Gracious Sovereign is an official and courteous treatment of a man. Speech etiquette

Speech etiquette is designed both to prevent the expression of disrespect to the interlocutor, and in order to emphasize the importance of each participant in society in general and in a particular conversation in particular. Therefore, in our days strict requirements in this area are made only during socially significant conversations - diplomatic or business meetings. What can not be said about the old times.

Previously, the equality of Russians at the legislative level was not discussed - before the 1917 revolution in the country, the nobility and clergy enjoyed privileges. Therefore, the form of addressing or naming a person meant more - she immediately indicated who he was, and what requirements could be imposed on others.

What forms of circulation are known? What can the story tell about them? Although the forms of titles have already outlived themselves for a long time, some of the echoes of those times are still audible, one can even say more - they still are, only modified. Let's discuss this issue in more detail.

From the very top

Forms of polite treatment were primarily linked with titles that indicate the degree of the person's importance in the hierarchy of the nobility. It is clear that the strictest attitude was to the title of monarch. For the use of the official monarch title, as well as such words as "king", "emperor", not for its intended purpose, was threatened with the severest punishment.

Naturally, there were forms of titles in the Russian Empire of varying degrees of officiality. Many titles were used in the plural: Your Imperial Majesty (acting monarch, his wife or dowager empress), your Imperial Highness (persons from among the grand dukes, princesses and princesses). It can be seen that such appeals do not distinguish between men and women, referring to everyone in the middle genus.

It was customary for the monarch to be treated as the "Most Gracious Sovereign," and to the Grand Dukes as to the "Most Gracious Sovereigns" (just so, with a capital letter!). Even relatives in any formal setting should have adhered to this rule.

The First Estate

In Russia, there was not such a clear pattern of class division, as, say, in France, but this does not mean that it did not exist. And the representatives of the church were revered officially higher than representatives of secular authorities. Proof of this is the fact that if a nobleman held a church office, the first to mention his church title, and then the secular nobleman.

Here, too, the plural form "Your" was used, and then the title is more of a middling kind, although women are not allowed to lead the church. Unlike monarchs or noblemen, church ranks are still used officially in the name of church leadership, as well as during services and church events. The following words are used: "Holiness" (in relation to the patriarch), "Eminence" (archbishop or metropolitan), "Eminence" (bishop), "Reverence" (hegumen, archpriest, archimandrite), "Reverend" (hieromonks, priests).

To the priests of a very high rank, it practically did not turn out to appeal to the laity. At the domestic level, a courteous appeal to a spiritual person was considered to be a respectfully-related "father", "holy father."

Princes and Counts

This part of the etiquette of treatment in our time is needed only to understand the meaning written in historical documents and classical literature, as well as to participate in theatrical "noble assembly". But in a society where the nobles were "the main nerve of the state" (this was said by Cardinal Richelieu, but also in the Russian Empire, the question was interpreted similarly), the gentility and significance of the nobleman could not be hushed up.

Any nobleman in Russia was "Your Honor". So it was possible to address a stranger, by the form of which it is clear that he is a nobleman, but the degree of his nobility is not obvious. He had the right to correct the interlocutor, indicating the correct title, and the interlocutor was obliged to apologize and correct.

Noblemen with the title (counts, princes, barons) were called "Your Excellency". Simply "prince" should be called noble foreigners (most often people from Muslims). "Your Lordships" were distant relatives of the imperial house. Also the right to be awarded "Your Excellency" or "Your Serene Highness" could be received as a reward. "Your Highness" was required to name the distant descendant of the emperor in a straight line.

The sovereigns without the state

But the word "sovereign", usually perceived as an indication of the monarch, was used in Russia without officialdom. They were simply labeled as a person of "respectable" origin and used as polite treatment in an unofficial and semi-official setting. Officially, the form of such treatment sounded like a "merciful sovereign," but soon a simplified form of "sir" appeared. She replaced a lot of possible options: "master", "master", "noble or respected person."

It should be noted that such a politeness puzzled only representatives of wealthy classes and only in relation to their own kind. Nobody demanded special courtesy when dealing with workers and peasants. This does not mean that they were always rude - the Russian upper classes were mostly well educated. But no one considered it offensive to call an unfamiliar peasant "peasant" (including the peasant himself). To the cabman, servant, or unknown unfamiliar (obviously) petty bourgeois, the "dear" or "dearest" was addressed. This was a completely polite form.

Write with a middle name. Where does this tradition come from?

The tradition of calling a person by name and patronymic refers to the aristocratic environment. In pre-Petrine times, this was done only in relation to the boyars, the nobles were named by their full name and name (in Tolstoy's "Peter I" - Mikhailo Tyrtov), and for the non-nobles - by a diminutive name (Ivashka Brovkin). But Peter has transferred this approach to all cases of respectful mention of a person.

To men by name and patronymic were addressed more often than to representatives of the fair sex - often so were the children of fathers and wives of husbands (in classical literature, many examples can be found). Quite often there were cases of treatment, and especially naming just by name - it can again be seen in classical literary patterns (what was Raskolnikov's name and Pechorin?). An appeal to a respected man by name was permissible only in the family circle or among the closest trusted friends.

