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Sir phire

 This dump is about language.  How is it that it is?  By region and continent.  By history and circumstance.

Take the deal with Title.  Not those that are bestowed but the ubiquitous first field on a lengthy form you might fill out.  More so in British influenced lands.  Territories and Colonies.

Title.  Mr. Mrs. Ms et al.

But I am referring to the spoken kind.  As referenced in the title of this blog. 

Sir.

And its gender equivalent.  Ma'am short for Madam.

I remember penning letters to potential employers and addressing them to their respective HR departments with the words - Dear Sir /Madam.

As I moved to America many moons ago I realized that here they have dispensed with this nonsense.  Part cultural where all men are created equal (so what is with this titling?) and part the (il)logic of wearing your shoes in bed.  We do not wait for minor details.

Mind you this is my interpretation.  We think addressing a random male as sir is elitist unless you happen to be a member of the armed forces. This titling is absent in corporate America entirely.  

My security guard is Charlie as is my CEO.  Just like Taco Bell strives to give you the same clean bathroom that a Ritz Carlton might.  In that sense America is great. 

The title makes an appearance if you are a head of government, local or federal. Then you are the Guv (or governor) or Senator or President.

Personally I think this is American double standard.  Mostly also calling these elected clowns by their title follows the mumbo jumbo of addressing the office they represent and not the person et al.  To me all that is also nonsense.  He or she is first a servant.  Of the people and elected thusly.

So calling your servant by some made up title because they arrive in a motorcade is stupid.  Also what is with this motorcade?  But first things first.  Let us as a society strive to rid of these sir phire (literal translation - like Vetal is a rotating head but means someone that is not quite together)/vacuous titles like Sir, Madam, Honorable (many of these are involved in alternate dishonorable realities that we know not of).

They should go the way of powdered wigs and in most cases royalty.


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