How can I refer to a man using his first name while showing some respect? Can I say "Good morning, Sir William or Mr William" like Monsieur in French?
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Once you address somebody by their first name, you are being less formal. I know of no way around that (at least in American culture). – Michael Benjamin May 22 '18 at 19:19
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Thank you. I was looking for a way to translate "Monsieur William "in French.. – Anne Alexandre May 22 '18 at 19:26
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2@Michael_B Yes. Of course, if you called someone ‘Sir William’ in Britain, he might reply with a smile that sadly Her Majesty the Queen has not knighted him. – Tuffy May 22 '18 at 19:32
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I feel this might be better suited on English Language Learners Stack Exchange – BladorthinTheGrey May 22 '18 at 19:36
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This question is not a duplicate. The usage of Sir/Dame
is completely different to that of Mr/Mrs/Miss – Rosie F Feb 05 '23 at 07:50. Mr/Mrs/Miss are generally used with the surname (possibly with the given name as well); Sir/Dame never are.
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In general, formal/deferential/"respectful" address is achieved by using the surname. Mr Jones, Mrs Smith, Miss Patel. Attempting to mix that form of address with the more informal use of a person's first name is not possible, with very few exceptions. One is that men who have been knighted by the monarch are addressed as "Sir" followed by their first name. Thus when meeting or talking about Sir John Brown he is "Sir John". Never "Sir Brown". This catches out foreigners. (Women are made Dames and called "Dame First name"). The other kind of "Sir" is a baronet, which is a hereditary title, and the same rules apply.
Another exception might be the way household servants talk about the members of the family they are employed by. A butler might say to a duke about his (the duke's) son, "Mr Jeremy is coming to stay, I believe, sir". Of course that sort of thing is dying out in Britain, if it hasn't already. Many British people these days would say that there is a difference between deference, which is a matter of convention and ritual, and respect, which has to be earned. This is still more the case in America and the other former British colonies.
Michael Harvey
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The butler should say Master Jeremy. You know, like Master Wayne, Master Luke, etc. But not if the OP isn't also in a quasi informal yet subservient position. – Mazura May 23 '18 at 00:42
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"Sir William" would only be appropriate for someone who has an title which demands that address. English baronets and knights, for example.
swbarnes2
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Neither knighthood nor being a baronet confers "aristocracy" on the holder. – Michael Harvey May 22 '18 at 20:07
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Wikipedia says that baronets are aristocrats https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristocracy_(class) – swbarnes2 May 22 '18 at 21:15
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A baronetcy is not a peerage, so baronets like knights and junior members of peerage families are commoners and not peers of the realm. They are considered aristocrats by some. The term "aristocrat" is somewhat loosely defined, and can mean "the ruling class and nobility". – Michael Harvey May 22 '18 at 21:54
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1Sigh. I never called baronets "peers", because I already knew they were not. I said "aristocrat", and multiple sources do count baronets as aristocrats. – swbarnes2 May 22 '18 at 22:27