The Monmouth inquirer., 1926-02-04
PREFIxgs
Every Language Has ITS Method Of
tShowinp Respect.

SVSTY GaHSud9o t1aS ttS MSA"So ~
tShowinp Respect.
It is really curious system that we
have here and in every other place OF
putting prefix, in order to be polite
or as an act of courtesy, to the name
Of the person whom we greatly es-
teem, or who is connected with us by
the 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 il
Il is considered a proof of respect,
whence comes that respect? Why
should we use the prefix 'Don, "
"Senora" or "Senorita," then, as a
matter Of necessity?
The most humble Roman, even II
he were a slave, whether he was a
addressing a good friend Of his or
whether he bowed with respect be
fore the great Caesar, he would have
not thoughtful 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-
perors it was considered an act of
personal respect to use the word
"dominus" (head Of the house,. Ac-
cording to Suetonius, Emperor Clau-
dius, DESTROYS of becoming popular
offered banquets to the masges-that
is to say, to the lower classes and
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 "dominus" had another mean
ing, although the poets would use it
In its feminine gender, domino" as
an endearing 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, and lady, wife
Of a knight, or wife Of the owner OF
q castle, became inca DONNA" then
s'mea DONNA" afterward madonna"
and lastly madame" The young I'M
married women of the middle ages
received the name Of "dominicell, f"
which afterward became "demoisell.
and this finally. became 'tmademoi-
selle.'
A 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 as lady. That is
why the present French exclamation,
ssdame," means "seaor," and not
s.senora," as some suppose.
Toward the twelfth century the
word s'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 word muItilated
stands for the French tsieur"
s.monseieur." In English it has Its
equivalent in 'sir," which at one
time was an ecclesiastical title, and
was also university title applied to
bachelors. The '.maitre" Of the
French is an appelatiYe which is APP
piled to respectable persons that de-
serve respect, but of low classes, as
for example, in Spanish, it is said
Senior Pepe' to an individual who
is respected but belongs to the lower
class.
IA regard to respect in name, there
is not country ahead of the Chinese.
According to their Oriental courtesy,
Chinese gentleman believes that
the ordinary proncuns you and
che 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 their 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- Fu-Se), a China
man win 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
name that his parents gave him.--
ngRxiGan Herald. Ill
g 49, =