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After addressing her as "[[Your Majesty]]" once, it is correct to address the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom#Style|Queen of the United Kingdom]] as "Ma'am" (to rhyme with "jam") or the remainder of a conversation. A letter to the Queen may begin with ''Madam'' or ''May it please Your Majesty''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.debretts.com/expertise/forms-of-address/addressing-royalty/|title=Addressing Royalty|publisher=Debrett's|date=February 19, 2021}}</ref><ref name=RoyalFamily>{{cite web|url=https://www.royal.uk/greeting-member-royal-family|title=Greeting a Member of The Royal Family|publisher=[[The Royal Household]]|access-date=February 19, 2021}}</ref> Other female members of the [[British royal family]] are usually addressed in conversation first as ''Your Royal Highness'' and subsequently as ''Ma'am''.<ref name=RoyalFamily/> |
After addressing her as "[[Your Majesty]]" once, it is correct to address the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom#Style|Queen of the United Kingdom]] as "Ma'am" (to rhyme with "jam") or the remainder of a conversation. A letter to the Queen may begin with ''Madam'' or ''May it please Your Majesty''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.debretts.com/expertise/forms-of-address/addressing-royalty/|title=Addressing Royalty|publisher=Debrett's|date=February 19, 2021}}</ref><ref name=RoyalFamily>{{cite web|url=https://www.royal.uk/greeting-member-royal-family|title=Greeting a Member of The Royal Family|publisher=[[The Royal Household]]|access-date=February 19, 2021}}</ref> Other female members of the [[British royal family]] are usually addressed in conversation first as ''Your Royal Highness'' and subsequently as ''Ma'am''.<ref name=RoyalFamily/> |
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''Madam President'' or ''Madame President'' is a formal form of address for female [[president]]s of [[republic]]s.<ref>Helen Cooper, ''Madame President: The Extraordinary Journey of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf'' (Simon & Schuster, 2017 |
''Madam President'' or ''Madame President'' is a formal form of address for female [[president]]s of [[republic]]s.<ref>Helen Cooper, ''Madame President: The Extraordinary Journey of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf'' (Simon & Schuster, 2017).</ref><ref>[https://www.state.gov/protocol-reference/ Protocol Reference], Office of the Chief of Protocol, United States Department of State.</ref><ref name=Styles>[https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/protocol-guidelines-special-event/styles-address.html Styles of address], Canadian Heritage (last accessed February 19, 2021).</ref> ''Madam Secretary'' is a formal form of address for a [[List of female United States Cabinet members|female member of the United States Cabinet]];<ref>DeLysa Burnier, [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10841806.2008.11029660 Frances Perkins' Disappearance from American Public Administration: A Genealogy of Marginalization], ''Administrative Theory & Praxis'', Vol. 30, Issue 4 (2008), pp. 398-423.</ref><ref>Madeleine Albright, ''Madam Secretary: A Memoir'' (Macmillan: 2012).</ref> a female [[Attorney General of the United States]] is formally addressed ''Madam Attorney General''.<ref>[https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/briefing-the-vice-president-and-attorney-general-janet-reno Briefing by the Vice President and Attorney General Janet Reno], American Presidency Project, UC Santa Barbara (March 1, 1994).</ref><ref>[https://oig.justice.gov/semiannual/0003/sa201c.htm U.S. Department of Justice: Office of the Inspector General: Semiannual Report to Congress, October 1, 1999 - March 31, 2000].</ref> ''Madam Speaker'' is a correct form of address for a female [[speaker of the United States House of Representatives]] (e.g., [[Nancy Pelosi]]),<ref>Marc Sandalow, ''Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi's Life, Times, and Rise to Power'' (Rodale Books, 2008).</ref> [[speaker of the British House of Commons|British House of Commons]] (e.g., [[Betty Boothroyd]]),<ref>Paul Routledge, ''Madam Speaker: The Life of Betty Boothroyd'' (HarperCollins: 1995).</ref> [[speaker of the Canadian House of Commons|Canadian House of Commons]],<ref name=Styles/> as well as a female [[speaker of the Canadian Senate]].<ref name=Styles/> |
