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83-755: After addressing her as " Your Majesty " once, it is correct to address the Queen of the United Kingdom as "Ma'am" with the British short pronunciation (rhyming with "jam") for the remainder of a conversation. A letter to the Queen may begin with Madam or May it please Your Majesty . Other female members of the British royal family are usually addressed in conversation first as Your Royal Highness and subsequently as Ma'am . Madam President or Madame President

166-512: A "gentle courtly prince" that the king unwittingly spread his language" and "the methods of expansion were not political"'. This status continued to grow into the 18th century, by which time French was the language of European diplomacy and international relations. The terms Francophonie or Francophone world refer the whole body of people and organisations around the world who use the French language regularly for private or public purposes. French

249-471: A 2010 study by IMMAR Research & Consultancy, Francophone newspapers had a readership of 4,459,000 in the country, or 28% of the total, and a majority among readers with a high school or university education. The first French-medium school was established in Egypt in 1836, and the importance of French expanded throughout the second half of the 19th century, until it became the most common foreign language in

332-489: A Francophone identity. Conversely, speaking French was seen as essential by seven in 10, though a third of the population felt that the use of French is declining. In urban areas, the ability to speak fluent French is considered almost mandatory to find employment, especially in specialized white collar fields. French is the first foreign language in Algeria, and is introduced at the primary level. In higher education, French

415-530: A Governor General on second and subsequent reference (after "Your Excellency" or "Excellency" is used on initial reference). Female members of the Supreme Court are addressed by counsel in hearings as either Madam Justice or Justice ; in writing, a female justice is addressed as The Honourable Madame (Chief) Justice . The same style is used for other female members of the Canadian federal courts . In

498-615: A decline in the number of learners of French in Europe, the overall number of speakers is rising, largely because of its presence in African countries: of the 212 million who use French daily, 54.7% are living in Africa. The OIF figures have been contested as being underestimated due to the methodology used and its strict definition of the word francophone. The French Conseil économique, social et environnemental estimate that were they included,

581-605: A female speaker of the Canadian Senate . In the United States, between the early 19th century and 1980, justices of the Supreme Court were formally called Mr. Justice (surname) . In 1980, the title was dropped in "to avoid the awkward appellation 'Madam Justice ' " in anticipation of a woman joining the court. Plaques on chamber doorways reading "Mr. Justice" were removed after Sandra Day O'Connor joined

664-401: A female ambassador by her last name (Ambassador Jones) to avoid confusion and ensure that she receives her due respect." Madam High Commissioner is an appropriate formal mode of spoken address for a female high commissioner . The title Madam may also be used to address female chargés d'affaires although titles "Mrs." or "Ms." may be used instead. Outside the settings of formal protocol,

747-570: A foreign language. French is introduced in primary school, where it is studied for up to 7 hours a week. It is also used as the language of education in many private schools. Moroccans are the largest group of foreign students in France, ahead of the Chinese and Algerians. 50.3% of the population over 15 in Tanger , Fès , Rabat , Casablanca and Marrakech can read and write French. According to

830-431: A language of instruction in high school for scientific subjects. In higher education, 2,300 students were enrolled in French courses in 2012. French remains, alongside Arabic, the language of work and education, although there were attempts to introduce English as a first foreign language. On social media, 59% of Mauritanian Facebook users used French on the website in 2014. The 2004 census of Morocco found that 39.5% of

913-593: A sizeable French-language press. A 2014 report published by the National Assembly of France describes it as the most important French-speaking country after France. Nevertheless, Algeria is not a member of the Francophonie. On social media , French was used on Facebook by 76% of Algerians in 2014. French is not official, but The World Factbook cites it as the lingua franca of the country. The French language, restricted to an urban elite during

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996-540: A survey conducted in 2012, just a third of urban Moroccans identify with a Francophone identity, and slightly more wish for French to become more commonly used. French is nevertheless deemed essential, both in the professional and private spheres, by three-quarters of respondents. French-language media are losing ground to Arabic media, including in television, radio or the press: of 618 Moroccan publications in 2004, 448 were in Arabic and 164 in French. On social media, French

1079-453: A woman holds the female equivalent of her husbands title but a man does not share his wives title. In Thailand , the title for the King is พระบาทสมเด็จพระเจ้าอยู่หัว ( Phra Bat Somdet Phra Chao Yu Hua ), or informally God Above Us ( Thai : พระเจ้าอยู่หัว , romanized :  Phra Chao Yu Hua . This designation stems from the concept of Devaraja or God-King ( เทวราชา ), where

1162-530: Is the second most geographically widespread language in the world after English , with the French-speaking world comprising about 50 countries and territories where French is a de jure or de facto official, administrative, or cultural language. According to the 2022 report of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), 321 million people speak French. The OIF states that despite

