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Author Topic: Names, Titles, and Forms of Address  (Read 3452 times)

Makkal

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Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
« on: 25 Jun 2013, 16:00 »

I know there's a topic about this already but can't be bothered to go searching for it.

How does your character address others when they interact with them? The Amarr bloc tends to be the most formal, so they're more like to address someone as 'Ms.' 'Mr.' '[Title]' and then last name.

I noticed that Steffanie refers to women as 'Lady [Surname],' but in Gallente fashion, she applies it indiscriminately. The character isn't acknowledging social status, but using the trappings of nobility because she finds them neat.

I recall the night Veik referred to the Minmatar as 'tribals' and her rather smooth handling of the outrage that followed, asking if they were ashamed of their tribal heritage because otherwise why would the term bother them? Contrast this with Kim's insta-ban use of it. 

It took me a while to pick up on Silas' use of 'child' vs 'brother/sister.'

There are also political appellations: Federalist, Imperial, Suramites, Sakurites. And the ubiquitous '-haan' and 'haani.'

So, how does your character address others? Why do they pick the titles and terms they use? Do you have a specific methodology at work?
« Last Edit: 25 Jun 2013, 16:02 by Makkal »
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Nicoletta Mithra

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Re: Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
« Reply #1 on: 25 Jun 2013, 16:25 »

Most people get addressed as 'Captain'. If Nico has special respect for the person at hand or the corporation the person is part of, she uses corp titles if available. She tends to not call capsuleers 'Lord' or 'Lady', unless she has high respect for them and thinks they have proven to be worthy to be considered as nobles - or the noble in question presses the matter.

If Nico looses respect for someone, she usually refers to them as 'Mr.' or 'Ms.', but she uses this too for DUSTies without meaning any disrespect - and she doesn't mean disrepect by using it in regard to capsuleers either, because in general she prefers to not indicate respect to indicating disrespect.

People she knows well and has a personal relationship to she might address by first name, but she can drop back to more formal appellations easily if in public.
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Morwen Lagann

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Re: Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
« Reply #2 on: 25 Jun 2013, 16:25 »

Morwen generally tries to be friendly and polite when she interacts with people. (Obviously this isn't always how it ends up, but she makes an effort at it, honest!) As a result, here's how she does it:
- If someone does not introduce themselves otherwise or have an outwardly obvious preference, she will opt for a first name if she can find it.
- If she can't find a first name, she'll go with the most appropriate title she can find (this sometimes ends up being "Miss" or "Mister", but may vary based on the person's origin/affiliations) and surname. For example, Amarrians who she can find out are Holders or similar, she will often opt for Lord/Lady <surname> first.
- If someone is already being actively addressed in a particular manner and appears to approve of it or at least be comfortable with it, she will start with that right off the bat.
- If someone asks her to use a particular form of address, she will always attempt to remember to use that instead.

As for people addressing her, she's similar there.
- She generally prefers people use her first name, and will typically introduce herself by her first name only, except when it's business.
- She'll accept people using her surname if a title is attached to it. Whether it's Miss, Mlle., Director, Captain, Pilot, Saategashira (her old Veto rank), or something else appropriate she doesn't care, as long as one is used. She gets intensely annoyed by people using her last name without a title, because she associates it with people who (in her mind) did not treat her very well or very kindly.

The old thread's linked in my quoteblock if you're curious. I can merge posts if you like.
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Samira Kernher

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Re: Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
« Reply #3 on: 25 Jun 2013, 16:31 »

Samira adheres exclusively to formal Amarr styles, to the point that she actually finds it very difficult to refer to people in familiar terms even when they tell her to.

Samira will never refer to someone by first name, unless A) it's the only name they've presented, or B ) they've explicitly asked her to. Even then, she often applies styles to the name, unless requested not to.

She also won't attach styles that are higher than the person's actual status. She will never refer to someone as a Lord or Lady unless she knows they are actually a Lord or Lady. Makkal is an exception, because she used her higher status to pressure Samira into calling her Lady. Samira only begrudgingly obeys, since by all accounts Makkal isn't a titled Holder in her own right and therefore it simply isn't proper by Samira's eyes.

As for the methodology she uses, it's more or less what is seen in PF. I've documented it all here, with sources. The one exception from PF I did was using "Her Imperial Majesty" instead of "Her Majesty", in order to distinguish the emperor from heir-level individuals like King Khanid, but that's since become PF as of the PIE ball, when Admiral Ren Karetta used it (thanks CCP!).
« Last Edit: 25 Jun 2013, 16:40 by Samira Kernher »
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Saede Riordan

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Re: Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
« Reply #4 on: 25 Jun 2013, 16:38 »

My character is extremely informal and generally just calls people what she wants. She also tends to have trouble with multiple names. She grew up in a very informal setting where people just had first names so she'll oftentimes say someone's full name, first and last, not realizing what parts are meant to be spoken and which aren't. She does the intentionally other times, though OOCly I'm not sure why I have her, it just seems like an interesting character quirk. She won't acknowledge anyone's formal title unless she has an extreme amount of personal respect for them.

Also as a semi on topic note, Saede prefers gender neutral pronouns, if anyone actually asks her. I use female pronouns OOCly so as not to confuse anyone/myself.
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Merdaneth

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Re: Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
« Reply #5 on: 25 Jun 2013, 16:47 »

The basis of my methodology is to use specific forms of address to signal that I'm role-playing. OOC conversations tend to be very informal, even with strangers. Usually there are no spoken greetings, and often even no names are used, but just forms of 'hey you n00b'. I've noticed that being formal in forms of address often immediately sets a specific tone to the conversation.

