[Ansteorra] re: Word usage

[Marc Carlson]

Gorm asked:
>Now I am curious.  Would someone enlighten me on the proper/improper use of
>"Milord and Milady"

In general, the way it is used in the SCA is correct, if you are a 16th
century French person addressing an English noble.  It is sometines used
incorrectly when referring to a specific person as though it were a title,
for example: "Milord Gorm".  You may recall in the Three Musketeers the
usages of "milady" as referring to "a milady" in the context of referring to
a courtier.  That work also refers to "Milady de Winter" as a title
referring to a specific person, but see below:

In the Middle Ages, in English, "My Lord" might be used, when speaking to or
referring to someone of a higher social rank than yourself  (and some truly
picky people might argue that it should only be used to someone who is -MY-
Lord.  This is argueable both ways).  "My Lord" was also used as a title of
respect when it is attached to the rest of the title, for example: My Lord
of Northumberland, My Lord of York, and so on. (hence "Milady de Winter"
when referring to the Comptess de Fere mentioned above).  In any case, the
term would only have been used when referring to a Landed Noble such as a
Baron (i.e. a Lord).
For periods well after the Middle Ages, the "My" is never used.

As you can see the French usage "Milord" was based on a mistaken
understanding of an archaic English use - but that's ok, since it was pretty
much meant as an insult of wealthy Englishmen traveling in an aristocratic
fashion.  It was picked up by Hollywood, and later fantasy literature based
on the Three Musketeers.

As you can see, it's really a picky point, and not worth worrying about.

Marc/Diarmaid

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