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In the United States, between the early 19th century and 1980, justices of the Supreme Court were formally called ''Mr. Justice (surname)''. In 1980, the title was dropped in "to avoid the awkward appellation 'Madam Justice'" in anticipation of a woman joining the court.<ref>Linda Greenhouse, [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1980/11/19/111310723.pdf Court Dropping Mr. Justice], ''New York Times'' (November 19, 1980).</ref> Plaques on chamber doorways reading "Mr. Justice" were removed after [[Sandra Day O'Connor]] joined the court in 1981.<ref>Evan Thomas. [https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/behind-scenes-sandra-day-oconnor-first-days-supreme-court-180971441/ Behind the Scenes of Sandra Day O'Connor's First Days on the Supreme Court], ''Smithsonian Magazine'' (March 2019).</ref> Female members of [[state supreme courts]] were previously sometimes styled as ''Madam Justice'', matching the ''Mr. Justice'' formally used. Justice [[Rosemary Barkett]] of the [[Florida Supreme Court]] disliked the title, since she was unmarried, and announced that she would simply be called ''Justice Barkett'', leading all the male justices to drop ''Mr.'' from their forms of address.<ref>[https://www.floridasupremecourt.org/Justices/Former-Justices/Justice-Rosemary-Barkett Justice Rosemary Barkett], Florida Supreme Court (last accessed February 19, 2021).</ref> |
In the United States, between the early 19th century and 1980, justices of the Supreme Court were formally called ''Mr. Justice (surname)''. In 1980, the title was dropped in "to avoid the awkward appellation 'Madam Justice'" in anticipation of a woman joining the court.<ref>Linda Greenhouse, [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1980/11/19/111310723.pdf Court Dropping Mr. Justice], ''New York Times'' (November 19, 1980).</ref> Plaques on chamber doorways reading "Mr. Justice" were removed after [[Sandra Day O'Connor]] joined the court in 1981.<ref>Evan Thomas. [https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/behind-scenes-sandra-day-oconnor-first-days-supreme-court-180971441/ Behind the Scenes of Sandra Day O'Connor's First Days on the Supreme Court], ''Smithsonian Magazine'' (March 2019).</ref> Female members of [[state supreme courts]] were previously sometimes styled as ''Madam Justice'', matching the ''Mr. Justice'' formally used. Justice [[Rosemary Barkett]] of the [[Florida Supreme Court]] disliked the title, since she was unmarried, and announced that she would simply be called ''Justice Barkett'', leading all the male justices to drop ''Mr.'' from their forms of address.<ref>[https://www.floridasupremecourt.org/Justices/Former-Justices/Justice-Rosemary-Barkett Justice Rosemary Barkett], Florida Supreme Court (last accessed February 19, 2021).</ref> |
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Madam (/ˈmædəm/), or madame (/ˈmædəm/ or /məˈdɑːm/),[1] is a polite and formal form of address for women, often contracted to ma'am (pronounced /ˈmæm/ in American English and /ˈmɑːm/ in British English). The term derives from the French madame (French pronunciation: [maˈdam]); in French, ma dame literally means "my lady". In French, the abbreviation is "Mme" or "Mme" and the plural is mesdames (abbreviated "Mmes" or "Mmes").
Use as a form of address
Formal protocol
After addressing her as "Your Majesty" once, it is correct to address the Queen of the United Kingdom as "Ma'am" (to rhyme with "jam") or the remainder of a conversation. A letter to the Queen may begin with Madam or May it please Your Majesty.[2][3] Other female members of the British royal family are usually addressed in conversation first as Your Royal Highness and subsequently as Ma'am.[3]
Madam President or Madame President is a formal form of address for female presidents of republics.[4][5][6] Madam Secretary is a formal form of address for a female member of the United States Cabinet;[7][8] a female Attorney General of the United States is formally addressed Madam Attorney General.[9][10] Madam Speaker is a correct form of address for a female speaker of the United States House of Representatives (e.g., Nancy Pelosi),[11] British House of Commons (e.g., Betty Boothroyd),[12] Canadian House of Commons,[6] as well as a female speaker of the Canadian Senate.[6]
In the United States, between the early 19th century and 1980, justices of the Supreme Court were formally called Mr. Justice (surname). In 1980, the title was dropped in "to avoid the awkward appellation 'Madam Justice'" in anticipation of a woman joining the court.[13] Plaques on chamber doorways reading "Mr. Justice" were removed after Sandra Day O'Connor joined the court in 1981.[14] Female members of state supreme courts were previously sometimes styled as Madam Justice, matching the Mr. Justice formally used. Justice Rosemary Barkett of the Florida Supreme Court disliked the title, since she was unmarried, and announced that she would simply be called Justice Barkett, leading all the male justices to drop Mr. from their forms of address.[15]
