O M I D
06-17-2013, 07:17 PM
First name
Surname
Family name
Last name
William
Shakespeare
Hilary
Clinton
English learners often feel confused about how to address people properly. Many feel uncomfortable asking the question, "What should I call you?" Even native English people find this question awkward. For example, many women don't know how to address their boyfriend's mother. On the other hand, some parents don't know what to call their children's teacher.
Note that:
for Mr we say "Mister"
for Mrs we say "Misses"
for Miss we say "Miss"
for Ms we say "Mizz"
Why is "What should I call you?" such a difficult question to ask? Perhaps it's because you are asking the other person to provide their status or position in the world in relationship to yours. This position may involve age, job, education, religion and even marital status.
EnglishClub.com Audio Tip
Show transcriptHide transcript In some English speaking countries it is traditional for a woman to change her last name when she gets married. However, not all women do. If a woman you know has been recently married do not assume her name will change. You can safely ask, "Are you going by the same name?" This question gets trickier when a woman gets divorced or becomes a widow. Some women will change their name back to their maiden name. A widowed woman often keeps her husband's name unless she remarries. A divorced woman often changes her name back to her maiden name. If you don't know the woman well, wait for her to tell you if her name is changing.
Since English is a language, rather than a culture, it is difficult to teach English learners exactly how to address people. There will always be some people and some professions that require more formality than others. Addressing people in writing has different rules and formalities than in speaking.
Asking the questionIf you are unsure of what to call someone, it's best to use a formal address or simply ask one of these questions:
What should I call you?
What should I call your mum / the teacher / the manager?
Can I call you [first name] ?
Is it okay if I call you [the nickname you've heard others use] ?
What's your name? (use in a casual situation like a party or classroom where first names are used)
Answering the questionYou might not be the only person wondering about titles. Students, colleagues or acquaintances may not know what to call you. If they seem unsure about how to pronounce your name, or you want them to call you something more casual, help them out:
Please, call me [first name]
You can call me [nickname or short form]
Formal Titles in EnglishIn business situations, use formal titles unless the people you meet tell you otherwise. To get someone's attention you can say: "Excuse me, Sir" or "Pardon me, Madam/Ma'am." To greet someone you can say: "Hello Sir" or "Good morning, Madam/Ma'am."
Surname
Family name
Last name
William
Shakespeare
Hilary
Clinton
English learners often feel confused about how to address people properly. Many feel uncomfortable asking the question, "What should I call you?" Even native English people find this question awkward. For example, many women don't know how to address their boyfriend's mother. On the other hand, some parents don't know what to call their children's teacher.
Note that:
for Mr we say "Mister"
for Mrs we say "Misses"
for Miss we say "Miss"
for Ms we say "Mizz"
Why is "What should I call you?" such a difficult question to ask? Perhaps it's because you are asking the other person to provide their status or position in the world in relationship to yours. This position may involve age, job, education, religion and even marital status.
EnglishClub.com Audio Tip
Show transcriptHide transcript In some English speaking countries it is traditional for a woman to change her last name when she gets married. However, not all women do. If a woman you know has been recently married do not assume her name will change. You can safely ask, "Are you going by the same name?" This question gets trickier when a woman gets divorced or becomes a widow. Some women will change their name back to their maiden name. A widowed woman often keeps her husband's name unless she remarries. A divorced woman often changes her name back to her maiden name. If you don't know the woman well, wait for her to tell you if her name is changing.
Since English is a language, rather than a culture, it is difficult to teach English learners exactly how to address people. There will always be some people and some professions that require more formality than others. Addressing people in writing has different rules and formalities than in speaking.
Asking the questionIf you are unsure of what to call someone, it's best to use a formal address or simply ask one of these questions:
What should I call you?
What should I call your mum / the teacher / the manager?
Can I call you [first name] ?
Is it okay if I call you [the nickname you've heard others use] ?
What's your name? (use in a casual situation like a party or classroom where first names are used)
Answering the questionYou might not be the only person wondering about titles. Students, colleagues or acquaintances may not know what to call you. If they seem unsure about how to pronounce your name, or you want them to call you something more casual, help them out:
Please, call me [first name]
You can call me [nickname or short form]
Formal Titles in EnglishIn business situations, use formal titles unless the people you meet tell you otherwise. To get someone's attention you can say: "Excuse me, Sir" or "Pardon me, Madam/Ma'am." To greet someone you can say: "Hello Sir" or "Good morning, Madam/Ma'am."