London Underground no longer speaking of ladies and gentemen

[Valka D'Ur]

I'm honestly surprised they were still saying "ladies and gentleman". Who still talks like that?

Seems likely that they'd already made the decision to ditch some embarrassingly outdated phrasing, and some bright spark in public relations thought it might be worth trying to grab some progressive-cred while they were at it. There's really no story here.

What's outdated about "ladies and gentlemen"?

 

[Borachio]

Ladies and gentlemen are, strictly speaking, members of the landed gentry, and rentiers.

Seems like using a bit too restricted terminology in these times.

Or maybe it's meant as flatterery to use "ladies and gentlemen" when addressing members of the working class and tradespeople.

Or perhaps they're referring to public lavatories.

Some things we'll never know.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Ladies and gentlemen are, strictly speaking, members of the landed gentry, and rentiers.

Seems like using a bit too restricted terminology in these times.

Or maybe it's meant as flatterery to use "ladies and gentlemen" when addressing members of the working class and tradespeople.

Or perhaps they're referring to public lavatories.

Some things we'll never know.

And maybe on this side of "the pond" it's got nothing whatsoever to do with economic class or whether someone is descended from a duke or earl from the Tudor era.

Over here, it's just ordinary courtesy.

 

[Tristan_C]

It's just fine. If people lose or, more embarrassingly, yield willingly their right to be addressed respectfully as/by strangers, then they didn't deserve any respect anyway. Submission earns pity, not respect.

Ladies and gentlemen are, strictly speaking, members of the landed gentry, and rentiers.

Well, you know. Thought drives language and language drives thought. We made the phrase "ladies and gentlement" into a generic salutation, and it probably had more good consequences than bad ones, since it stuck. Very much like how the Spanish Vuestra merced (Your Grace) was rolled up into Usted and granted to any adult.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

It's just fine. If people lose or, more embarrassingly, yield willingly their right to be addressed respectfully as/by strangers, then they didn't deserve any respect anyway. Submission earns pity, not respect.

Seriously? You are implying that removing 'ladies and gentlemen' from public address announcements should be battled over lest it be submission? I'll bet you are a barrel of laughs to hang out with.

 

[Snerk]

I'd prefer a loud sharp "you there".

 

[Kyriakos]

I'd like it if they prefaced each announcement with a few bars of "Oh Jeremy Corbyn"

Given the London mayor is a blairite pos, it won't happen

 

[Traitorfish]

What's outdated about "ladies and gentlemen"?

In the UK, at least, it sounds very formal, inappropriately so for the context.

It's just fine. If people lose or, more embarrassingly, yield willingly their right to be addressed respectfully as/by strangers, then they didn't deserve any respect anyway. Submission earns pity, not respect.

"Ladies and gentlemen" is more likely to feel patronising than respectful. It's too formal a register for the context, so it reads as disingenuous.

That said, the new text, "good morning, everybody", is overly-familiar, and also sounds patronising. The line you want to walk is between formality and familiarity, which is why most public transport would use an efficient, no-frills "public service announcement". As has been pointed out, the actual phrasing is irrelevant; the function is to give passengers a chance to tune in over the hubbub of a busy station.

 

[Kyriakos]

^Why not just the typical for trains, "Your attention, please" or similar?

Achtung!

 

[Borachio]

I'd prefer a loud sharp "you there".

How about a sharp prod in the ribs?

Or even a sharp prod with a cattle prod?

That should wake 'em up, all right.

Over here, it's just ordinary courtesy.

"Courtesy", of course, being a reference to courtly manners.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

"Courtesy", of course, being a reference to courtly manners.

Well, of course I don't expect any bowing or curtseying from anyone, at least not unless I'm at an SCA event. In that case, there will be lots of bows, curtseys, nods, and hand-kissing. And the standard phrase for addressing a crowd there is "My lords and ladies, pray attend..." (in other words, "ladies and gentlemen, please listen to the following announcements").

But whatever you call it, it's polite.

 

[Borachio]

It is. I quite agree.

 

[Takhisis]

>London Underground no longer speaking of ladies and gentemen

What about the Navy?