Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-06-13
PRtrixES
Every Language Has Its Method OF
Showing Respect.

II is really curious system that We
nave here and in every other place oil
putting prefix, in order To be polite
or as an act OF courtesy, to the name
Il the person whom We greatly es-
teen, or who is connected with us by
;he bonds OF friendship. This custom
plainly demonstrates the curious
existing social relations, for is there
any reason why people should be
called by their names alone? And if
It is considered proof of respect,
whence comes that respect? Why
should we use the prefix "Don,"
Sonora" or "Senorita," then, as a
matter of necessity?
The most humble Roman, even if
he were slave, whether he was Il
addressing a. good friend of his or
whether he bowed with respect be-
fore the great Caesar, he would have
not thought it necessary to use any
prefix whatever in order to perform
his duty, and at that time it would
not have considered an act of dis.
courtesy toward his superior.
During the time of the Roman en-
pafor3 it was considered an act of
personal respect to use the word
domlnus" (head of the house,. Ac-
Cording to SuetOnius, Emperor Claus
dius, DESTROYS Of becoming popular.
offered banquets % the masges-that
u to say, to the lower classes--anu
in order to inspire confidence among
the invited guests, and to show them
that he considered them his equals,
he would shake hands with every
person who arrived and called them
'dominus," or mister, but the custom
was not established as a general rule,
because "dumnus" had another mean
ing, although the poets would use it
IL its feminine gender. domino" as
an endearlng name among lovers.
The modern use of 'dOminus" did
not appear until the Western empire
came to an end. What until then had
been a casual tribute of respect be-
came necessary in order to address
persons Of high rank. ana lady Wife
q a knight, or wife of the owner of
castle, became inca DONNA" then
"mea DONNA" afterward madonna
aud lastly madame" The young I'M
married women of the middle ages
received the name of "dCminicell, I'll.
when afterward became "demoisell."
and this finally became "mademoi-
selle."
4 knight was domino" and after
ward "donmo," from which the Span
ish don" is taken. But later on the
masculine and feminine genders
melted into one, dame" which meant
gentleman as well a. lady. That is
why tne present French exclamation,
dame" means "seIor" and not
sonora" as some suppose.
Toward the twelfth century the
word dame" as masculine title be
gan to be substituted by another the
Latin "senor," which has survived in
the same form, used as "senor" in
Spanish. senior in Portuguese,
"signor" in Italian and ''seigneur' in
French The same yord multilated
stands for the French "sieur"
"monseieur." In English it has its
equivalent in sir" which at one
time was an ecclesiastical title, and
was also a university title applied to
bachelors. The rmaitre" of the
French is an appelative which is APP
piled to respectable persons that de-
serve respect, hut of low classes, as
for example, in Spanish, it is said
"Senor Pope to an individual who
is respected but belongs to the lower
class.
In regard to respect in name, there
is not a country ahead of the Chinese. |
to their Oriental courtesy, |
a Chinese gentleman believes that !
thes ordinary pronouns you" and !
he" are too familiar applied to per |
son with whom one is not in close |
touch, and employs a series of com |
plicated expressions. Besides, in
order to show respect for persons OF |
high rank and to the dead, the |
Chinese never pronounce tne,r real |
names, but others so that the daily !
use will not profane their sacred |
names. Owing to this reason, while !
We speak with great familiarity about |
Confuscius (Khong- Fuse, China |
man will not only give the name OF |
Sian-sing, or some other name, IN |
order to demonstrate the respect he !
processes and not to degrade the |