Additionally, it helps to get non-RPers to 'tag along' with your play if you address them with proper deference as Lord X. Makes them feel empowered and less likely to play along with you.

Merdaneth uses a whole range of forms of address, often specifically meant to put the person addressed into a certain place. I'm fond of using 'traitor', 'terrorist' or 'heretic' as a title with enemies while remaining otherwise polite. It gives a definitely signal about your relationship with the person to everyone that's hearing it.

Sister, Brother for fellow Amarr that I like. Crusader, pilot or soldier for milita members, Lord and Lady for people with high station, but I also often look up a person's corp title, and use that one for extra effect. Admiral, Cardinal, Overseer, etc. etc.

I find it a very simple, easy to use but powerful RP tool.





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Shintoko Akahoshi

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Re: Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
« Reply #6 on: 25 Jun 2013, 17:36 »

Shin's a bit odd in this regard. She used to be highly informal when talking to people - it took her a very long time when she first left home to get used to the idea that some people prefer strangers not call them by their first name. Zaitsev subjected her to extremely formal training in Caldari etiquette during her tenure at Omerta Syndicate, which sparked an interest in forms of etiquette among  different cultures. At the end of the day, she'll usually address the people she likes or respects in a manner they would appreciate, though she's still extremely informal with friends. People she doesn't respect? She'll typically address them very formally, though the forms of address are usually intended as insults.

Z.Sinraali

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Re: Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
« Reply #7 on: 25 Jun 2013, 18:21 »

Ze'ev, viewing most titles claimed by capsuleers as vain and pointless, uses Captain most of the time, especially in construction with the last name. He occasionally also uses pilot, or if he's drunk and/or feeling disrespectful, 'egger'. He is not averse to using other terms to address the few people he respects, particularly Brother/Sister or Doctor for those who've earned said titles. (This comes up more often in private than public comms.) Also, the boss gets called 'boss.'

Still not sure what to do with DUSTers.
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Silas Vitalia

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Re: Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
« Reply #8 on: 25 Jun 2013, 19:41 »

Almost never, ever first names.

Brother / Sister for True Amarr only

Mr. / Ms. for most other races

For Matari, usually the racial name + last name,  "Thank you for making my point, Sebiestor So-and-so"

For other non-amarr on more familiar terms sometimes just the last name without the Mr. or Ms. 

Many other capsuleers there are pet names for, for example Seriphym Inhonores is almost always refered to as the "Dear General Inhonores" or "Illustrious General Inhonores".  These are mostly mocking pet names, but not always :)

"Child" often for younger or inexperienced capsuleers, or as a term of derision

"Heathen" as a term for non-amarr, can be said very cheerfully as it doesn't generally have malice assocaited with it.

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Sepherim

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Re: Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
« Reply #9 on: 25 Jun 2013, 19:49 »

Catillah, by default, calls all pod pilots "captain whatever". It's an old habit from his time in the Imperial Navy, before becoming a pod pilot, when a ship captain had to coordinate a whole ship and not only think. Dusters are "soldiers" by default.

But there are lots of exceptions. With military amarrian or loyalist pilots, he'll adress them by rank (Admiral, Liuteneant, whatever) but very rarely will he do so for military pilots of other factions. Those he treats as captain like civilians, though if he wants to offend them or show his distance he may (very rarely) use other terms.

When speaking of the whole community, which he often may do with disrespect because he doesn't like pod pilots in general, he may use "eggers".

Others he may adress, exceptionally, in other ways. A few may deserve Lord or Lady. A few (if he wants to insult them) may deserve nothing. Or specific titles like blooder or sansha drone or things like that. But those are very very rare, I think he's only been decenty angry once, and only then did he use one. And he was yet far from being really angry.
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Havohej

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Re: Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
« Reply #10 on: 25 Jun 2013, 20:52 »

Depending on Havo's annoyance/anger/disgust factor, he'll either use "pilot" or he'll call a person as he sees them (race traitor, usurper, slaver, wastrel, etc.).

Fortunately he doesn't care about making enemies.
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Laria Raven

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Re: Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
« Reply #11 on: 26 Jun 2013, 04:46 »

Laria refers to people she doesn't know as M. and either Mme. or Ms. depending on how Gallente she's feeling. People she does know, she tends to call by their first name. Any variation on this is likely to be for a reason, though that reason might be "being annoying".
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Lyn Farel

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Re: Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
« Reply #12 on: 26 Jun 2013, 06:24 »

Corp titles for most people, if she can find them. She will always try to be the most formal and polite since she considers that the most formal you are, the most respect you show (which can be argued as a childish fallacy, but that's what she believes at an unconscious level).

Actually she will always start to bow to almost everyone silently, since silent is the epitome of politeness for her. Then, titles if talking is required.

As for her, it disturbs her enormously to be called by almost everyone by her first name, but she doesn't mind/care. She finds the subject fascinating.
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Lithium Flower

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Re: Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
« Reply #13 on: 26 Jun 2013, 07:56 »

I follow these simple rules:

'Last name'-haan(i) for Caldari
Lord/Lady 'last name' for Amarr
Mr./Ms. 'last name' for anyone else
'rank' 'last name' - sometimes for persons with acknowledged military ranks (rarely)

'last name' can be replaced with callsign, if last name is unknown (or the person hasn't introduced yet)

-guri,-hnolku etc for mocking purposes
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Pickled_Prawn

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Re: Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
« Reply #14 on: 26 Jun 2013, 09:49 »

Art refers to people as
'Pilot' if he doesn't know or doesn't like them.
'Captain' if he kind of respects them

And probably their first name on a very rare occasion. I think the only real person he does this for regularly is Avlynka Surionen in channels and some people he talks to in person.
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