Query about address

[Arnold Zwicky]

the system i was familiar with in central kentucky, some 40 years ago,
had housekeepers, maids, and (children's) nurses refer to, and
address, their employers as "Miz LN" and "Mr. FN" (Miz Miller and
Mr. Harry) and the children as "Miss FN" and "FN" (Miss Patricia and
Harry), though the male children's names were often extended by
middle names (John William), middle initials (Harry B.), or "Jr."
(Harry Jr.).

by 1970, i don't think i heard this address system from anyone under
50.  instead, people had mostly moved to parallel female and male
terms: "Miz/Mrs. LN" and "Mr. LN" for the employers, "FN" for
children of either sex.  some women recognized the closeness between
employer and employee by using "FN" symmetrically, though.

arnold (zwicky at csli.stanford.edu)