Using Mademoiselle and Miss in French

Using Mademoiselle and Miss in French The French courtesy title mademoiselle (pronounced mad-moi-zell) is a traditional way of  addressing young and unmarried women. But this form of address,  literally translated as my young lady, is also considered sexist by some people, and in recent years the French government has banned its use in official documents. Despite this sentiment, some still use  mademoiselle  in conversation, especially in formal situations or among older speakers. Usage There are three honorifics commonly used in French, and they function much the way Mr., Mrs., and Miss do in American English. Men of all ages, married or single, are addressed as monsieur. Married women are addressed as madame, as are older women. Young and unmarried women are addressed as  mademoiselle.  As in English, these titles are capitalized when used in conjunction with a persons name. They are also capitalized when functioning as proper pronouns in French and can be abbreviated: Monsieur M.Madame Mme.Mademoiselle Mlle Unlike English, where the honorific Ms. can be used to address women regardless of age or marital status, there is no equivalent in French. Today, youll still hear  mademoiselle  being used, though usually by older French speakers for whom the term is still traditional. It is also occasionally used in formal situations. Most younger French speakers do not use the term, particularly in large cities like Paris. Guidebooks sometimes advise visitors to avoid using the term as well. Instead, use  monsieur  and  madame  in all cases. Controversy In 2012  the French government officially banned the use of mademoiselle for  all government documents. Instead,  madame  would be used for women of any age and marital status. Likewise, the terms  nom de jeune fille  (maiden name) and  nom dà ©pouse  (married name) would be replaced by  nom de famille  and  nom dusage, respectively.   This move wasnt entirely unexpected. The French government had considered doing the same thing back in 1967 and again in 1974. In 1986 a law was passed allowing married women and men to use the legal name of their choice on official documents. And in 2008 the city of Rennes eliminated the use of  mademoiselle  on all official paperwork. Four years later, the campaign to make this change official on a national level had gained momentum. Two  feminist groups, Osez le fà ©minisme! (Dare to be feminist!) and Les Chiennes de Garde (The watchdogs), lobbied the government for months and are credited with persuading Prime Minister Franà §ois Fillon to support the cause. On Feb. 21, 2012, Fillon issued an official decree banning the word. Sources Darrieussecq, Marie. Madame, Mademoiselle: In  France These Are About Sex, not Respect. TheGuardian.com, 24 February 2012.Samuel, Henry. Mademoiselle Banned on Official French Forms. Telegraph.co.uk, 22 February 2012.Sayre, Scott. ‘Mademoiselle’ Exits Official France. NYTimes.com, 22 February 2012.