colonel@gloria.UUCP (George Sicherman) (02/10/85)
> Milord and Milady may have been good for the old Normans, but few of us > speak Middle English any more (OR use the British class structure). (An > acquaintance of mine was in London and had a native push her out of the way > to get on a bus. "You're no gentleman," she said. "Blimey, of course not," > he replied.") Nowadays Milord/Milady sound as if the speaker is putting > you up on a pedestal, an awkward position from which to operate effectively. > > In any case, I DON'T want to receive form letters addressed "Dear Milord or > Milady." (And I ESPECIALLY don't want to receive letters addressed "Dear > Milord," given I happen to be female. I'd like an all-gender honorific.) "Dear Milord" is presumptuous. A more appropriate salutation would be "May it please your Lordship." I'm always glad to get a letter that starts that way. -- Col. G. L. Sicherman ...decvax!sunybcs!gloria!colonel