WHY THE CONFUSION?    


 

 

Why the confusion between Mrs. and Miss?

When I was teaching, I was still single. Now, for obvious reasons, I’m not going to use my real last name on the Internet. Let’s pretend that my maiden name was Green. Thus, students should have addressed me then as Miss Green. But scarcely a day went by without a student saying to me, “Mrs…um…Green….” I would correct, “Miss Green….” The student would then dutifully proceed, “Miss Green…um, …Miss Brown sent me to….” I would roll my eyes (Mrs. Brown was married), and correct, “Mrs. Brown sent you….” Sigh. At first, I used to tell myself that it was only kids that made such errors.

Sadly, I was mistaken. I began to notice that it was adults, too.

In doctors’ offices, secretaries who had known me forever would request, “Mrs. Green, we need you to fill out this form….”

But do you know what’s really frightening? Now that I am married, those same secretaries will consistently call to me, “Miss White, please fill out this form….”

What gives???







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