A strange expression...the master?

Question

I own a shop in which I work. I often hear people tell their children to 'give it to the master' by which they mean that the child should give me (the shopkeeper) the product that they wish to buy. I never heard this before, did you? Maybe it is a local expression to the Northwich area. Any ideas where it comes from?

Interesting that anyone should assume that I speak one of the "Indian Languages" !!!!
There are some native English speaking shop keepers left you know!!

Answer 1

The expression goes back a very long way. You qualify for this appellation on several counts.
The word "master" has many uses because the main sense of the expression is "a man of power " and this applies to any context. You own your shop and therefore are the master of the premises. It also harks back to the time when shopkeepers were craftsmen who made the goods which they sold and belonged to a guild. They were tested before being admitted and having met the required standard became "masters". Thirdly it used to be the direct address for a man, but in provincial English was also used colloquially as an indirect address in the third person as you describe.

Other contexts for the word are as follows:
A man who rules others or has control, authority, or power over something.
A man who is head of a household or institution
An employer
One who owns a slave or an animal
The captain of a merchant ship
The person that excels in a contest, skill, etc.; victor or superior
A male schoolteacher or tutor (chiefly in Britain)
A person whose teachings in religion, philosophy, etc. one follows or professes to follow
Jesus Christ: with our, the, etc.
Something regarded as having control, power, etc.
A person very skilled and able in some work, profession, science, etc.; expert
A highly skilled workman or craftsman qualified to follow his or her trade independently and, usually, to supervise the work of others
An artist regarded as great
In Games, Sports: a person recognized as having achieved the highest degree of skill chess master, golf master
A title (archaic) variously applied to any man or youth: now superseded by the variant Mister, usually written Mr. when placed before the name
A boy regarded as too young to be addressed as Mr.
A man who heads some institution, group, activity, or place
in Scotland, the heir apparent of a viscount or baron
A metal matrix or mold made from the original recording and used to produce phonograph records in quantity
A completed tape recording used to produce discs, cassettes, etc. for sale
In Law, any of several court officers appointed to assist the judge by hearing evidence, reporting on certain matters, etc.

The etymology is from Middle English "maistre "< Old English "mægester", magister and Old French "maistre", both from Latin: magister, a master, chief, leader.

There you are, respected male, great ruler of your empire, and no doubt very skilled in what you are doing!

Answer 2

If this is Northwich in Cheshire, England, then they are almost certainly saying "Give it to the mister" = give it to the man. I'm assuming you speak one of the Indian languages - if so, I am not surprised you find some of the Northwich vowels difficult to detect - I lived there for a couple of years!

Answer 3

Master (a man having control or authority) or Masters may refer to:

Wikapedia; Master has an abundant amount of info on it. I hear the term on occasion. Not towards myself, but just overhearing it in shops etc.

Answer 4

It is an expression I have heard in north Nottinghamshire. It is usually used by older people.

Answer 5

from secret societies who people believe they are gods and to call someone master is a compliment to that person but a offence to the one and only God