Mr and Mrs seem like given titles for those that choose to walk down the aisle and say ‘I do’. Have you ever wondered where these titles come from? The origin might surprise you.
The titles originally had nothing to do with marital status. Cambridge University historian Dr. Amy Erickson explains that ‘Mrs’ and ‘Miss’ derived from the word ‘mistress’ while ‘Mr’ comes from ‘master’.
“Few people realise that ‘Mistress’ is the root word of both of the abbreviations ‘Mrs,’ and ‘Miss,’ just as Mr is an abbreviation of ‘Master.’ The ways that words derived from Mistress have developed their own meanings is quite fascinating and shifts in these meanings can tell us a lot about the changing status of women in society, at home and in the workplace,” she said
According to author Samuel Johnson, a mistress could be defined as “1. A woman who governs; correlative to subject or servant; 2. A woman skilled in anything; 3. A woman teacher; 4. A woman beloved and courted; 5. A term of contemptuous address; 6. A whore or concubine.”
Back in the mid-18th century, ‘mistress’ didn’t have quite the negative connotations it has today. In those days, a mistress typically referred to a woman of high economic or social capital, rather than a married woman. A woman referred to as Mrs in the 18th century was thus not necessarily married.
Those on the lower scales of society were simply referred to by their names. For example, the lady of the house might have been Mrs Abernathy, while the scullery maid would simply be Anna Black.
Mr and Mrs were on equal standing, and Erickson argues those that held these titles were more like businessmen and women as they governed servants or apprentices, and were quite literally the masters and mistresses of their trades.
It was only in the late 18th century that the use of Mrs became attached to marital status. The title Miss, which was originally a title for young girls, started to be used as a term to refer to an unmarried woman of a high social status, who was often a teacher. These young, socially ambitious single women wanted their own title that would mark their social class but not lump them into a group with the older businesswomen and heads of households that typically held the title of Mrs.
This new term thus shifted the meaning of Mrs to signify a married woman and create a distinction between young and older.
Why the pronunciation of mistress turned to ‘missus’ is unclear. In A Critical Pronouncing Dictionary, and Expositor of the English Language from 1828, author John Walker suggests its a result of colloquialism.
“The same haste and necessity of dispatch, which has corrupted Master into Mister, has, when a title of civility only, contracted Mistress into Missis,” he wrote.
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Many beautiful brides-to-be and their partners were looking forward to celebrating their wedding day in early 2020, until the COVID-19 lockdown altered their plans.
The House of J.C Le Roux understands how easy it is for even the most fun-loving and optimistic bridal couple to lose their sparkle when wedding plans fall through. In an effort to banish the bridal blues, the renowned sparkling wine-brand has launched #JCSilverLinings – because in the world of J.C Le Roux there is always a silver lining.
Brand Manager Michelle Michael explains, “The House of J.C. Le Roux understands how difficult the lockdown has been for everyone and recognises all the little things South Africans have been doing to stay positive. Our team has been keeping a keen eye on the social media scene and recognise the efforts of brides and grooms-to-be across the country to remain upbeat. The #JCSilverLinings campaign aims to surprise and delight 200 disappointed bridal couples who have had to postpone their weddings due to lock down with the little silver lining they need.”
One of these bridal couples – Carly Fillis (33) and Nathan Goodall (35) – shared their story of the postponement of their wedding day on social media, which was spotted by the J.C. Le Roux team. The pair from Johannesburg spent months planning their perfect, fairy tale wedding which they envisaged as an intimate and informal outdoor event that would reflect their light-hearted and relaxed approach to life. However, they had to put this dream on hold when lock down was announced in March, as the wedding date was set for 8 May.
Their story is one that touches the heart. They first met in 2014 when Carly showed up at Nathan’s 29th birthday party. As it turns out, his sister happened to be a good friend of Carly’s and Nathan had secretly set his sights on her four years before. The spark was ignited that evening and when he asked her out on a date, the mutual attraction led to more time spent together as a couple. Love blossomed and five years later, on 12 April 2019, he popped the question and they set their wedding date. ‘We were destined to be together, and this is a bump in the road we just need to get over,’ says Fillis.
‘I wasn’t expecting anything, and I was feeling ‘kinda blue’ when the call came in to let us know we were chosen to receive a hamper from J.C. Le Roux. We were both overjoyed and did a little dance around the living room,’ she laughs.
