Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site sdcrdcf.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!bellcore!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!barryg From: barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Barry Gold) Newsgroups: net.women,net.flame Subject: Re: MS/Miss/Mrs. => M Message-ID: <1705@sdcrdcf.UUCP> Date: Tue, 22-Jan-85 21:29:18 EST Article-I.D.: sdcrdcf.1705 Posted: Tue Jan 22 21:29:18 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 25-Jan-85 06:40:50 EST References: <1680@sdcrdcf.UUCP> <2262@randvax.UUCP> Reply-To: barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Barry Gold) Distribution: net Organization: System Development Corp. R+D, Santa Monica Lines: 16 Xref: watmath net.women:4227 net.flame:8003 Summary: M sounds okay as an all-purpose honorific provided we could get over the objections of those who speak French. (There it's an abbreviation for Monsieur = Mr.) However, I'd suggest we pronounce it "ummm." As for Sunny's objection to any sort of honorific, there are times I want to be formal (which means using an honorific plus last name), other times I want to be social (and use the first name). And then of course there've been times when I've omitted the obligatory (and vaguely hypocritical) "Dear" and started out the letter with the person's full name alone. (So far I've never started a letter as "Undear [name]," but then I'm relatively mild-tempered. --Lee Gold