Titles

It rubs me the wrong way when I am addressed as "אימא יקרה" (dear mother),  by people who are not my children. It bugs me when I am addressed as "dear mother" on a mass SMS sent out in general to mothers, and it bugs me even more when I am addressed as "dear mother" by people whose names I know and who know my children's names. Stop being sappy. I have a name: use it!

In a similar vein, it was recently pointed out in a humorous message sent out on social media (a "meme," as these things are known) that the two most frightening words in the Hebrew language are no longer "צבע אדום" ("Code Red," which means to seek immediate shelter from an incoming rocket attack) but "...הורים יקרים" ("Dear Parents..." which nowadays ends all too often with "...and now you must stand in line for hours and hours before returning home to quarantine").

But recently Husbinator was greeted in a grocery store by one of BSM's smiling classmates with, "Shalom, Abba shel BSM!" ("Hi, BSM's Dad!"). And I realized that BSM's friends have absolutely been calling me "Ema shel BSM" forever, and I introduce myself as "Ema shel [son in question]" to my son's friends without qualm. 

After all, this is perfectly reasonable solution to the facts that I do not approve of my kiddies friends calling me by my first name, and that titles are ridiculously formal in this country. 

Are titles virtually non-existant here because titles are anti-communist? Is it because last names are an artificial construct of the anti-semitic-archy? Whatever the reason, being addressed as "Mrs. Last Name" is unheard of. Formal letters mailed to me by formal agencies address me as "First Name Last Name," or, if things are really formal, as "Last Name First Name."

Addressing people as "Sir/Ma'am" is also simply Not Done, and I think it actually verges on rude to address an individual thus. Starting automated mass-announcements over PA systems with "גבירותי ורבותי" ("Ladies and Gentlemen") is fine, but that's about it. In a pinch, unknown individuals may be addressed with some sort of descriptive: Girl/Boy, Lass/Lad, Driver, Rabbi, My Brother, Man, Aunt, or even Dad/Mom (without the "dear!") are all totally fine. But Sir/Ma'am? Not Very.

Anyway, the point of all this is that the whole "Parent of Child" form of address may perhaps shed light on the Arabic form of address "Abu Eldest Son" ("Father of Eldest Son"), which is used in lieu of "Title Last Name." 

That's it. Just a long rambling. Very interesting in my head, I assure you. Sigh. This is why I have 46 drafts saved and nothing new posted.