Marketing Manager Nicola Coubrough says the stories shared on social media by bridal couples that have encountered similar disappointment have touched their hearts. ‘To those couples who have had to cancel their wedding because of lock down, this is our small way of saying it will soon be your time to sparkle. We hope our hampers give them a reason to celebrate while they wait for the moment they will walk down the aisle on the most important day of their lives together.’’
Bridal couples across the country will be delighted to know that there is yet another surprise silver lining on the horizon courtesy of the House of J.C. Le Roux, to be revealed on social media later in the month.
Watch this space.
Anyone who would like to be part of the #JCSilverLinings action on social media can follow J.C. Le Roux on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Check out ther website here: www.jcleroux.co.za
Feature image: supplied
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Dancehall musician Sean Paul and his wife Jodi “Jinx” Stewart Henriques celebrated their 8th wedding anniversary yesterday, May 27.
The pair, like many others, couldn’t do much to mark the occassion on account of the coronavirus pandemic. However, Stewart made sure to honour the day with a funny photo on Instagram.
The photo shows the couple on their wedding day, with Paul glancing lovingly at his new wife as she strikes a silly pose. “It was at this very moment that he realized he should have run!!! Thanks for sticking it out with me @duttypaul. I promise to always keep things exciting!!! Happy Anniversary Married 8 years, Engaged 1 1/2 years, Dating 8 years,” she wrote.
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According to Stewarts caption, the pair have been together for 17 and a half years now.
They made it official on May 26, 2012 at Boon Hall Oasis in Stony Jill – Kingston, Jamaica, according to Dancehall Mag.
It has been reported that the ceremony was extremely low-key and private. Sources said that staff, wedding vendors, and guests were required to sign contracts declaring that they would not leak any information about the event. Dancehall Mag reported that guests were only given information about the wedding location mere hours before the ceremony.
Paul and Stewart now have two children together, and they couldn’t be happier!
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Image: Instagram / jodijinx
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Weddings don’t necessarily have to be in fancy hotels or expensive halls. They can be beach-side, river-side, or anywhere you’d like. Similarly, the reception doesn’t have to be super formal. It could be more relaxed too. A picnic wedding is a great option for those looking for something more simple.
Since this type of reception is not the most common, you may feel a bit lost when it comes to planning. You need not worry! It’s more simple than you think, as long as you know where to start.
If you’re considering a picnic wedding, here’s how to go about the planning:
– Size and Location
Consider where you’d like to host your picnic wedding. Is it in a park, river-side, by the beach or on the lawn in your garden?
If you have a large amount of guests, you’ll have to think about the size of the space and whether everyone will be comfortably accommodated. For example, a backyard picnic will not work out well if you’re having 150 guests.
Another important factor is whether you’re allowed to have events in your desired location. Often, you may need a permit to host an event in a location such as a public park. Before you start making big plans and spending any money, get in contact with a municipal official to find out how you should go about hosting the event.
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– Decor
Since you’re likely to be outdoors for the picnic, decor needs to be done cleverly.
Ensure that you’re using decorations that are not harmful to the environment, and which are easily disposable to prevent littering.
You’ll also want to make contact with vendors who provide items such as cutlery and crockery, so that they can advise you on the most appropriate items to use at your reception. The last thing you want is broken plates and inconveniently sized items which make eating outdoors difficult. They’ll also be able to advise you on transportation of these items, since you won’t be in a hall or similar venue, the logistics may be slightly more complicated. Be prepared for that.
Additionally, a picnic often means you’ll be sitting on the ground or much lower down than you would at a normal table. Find ways to make seating picnic appropriate but still comfortable for guests. Perhaps low tables with comfy pillows for sitting on is a good place to start.
Finally, take the surroundings into account. You could save big on items such as flowers and table decorations if you make proper use of the area you’re surrounded by.
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– Food
Ensure that you choose picnic-appropriate food. You wouldn’t want it to be too difficult for your guests to indulge in the treats you provide for them. Finger foods are a good start, but a caterer will be able to advise you on meal options that are best suited for the type of event you’re having.
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– Weather
A picnic in the rain is not the most pleasant experience. A picnic wedding is best in the summer time. However, if you’re getting married in the autumn months try to find a way to cover your guests, for example by creating a tented area in your chosen location.
It may be cute to supply blankets for later in the day when it starts to get a bit chilly, and it will show that you considered your guests while planning the wedding.
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