The use of name and patronymic is one of the few old traditions preserved in the etiquette of our days. A respected Russian is named without patronymic only during international meetings out of respect for the traditions of other peoples, in whose language the concept of "patronymic" is absent.

Record in the Table of Ranks

Peter I introduced not only the use of patronymics - in 1722 he was introduced such a document as the "Table of Ranks", clearly lined up the hierarchy of state and military service in Russia. Since the purpose of the innovation was just to provide the ignorant, but talented people the opportunity to make a career, quite often quite high ranks attained and persons of non-nobility rank. On this account there were provisions on the right to personal and hereditary nobility for long service, but they often changed, and in the century it was so that a man of raznochintsy origin could have a fairly high rank.

Therefore, along with the nobility, there was also an official title. If an important post was occupied by a nobleman, he should be treated according to his noble law, and if the raznochinets - on service. The same was true even in cases when high-ranking noblemen ministered to high ranks. At the same time, the title of service extended to the official's spouse - she should be treated like her husband.

Officer's honor

At the same time, the military was quoted above all in the table. Therefore, even the youngest officers of the Russian army were "Your Honor", that is, they used the right to a noble conversion. Moreover, it was easier for them than the civil servant to serve the hereditary nobility (for some time it immediately became an officer's property).

In general, the rules were as follows: employees before the IX class of military, court and civil service should be called "Your Honor", from VIII to VI - "Your Honor", V - "Your Honor". The titles of the highest ranks clearly indicated that not only the nobles, but "especially qualitative" - "Your Excellency" (IV-III) and "Your Excellency (II-I) should be represented among them.

Not in every sphere was it possible to become a "high excellency" - the highest class of table of ranks was absent from dragoons, Cossacks, the Guards and the court service. On the other hand, there was no lower class in the fleet, the XIV class. Depending on the nature of the service, other steps could be omitted.

Lieutenant Golitsyn

In the officers' milieu, the custom and treatment to each other by rank was widespread. When applying in a more or less formal setting, as well as a younger one to the senior, the word "lord" should be added. But the officers called each other by rank and in an informal atmosphere. This was permissible and polite for civilians. The officers had shoulder straps and other insignia, so it was relatively easy to understand who was in front of you. So almost anyone could name an unfamiliar officer "lieutenant" or "mister captain-captain".

The soldier was obliged to call the commander "nobility", responding with authorized phrases. This was the most common form of courteous treatment. Sometimes, in a relatively informal setting (for example, reporting the situation on the position), the lower ranks could apply to the rank commander, adding "gentleman". But often it was necessary to "blurt out" an official appeal to a man as quickly as possible, and even according to the regulations loudly. As a result, everyone got the well-known "vashbrod", "yours". To the credit of Russian officers and generals, they seldom took offense at such soldier's "pearls". It was not approved in the officer's environment and too rough treatment of the lower ranks. Although soldiers in the Russian army were still subjected to corporal punishment even in the middle of the 19th century, and even during the First World War they were not considered a crime by officers, it was still considered a bad form. For the officer there was no fixed rule how to address the soldiers, but most called them "brothers", "servicemen" - that is, familiarly, downwardly, but benevolently.

Not always in a uniform

Although Russian officials also wore uniforms, they nevertheless appeared less frequently in them than officers. Therefore, it was not always possible to determine the class of an unfamiliar employee. In this case it was possible to turn to the person of "merciful sovereign" - he approached practically all.

If the official was introduced or was in uniform, mistaking the title was considered an insult.

Less gentlemen

But the treatment "gentleman" in a good Russian society was not too common. Yes, it was used, but usually as an addition to the surname ("Mr. Iscariot"), rank ("mister general") or rank ("mister State Councilor"). Without this, the word could have an ironic connotation: "Good Lord." Only servants used this appeal extensively: "What do the gentlemen want?" But this applies to servants in public places (hotels, restaurants); At home the owners themselves established how the servants should address them.

The word "master" at the end of the XIX century in general was considered bad form - they believed that this is the name of only cab drivers of their riders, and any.

In personal contacts between good acquaintances, many words and expressions were allowed, emphasizing sympathy: "my soul," "dearest," "my friend." If such appeals suddenly changed to the treatment of "merciful sovereign," this indicated that the relationship had deteriorated.

Obsolete does not become obsolete

Today, such rigor in speech etiquette is not required. But there are situations when you can not do without it. Thus, foreign ambassadors and monarchs are titled in all forms and today (this was even done in the USSR, although in principle the attitude towards titles was very negative). Strict speech etiquette exists in the judicial procedure. Preserved ancient forms of conversion in the church, and they are used and secular people in the case of business contact with representatives of the church authorities.

Modern Russia, as it were, does not have a universal form of polite treatment (for a man or a woman). "Mister" and "Mistress", in full accordance with the traditions, take root unimportantly. The Soviet word "comrade" was more fortunate - it is still used officially in the Russian army, and on the general level - quite widely. A word good - in medieval Europe so-called each other students of one community, apprentice of one shop or brother-soldier; In Russia - merchants who trade in the same commodity, that is, in all cases, equal people who are doing a common useful work. But some people want to discard it as a "survival of the USSR". Consequently, the obsolete speech etiquette is still not forgotten, but the modern one still has to evolve.