LINGUIST List 8.1527

Sun Oct 26 1997

Sum: 8.1492 Terminology

Editor for this issue: Martin Jacobsen <martylinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. Mark Mandel, Summary: 8.1492 Terminology

In LINGUIST #8.1492 I asked:
 Is there a term for words like "Mr." and "Dr." besides "title"
 or "honorific"? 

Gregory Ward <wardpg-13.ling.nwu.edu, gwnwu.edu>
Nancy Frishberg <nancyfseiden.com>
 and
Chad D Nilep <chad.nilepasu.edu, cdnilepasu.edu> 
 all suggested "term of address"

Nancy added:
 Remind me to tell you about Bali sometime, where there are 
 only 4 first names, which tell your birth order (1, 2, 3, 4, 
 5=1, 6=2, etc.), same for both genders. For some high caste 
 folks there is an honorific or term of address that 
 essentially is part of their name. 

Chad also suggested "title of address." 

J Kingston Cowart <jkcowartio-online.com> suggested "appelation".

My thanks to all of them.

 =========

I may not have been clear enough. I was thinking of terms in 
English (and in other languages with comparable constructions) 
that fit into the TITLE slot in the template
 TITLE (FIRST-NAME) LAST-NAME

"Term of address", it seems to me, would also include "sir", which
fits the template only in a "feudal" use (Sir Paarfi of Roundwood) but
is frequently used in address ("Excuse me, sir, is this your
orangutan?"; "No excuse, sir!"); "ma'am", which doesn't fit at all;
and for that matter "Mac" ("Hey, Mac, which way to St.
Ives?"). "Appelation" ("a name, title, or designation" -- Am.
Herit. Dict.) is accurate but too broad. "Title of address" is a good
fit.

 Mark A. Mandel : Senior Linguist : markdragonsys.com 
 Dragon Systems, Inc. : speech recognition : +1 617 965-5200 
 320 Nevada St., Newton, MA 02160, USA : http://www.dragonsys.com/
 Personal home page: http://world.std.com/~mam/