In German, (: [frɔɪlaɪn]) Fräulein (literally, "little woman" or "little Mrs.", pronounced /ˈfɹɔɪlaɪn/, colloquial form Frollein) is used as a title for young girls. Historically, it was used as a title for unmarried women as opposed to Frau for married women. It is used with the first name or last name (Fräulein Anna or Fräulein Schmidt).
It is now considered preferable to address all women as Frau (plus last name).[1][2] According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Fräulein can still be used when addressing very young women, such as gymnasium students by their teachers, or underage girls.[3] Some sources assert that Fräulein is still used to address waitresses,[4] but the Duden, the definitive guide to the usage of the German language, states that this is no longer the case.[5]
Fräulein can be translated as Miss or Ms. in English; Signorina in Italian; Mademoiselle in French; Senhorita in Portuguese; Señorita in Spanish; Mejuffrouw in Dutch; Maighdeann(-uasal) in Scottish Gaelic; Gospođica in Croatian/Bosnian/Serbian and Ógbhean(-uasal) in Irish.
Usage in culture
Literature and film have depicted the usage very well, in some cases already in the title. Examples are E.T.A. Hoffmann's tale Das Fräulein von Scuderi (1819), Elizabeth von Arnim's epistolary novel Fräulein Schmidt and Mr Anstruther (1907), and the comedy film Fräulein vom Amt (1954), whose title was a common phrase denoting a female operator at a telephone exchange. In an earlier comedy film, Unser Fräulein Doktor (1940), Jenny Jugo plays Dr. Elisabeth Hansen, a young attractive teacher at a gymnasium who has to fight to be taken seriously as an intellectual.
In English-language film, fräulein has been used as a tip-off word that the characters are actually speaking German. An example of this is The Sound of Music.
"Fräulein" is the title of a 1957 song by Bobby Helms.
"Fräulein" is also the title of a 1960s song sung in German by Chris Howland.[6]
"Fräulein", #3, is also a member of the Arch Rival Roller Girls, a women's flat track roller derby league in St. Louis, Missouri.
The German pop star Fräulein Menke included the term "Fräulein" into her stage name. She was very successful in the early 1980s.
See also
References
- ^ Oxford Dictionary. "Writing Letters in German". Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2006-09-29.
Note that in German all women are addressed as Frau (the equivalent of both Mrs. and Ms) in formal and business letters.
- ^ Exeter University Faculty. "Exeter University Beginners' German". Retrieved 2006-09-29.
The formal use of Fräulein to translate "Miss" is outdated and should be avoided, not least because the literal translation of Fräulein is "little woman"! You should instead use Frau.
- ^ Oxford Dictionary. "Writing Letters in German". Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2006-09-29.
Use Fräulein only when writing to young girls.
- ^ Mary Murray Bosrock. "Switzerland". Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Retrieved 2007-07-22.
In the German parts of Switzerland, beckon a waiter by saying Herr Ober, and a waitress by saying Fräulein.
- ^ Duden (2002-03-06). "Frau und Fräulein in der Anrede". Retrieved 2007-11-03.
That today it is considered fairly outdated to address a young woman as Fräulein should have reached even the most obdurate grouch. When addressing a grown woman one should always choose Frau and this is independent from age and marital status. Fräulein is only appropriate when the addressed women wants this form of addressing. Also in cafes and restaurants it is better to forgo this form of address. Instead of "Fräulein, would you please deliver the bill?", a simple "Excuse me, would you please deliver the bill" suffices
- ^ [1]