In Canada, the appellation Mr/Madam Prime Minister and Mr./Madam Minister is "often heard informally" for prime ministers and other ministers, but is not in official use.[6] Madam is an appropriate title in conversation with a female Governor General of Canada or female spouse of a Governor General on second and subsequent reference (after "Your Excellency" or "Excellency" is used on initial reference).[6] Female members of the Supreme Court are addressed by counsel in hearings as either Madam Justice or Justice; in writing, a female justice is addressed as The Honourable Madame (Chief) Justice.[16] The same style is used for other female members of the Canadian federal courts.[6]
In the courts of England and Wales, a magistrate is addressed as "Your Worship" or "Sir" (if male) or 'Madam' (if female).[17] A female judge of the District Court may be addressed in writing as Dear Judge or Dear Madam, while a female judge of the High Court may be addressed as Dear Madam or Dear Dame (first name) or Dear Judge.[17] While in court, however, District Court judges are addressed as Judge (or according to title), and female High Court judges are addressed as My Lady or Mrs/Ms Justice (last name).[17]
Madam Ambassador or Madam High Commissioner is an appropriate formal mode of spoken address for ambassadors and high commissioners, respectively.[6]
Military and police usage
"Ma'am" is commonly used as a verbal address for female officers of inspector and higher ranks in British police forces.[18] The word is also used by junior personnel to address female superiors in the British Armed Forces.[19]
In the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, "ma'am" is an appropriate greeting for junior personnel when rendering a hand salute to a female superior.[20][21]
In the Canadian Forces, "ma'am" is a proper response when coming to attention to a female officer or chief warrant officer calling the roll.[22]
Use in non-native English-speaking societies
The terms Madame Mao and Madame Chiang Kai-shek were frequently used in English to refer to Jiang Qing (the wife of Mao Zedong) and Soong Mei-ling (the wife of Chiang Kai-shek), respectively; Madame approximated the Chinese respectful forms of address.[23][24][25]
References
- ^ "Madame - definition of Madame in English - Oxford Dictionaries". Retrieved 15 March 2017.
- ^ "Addressing Royalty". Debrett's. February 19, 2021.
- ^ a b "Greeting a Member of The Royal Family". The Royal Household. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
- ^ Helen Cooper, Madame President: The Extraordinary Journey of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Simon & Schuster, 2017).
- ^ Protocol Reference, Office of the Chief of Protocol, United States Department of State.
- ^ a b c d e f g Styles of address, Canadian Heritage (last accessed February 19, 2021).
- ^ DeLysa Burnier, Frances Perkins' Disappearance from American Public Administration: A Genealogy of Marginalization, Administrative Theory & Praxis, Vol. 30, Issue 4 (2008), pp. 398-423.
- ^ Madeleine Albright, Madam Secretary: A Memoir (Macmillan: 2012).
- ^ Briefing by the Vice President and Attorney General Janet Reno, American Presidency Project, UC Santa Barbara (March 1, 1994).
- ^ U.S. Department of Justice: Office of the Inspector General: Semiannual Report to Congress, October 1, 1999 - March 31, 2000.
- ^ Marc Sandalow, Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi's Life, Times, and Rise to Power (Rodale Books, 2008).
- ^ Paul Routledge, Madam Speaker: The Life of Betty Boothroyd (HarperCollins: 1995).
- ^ Linda Greenhouse, Court Dropping Mr. Justice, New York Times (November 19, 1980).
- ^ Evan Thomas. Behind the Scenes of Sandra Day O'Connor's First Days on the Supreme Court, Smithsonian Magazine (March 2019).
- ^ Justice Rosemary Barkett, Florida Supreme Court (last accessed February 19, 2021).
- ^ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), Supreme Court of Canada (last accessed February 19, 2021).
- ^ a b c Forms of Address: Law, Debrett's (last accessed February 19, 2021).
- ^ Forms of Address: The Police: Debrett's.
- ^ Forms of Address: The Armed Forces, Debrett's
- ^ Personnel—General Salutes, Honors, and Courtesy: 2–1, Army Regulation 600–25.
- ^ Personnel—General Customers and Courtesies: 8.1.2, Air Force Instruction 34-1201 (August 18, 2020_.
- ^ "Chapter 2: Squad drill at the halt without arms". Drill and Ceremonial Manual. Canadian Armed Forces. August 23, 2018.
- ^ Ross Terrill, Madame Mao: The White Boned Demon (Stanford University Press: 1999).
- ^ Thomas A. DeLong, Madame Chiang Kai-shek and Miss Emma Mills: China's First Lady and Her American Friend (McFarland: 2007).
- ^ Laura Tyson Li, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek: China's Eternal First Lady (Grove Press: 2007).