinsters? We used to call teachers 'sir/miss' without any last name. It was familiarity, not contempt.



Don't get caught up in this kind of trivia.

2006-10-17 21:40:14 · answer #8 · answered by Tree of Jesse 3 · 2 0

This is a Southern custom. White women are also called 'Miss' and their first name by younger people. It is a sign of respect and affection. I am called Miss too and I am white and a Southerner.

2006-10-18 03:21:12 · answer #9 · answered by a_delphic_oracle 6 · 0 0

I don't know what you're talking about but down south it's common to be Miss Stephanie, Miss Amy, Miss whatever- it's less formal that Ms last name and friendlier.

My daughter's preschool teachers are Ms. Cathy and Ms. Kimberly and they are white.

2006-10-18 01:42:25 · answer #10 · answered by Alison 5 · 2 1

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