2002.05.07
How great it is to see you again! It's been such a long time since we were with you last, and there's so much we'd like to ask you about your Golden Week holiday. But today's WordMaster simply won't wait.
So, here it is - your Tuesday WordMaster and the first edition of May 2002. We hope you like it!
- When you want to speak respectfully to, or about, a man - such as someone much older than you - you use the word Mr. before his family name. We sometimes use Mr. before a man's full (first and last) name, as well.
Mrs., Miss, and Ms. are used in the same way as Mr., except that Mrs. is used for a married woman, Miss is used for a girl or unmarried woman, and Ms. can be used for both a married and unmarried woman.
Be careful [1]:
Unlike "-san", as used after Japanese names, we do NOT use Mr., Mrs., Miss, or Ms. before a person's first name only. For example, we do NOT say "Mr. John", "Miss Mary", "Mrs. Keiko", etc.
Be careful [2]:
In the United States, it is very common to call a person by their first name. So last names - using Mr., Ms., etc. - will often sound too formal, even when speaking to your boss or someone a little older than you. - 男の人（かなり年上の人など）に敬意を持って話しかけたり、そのに人について話したりしたいとき、名字の前に Mr. を付けます。フルネーム（名前＋名字）に付けることもあります。
Mrs.、Miss、 Ms. も同様に使われますが、Mrs. は既婚者に対して、Miss は未婚者に対して使われます。Ms. は既婚、未婚に関係なく使われます。
注意1：
日本語の「～さん」は、名字にも名前にも付けますが、上記のような英語の敬称は、ファーストネームには付けません。Mr. John や、Miss Mary、Mrs. Keiko などは間違いです。
注意2：
アメリカでは、ファーストネームで名前を呼ぶことがよくあります。上司や少し年上の人であっても、敬称を付けて呼ぶと、堅苦し過ぎる場合が多いです。
- (on the phone)
This is Tetsuro Watanabe from Toys Inc. I'd like to speak to Mr. Anderson please. - (a boy greets his girlfriend's mother at her front door)
a: Hello, Mrs. Boyle. Is Sarah ready?
b: Hi, Timmy. Just a minute, I'll call her. - (at the Information desk in an office building lobby)
I'm looking for Miss Bonny Tyler's office. Could you please tell me what floor it's on? - (meeting a new client)
a: It's nice to meet you, Ms. Pearson.
b: Please, call me Janet.
It's really great to be back! See you tomorrow!