英语沙龙：称谓在美国

 

How names are called in America

People generally call each other by their first names much sooner in their acquaintance than people do in other walks of life.Taking that liberty too soon has closed many doors for the offender¹.Therefore,one must sense the proper moment to drop formal address and adopt subtle measures to prevent unwelcome intimate address.If you have been accepted wholeheartedly into a group,however important first names are in the world's eyes,it would be conspicuous² for you to continue beyond a certain time to call them by their last names,such as Mr.Robinson and Mrs.Harvin.

If an older woman enjoys having young people call her first name,she will ask you to do so－－otherwise don't.In the business circle,many people think it demeaning to be called by the first name,it is best to use ‘Mr.’‘Miss’ with a business superior or an employer.

A divorcee can ask the courts for her maiden³ name if there are no children.But usually the woman of taste,with or without children,takes after divorce her maiden name with the divorced husband's name.The remarried divorcee with children does not incorporate her divorced husband's name in her new one.The children retain their real father's name,unless by legal adoption⁴ they take the name of the mother's new husband.

Husband and wife call each other “Mr.” and “Mrs.”when speaking to people who are not their equals.To acquaintances they call each other “my husband” and “my wife”.To friends,they refer to each other their first names.

Army officers are called by their titles in speech.Catholic priests are called “Father”.A senator is customarily called “Senator” all of his life．A congressman⁵ is called “Mr.” both in and out of office.An ambassad or is called “Mr.Ambassador”.

称谓在美国

在熟人圈中，人们通常很快就会彼此直呼大名，比在其他的人群中要快得多。过快地不分你我会使许多人不高兴与你交往。故此，何时应撇开正式称呼，何时应避免不受欢迎的亲密称呼，就得审时度势，选择时机。如果你被真诚地纳入一个圈子中，不管直呼其名在世人眼中如何重要，对你来说，显然在刚接触的一段时间内，仍要称呼人家的姓氏，如鲁宾逊先生和哈文太太。

如果一位老妇人喜欢年轻人叫她的名字，她会告诉你这样做。否则，不可。在商业圈里，许多人认为直呼其名有失身分。所以，对上司或雇主最好称“先生”或“小姐”。

离婚的女性如无子女，她可以要求法庭恢复其娘家姓。但是有风范的女子，不管有无子女，离婚后用娘家姓，但要加上前夫之姓。有了孩子的再婚妇女不再用前夫的姓，而用新丈夫的姓。但是孩子仍随亲生父亲之姓，除非通过合法的收养手续，孩子可以随继父之姓。

夫妻在生人面前互称“先生”和“太太”。对熟人，他们互称“我丈夫”和“我太太”。对朋友，他们喜欢彼此直呼其名。

同军官讲话时，人们以其军衔称谓。天主教的牧师被称作“神父”。总统被称作“总统先生”。参议员习惯上终生被称作“参议员”。众议员无论在位与否均被称作“先生”。大使的称谓为“大使先生”。

 

1 offender   

n.冒犯者，违反者，犯罪者

参考例句：

• They all sued out a pardon for an offender.他们请求法院赦免一名罪犯。
• The authorities often know that sex offenders will attack again when they are released.当局一般都知道性犯罪者在获释后往往会再次犯案。

2 conspicuous   

adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的

参考例句：

• It is conspicuous that smoking is harmful to health.很明显，抽烟对健康有害。
• Its colouring makes it highly conspicuous.它的色彩使它非常惹人注目。

3 maiden   

n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的

参考例句：

• The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。
• The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。

4 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

5 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。