Jul 19, 2002 08:42
22 yrs ago
42 viewers *
German term

Anrede

German to English Tech/Engineering Internet, e-Commerce
On a form where users have to choose between Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss, etc.

What do we call that in English? My dic. has "form of address" but I don't think that's what we really call it....

Any ideas?
Change log

May 29, 2006 11:12: Steffen Walter changed "Field" from "Other" to "Tech/Engineering" , "Field (specific)" from "(none)" to "Internet, e-Commerce"

Proposed translations

15 mins
Selected

Not really an answer!

Just didn\'t have the space in the comment box ...

I have a form sitting next to me on my desk from the DVLA. It avoids the issue nicely by not putting it anything at all. If you have the choice of different options, it\'s going to be pretty obvious what they are.

If it\'s one you can\'t skip, then I\'d go with \'title\'. I don\'t think that means you have to have any sort of academic title, and anything else (form of address, salutation) sounds a bit weird. It probably depends on the type of form and your target audience.

FWIW

Mary
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "That's why I don't remember seeing it in this form - it's usally just left out if you can only choose between Mr/Mrs. So that's how I'll translate it - by leaving it out. Thanks Mary."
+4
3 mins

form of address

is fine

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Note added at 2002-07-19 08:49:09 (GMT)
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you can hardly use \"title\" here, more for Dr., Prof. etc.

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Note added at 2002-07-19 08:59:59 (GMT)
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http://www.hants.gov.uk/lieutenancy/etiquette.html

Etiquette
What is the correct form of address for the Lord-Lieutenant?
Written: Mrs Mary Fagan JP, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire
Salutation: \"Dear Lord-Lieutenant\"
In a Speech: in the preamble the Lord-Lieutenant is referred to as \"My Lord-Lieutenant\"
Conversation: Mrs Fagan likes to be addressed as \"Mrs Fagan\" or \"Lord-Lieutenant\"
Office Holder: A woman appointed to the office is correctly addressed as Lord-Lieutenant.


http://www.eastsussexcc.gov.uk/esussex/figures/etiquette.htm

The correct form of address for the Lord Lieutenant is as follows:
Written: Mrs Phyllida Stewart-Roberts OBE, HM Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex
Salutation: \"Dear Lord Lieutenant\"
In Speech: In the preamble the Lord Lieutenant is referred to as \"My Lord Lieutenant\"
In Conversation: Mrs Stewart-Roberts likes to be addressed as \"Mrs Stewart-Roberts\" or \"Lord Lieutenant\"
Office Holder: A woman appointed to the Office is correctly addressed as \"Lord Lieutenant\"

and many more
Peer comment(s):

agree hartran (X)
13 mins
agree Elvira Stoianov
15 mins
neutral Mary Worby : Form of address brings to my mind exactly what your examples suggest ... what is the correct form of address for a prime minister, bishop, etc.? I can't remember seeing it on forms, but then I probably don't read them all that carefully! (-:
45 mins
agree Terry Gilman : Letitia Baldridge (Kennedy administration) says "title" for Mr./Ms. ..., "professional title" for Dr., J.D. ..., and "form of address" for the items above ("Your Excellency," ...).
4 hrs
agree stefana
11 hrs
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+6
5 mins

title

The forms I remember used title to describe this line. However, each of the forms had "Dr." as another option.

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Note added at 2002-07-19 09:00:04 (GMT)
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Actually, that\'s another suggestion: Check one.

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Note added at 2002-07-19 09:19:07 (GMT)
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I\'m not going to scan the forms I have, but here are some online forms:
https://www.ua2go.com/ci/JoinMileagePlus.jsp
http://www.powerlab-teaching.com/register.php

Just did a Google search for \"registration form title\" - yep, I maintain my two suggestions.
Peer comment(s):

agree Rebekka Groß (X) : That's the one!
0 min
agree fcl
1 min
neutral Cilian O'Tuama : "Mr." isn't a title, "Dr." is. To me, a title is something you earn and don't just merit by virtue of age/sex etc.
4 mins
Yes, I share your view, but still I've seen it on forms, almost as often as 'check one:'
agree jerrie : Just looked at my travel insurance form...it is title. Title/Initial/Surname
7 mins
agree Rolf Klischewski, M.A. : Yup, same in Outlook. So it must be true! (C:
9 mins
neutral hartran (X) : from Google:. The correct forms of address such as Mr. or Mrs. and the appropriate gestures ....
17 mins
agree Mary Worby : Think this is safest and most easily understandable (-:
37 mins
agree Manfred Mondt : beginners will translate this back as Titel.
4 hrs
:-))
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9 mins

Address

is what I think we call it.

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Note added at 2002-07-19 08:54:32 (GMT)
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It used to be \"title\" when the world was organised for the convenience of people with titles. But not any more, I think.
Peer comment(s):

neutral Cilian O'Tuama : IMO only as verb
3 mins
neutral Mary Worby : Think this is confusing in forms .. if I were asked my address I'd tell people where I lived! (-:
20 mins
You are right. Again! :-)
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26 mins

salutation

Way back when in high school when we were doing form letters, we usually created a field called salutation. Then in the database, we would enter either Mr., Miss, Mrs., Ms., Dr., Fr., or whatever. I don't know if this was correct, but this is what we did. Also, I had the very same context this morning in a translation and I put salutation. I have not turned it in yet. Avoiding putting anything would also be away around it.
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1 hr

"title", a bit reluctantly

"title", a bit reluctantly

I've also had many battles with this matter. There seems to be no easy way out.

IMO "salutation" is only for letters. "Form of address" sounds best to me but is a bit long for a form. I don't much like "title" for the reasons mentioned above concerning earning or appointment, but NODE – The New Oxford Dictionary of English writes for Mrs, Mr, Miss and Ms:

"a TITLE used before a surname or full name to address or refer to a person without a higher or honorific or professional TITLE"

The Chicago Manual of Style refers to these gizmos as "social TITLEs", whatever they are.

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary says for Mr.:

"used as a conventional TITLE of courtesy except when usage requires the substitution of a TITLE of rank or an honorific or professional title before a man's surname <spoke to Mr. Doe>"

I filled out a form recently that handled the problem nicely by writing:

"Please click/choose (for electronic completion) (or `circle´ for manual completion) one:

Ms, Mr, Miss, Dr, Prof, None"

Of course, for US consumption, TCMS still stupidly lists such abbreviations with periods (full stops) after the abbreviation.

The method mentioned in your question and the one I've just described both fall apart as soon as someone with a military grade or rank starts to fill in the form.

It would be a mark of real courage to go against all four;

1. NODE

2. being concise,

3. TCMS, and

4. Webster

so you might be forced to choose "title". "Title" also has the advantage that although some people might feel you are upgrading everyday people, at least you are not downgrading all the professors and doctors.

HTH

Dan
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