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Using Personal
Titles
#3:
Titles
for Children
In addition
to strangers and people with
positions of
authority, you will also need to use titles, at times,
for
children--especially
if you are speaking
politely and
have just met a
child and/or
if the child's father or mother
has a position of authority or is someone you
respect.
Here are some
titles which are often used
with
children:
Titles for Boys:
young
man
| 1. |
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If you are speaking
directly to a young
boy and
want to be very
polite, use young
man in
place
of
a name:
How are you, young man?
What's your name, young
man?
How old are you,
young man? |
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|
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| 2. |
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You will sometimes also hear young fellow
instead of young
man. These two titles
have
the same meaning, but
young
fellow (often
pronounced
"fella") is friendlier:
How are you, young
fellow?
What's your
name, young fellow?
How
old are you, young fellow? |
Titles for Boys:
Master
| 1. |
|
If letters, cards, and so on are written
to
a young boy, the title Master
is often
used:
Master Jimmy
Johnson
Master Thomas
DeLuca
Master Ghassan
Al-Thanayan
This use of
Master is
very polite: it's intended
to make a young boy feel important. If you
know
a young boy very well, you can write
his name without a title. |
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| 2. |
|
In American English, Master
isn't
usually
used
in
speaking. |
Titles for Girls:
young
lady
| 1. |
|
If you are speaking directly to a young
girl and
want to be very polite, use young lady in place
of
a
name:
How are you, young
lady?
What's your name,
young lady?
How old are
you, young lady? |
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|
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| 2. |
|
The title young
woman isn't
commonly
used
in U.S. English. When it is
used, it isn't used
for
young
girls. |
Titles for
Girls:
Miss
If
letters, cards, and so on are written
to
a young
girl,
the title Miss
is common:
Miss Shannon
Sperling
Miss Teresita
DeLeón
Miss Tammy
Kim
The title
Miss can also
be used for older girls and for
unmarried women.
_________________________________________
Special
Notes
| 1. |
|
Do not use young man,
young
fellow, or
young
lady
with
people who are older than you |
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| 2. |
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In most English-speaking countries, do not
ask
the question "How old are you?" except
with
young
children. |
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