Lit The common honorifics in the GFFA

Some time ago, someone asked on another thread just how often we've seen characters referred to as Mr, Mrs, Miss and so forth in the EU. I led my small survey, and here are some of my conclusions.

• In Heir to the Empire, author Tim Zahn used "Mr" only once, but even he wasn't too sure it was appropriate. Here's what Zahn said in the annotated edition of Heir to the Empire: "At the time of Heir, we had no idea what the common honorific was in the Star Wars universe. C-3PO called Luke master, but that might have been a droid thing. Other people were typically addressed by rank or title. Still, I think this is the only time I used Mr. in the book. Even Karrde is later referred to as captain, though I’m not sure that’s really accurate. (He owns and runs ships, but doesn’t usually captain them.) Now, thanks to the prequels, we know that master is indeed the universal term."
• The honorific Madam/Madame appear now and then in the EU. Jocasta Nu, the old Jedi librarian, was referred to as "Madame Jocasta Nu" in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, a G-canon source. Other known Madams/Madames include women who run brothels or shady businesses (Madame Lotha's House of Flowers, Madame Vansitt's Charm Academy), women of high standing (Madam Rhoden) and female educators (Madame Vesta, Madam Nestor).
• The original Star Tours attraction used "Mister" as a male common honorific. Examples: "Mister Morrow, Mister Tom Morrow... please check with the Star Tours agent at gate number four" or "Mister Egroeg Sacul... please see the Star Tours agent at gate number three."
• The kids' novel Mission from Mount Yoda had this sentence in the mouth of a Duros named Dustini: "I beg your pardon, Mr. Skywalker and Mr. Ken."
• In Russ Manning's comic The Constancia Affair, the BRT supercomputer named Mistress Mnemos referred to "Master and Mistress Tan Skywalker."

In short, the common honorifics seem to be "master" and "mistress," although "mister" does appear occasionally, and so does "madam/madame" in very specific contexts. Now my question is: what do you think the common honorific in the GFFA should be? As author, how would you treat it?

 

I'd drop Mr./Mrs., avoid having any one specific and widespread answer, and stick to older honorifics, ranks, titles, and cultural-specific designations (Citizen Skywalker, etc.).

 

I would assume it is a culture thing, as various planets might have different terms, though Master and Mistress seems to be indeed be the common honorific, but then even Mister essentially already means Master.

 

True, but calling people "Master Karrde" or "Mistress Celchu" has a distinctive fantasy vibe IMHO, à la "Mister Dwarf" or "Mistress Elf." Not that it's a bad thing, but some people may prefer their Star Wars as hard sci-fi rather than sword and sorcery--I don't.

 

How many times has sir been used as a title? Threepio called Luke "Sir Luke" (foreshadowing!), but that is the only time I remember sir being used that way.

 

In Shadows of the Empire, Koth Melan refers to Dash as "M. Rendar" several times. I think the intention there would be "Mister" since I can not see Melan refering to Dash as "Master".

 

Or Melan knows Rendars true first name... Meredith

 

I can't recall if 'lord' or 'my lord' is used outside of referring to a Sith or Darth.

 

It is, but not very often: there's a Lord Tion, for example:

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Lord

The title of Jedi Lord was used in the era leading up to the Battle of Ruusan, for example.

 

Good heavens.

Thank you. I greatly appreciate you going to all this trouble.

Having only ever seen the M. abbreviation used in The Three Musketeers and The Scarlet Pimpernel...perhaps it's Monsieur Rendar?


As to the more general question, I wouldn't mind at all seeing the occasional Mister or Miss pop up - or, for that matter, Sir. A knighthood (or equivalent title, such as Tan) every now and again would, I feel, lend a certain something to the ranks of senior bureaucrats, officers, diplomats, intelligence chiefs and so on, as well as being a nice reward to an established character after the audience has followed his travails for years. Not necessarily bestowed by the galactic government, but acknowledged by it.

Sir Armand.
Sir Terrinald.
Sir Maarek.
Sir Tycho.
Sir Talon.
Dame Winter.
Sir Ponc.
Sir Jagged.
Dame Belindi.
Sir Nrin.
Dame Mirax.
Dame Danii.
Sir Garik.
Sir Wynn.
Sir Vitor.
Sir Wes.

For that matter, a few milords and your lordships directed at Baron Calrissian (assuming he hasn't picked up a dukedom in the interim) wouldn't go amiss.

Well, there it is.