1245-661: Is a formal form of address for female presidents and vice presidents of republics . Madam Secretary is a formal form of address for a female member of the United States Cabinet ; a female Attorney General of the United States is formally addressed Madam Attorney General . Madam Speaker is a correct form of address for a female speaker of the United States House of Representatives (e.g. Nancy Pelosi ), British House of Commons (e.g. Betty Boothroyd ), or Canadian House of Commons , as well as

1328-457: Is a mixture of French and English with elements of indigenous languages. French is the sole official language of Benin . According to a 2014 survey, 57.3% of residents of Cotonou over the age of 15 could read and write French. Knowledge of French is considered important for employment, bureaucracy, education but also in everyday life. 34% of the population was Francophone in 2002, up from 23% in 1992. There are strong regional differences, with

1411-446: Is also spoken as part of daily life. French is one of two official languages of Comoros , Arabic being the second. On social media, French was used on Facebook by 100% of Comorians in 2014. French is the sole official language of Republic of Congo . 68.7% of the population of Brazzaville aged 15 and older can read and write French. French is the main language in the media, used by 63% of radio and television broadcasters. French

1494-444: Is also the dominant language in the state administrations. French is the sole official language of Democratic Republic of Congo . About half of Kinshasa residents feel solidarity towards Francophone countries, and French is seen as important for education and relations with the government. It is also seen as important to be successful in life, along with English. French is the main language of education after third grade. French

1577-638: Is an appropriate formal mode of address for a female ambassador . In some countries, the wife of an ambassador also may be referred to as Madam Ambassador . This is the case in French-speaking countries , but not among U.S. diplomats or the foreign diplomatic corps in Washington . In countries where the wives of ambassadors may also be titled Madam Ambassador , the Foreign Service Institute advises U.S. diplomats to "refer to

1660-428: Is by far the most spoken language in the country, including the capital, while French remains a second language, becoming the main language only in non-Wolof areas. French is the main language of institutions, however. Only half of Dakar residents identify with a Francophone status or feel solidarity with French-speaking countries, but the French language is seen as essential for everyday affairs and education. French

1743-540: Is commonly used in English for French-speaking women, e.g. "President and Madame De Gaulle." The terms Madame Mao and Madame Chiang Kai-shek were frequently used in English to refer to Jiang Qing (the wife of Mao Zedong ) and Soong Mei-ling (the wife of Chiang Kai-shek ), respectively; Madame approximated the Chinese respectful forms of address. Your Majesty Majesty (abbreviated HM for His Majesty or Her Majesty , oral address Your Majesty ; from

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1826-554: Is considered awkward. A 2017 U.S. Army Human Resources Command publication noted that in the Northern United States , "it is common to hear young to middle-aged women say, 'Don't call me ma'am,' as it is seen as a title reserved for older women." In the Canadian Forces , "ma'am" is a proper response when coming to attention to a female officer or chief warrant officer calling the roll. The title Madame

1909-436: Is not a mother tongue to most residents. African standards of French differ from European ones. Some linguists discuss a "second French language" or even an "African French language". According to Paul Wald, "The notion of ownership of an imported language begins when – despite its identification as a foreign and/or vernacular language – its use does not imply a relationship with the foreigner." French can thus be considered

1992-417: Is one of two official languages of Chad , together with Arabic. Half of the residents of N'Djamena feel solidarity towards other French-speaking countries and wishes for the use of French to expand. French is seen as important in work and education. French shares a place with Arabic as the language of administration and education, as well as in the press; French is dominant on radio and television. French

2075-428: Is one of two official languages of Djibouti , the other being Arabic. On social media, French was used on Facebook by 82% of Djiboutians in 2014. French is the sole official language of Gabon . According to a 1999 survey, French was the first language for 26.3% of Libreville residents between the age of 15 and 25. 71.9% of the capital's residents over 15 years of age could read and write French. Three quarters of

2158-411: Is seen as essential by a large majority, especially for dealing with the government and in education. Two thirds of respondents report feeling Francophone. French plays an important role in all areas of public and private life across the whole country. French is increasingly seen as an Ivorian language, and a local variety distinct from standard French has emerged ( Ivorian French ). In Antananarivo ,

2241-907: Is the honorific title monks use to address the king. In Japan , the uses of honorific title Heika ( Japanese : 陛下 ) for the Emperor of Japan , the Empress, the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager are defined in The Imperial House Law since 1947. In 757 , this term was first defined in the Yōrō Code ( Japanese : 養老律令 ) to use only when addressing the Reigning Emperor ( Japanese : 今上天皇 ) . In Former Imperial House Law ( 1889 ),

2324-555: Is the language of instruction in scientific and technical fields. Francophone Algerians can be divided into three broad categories: 'real Francophones', who speak French as part of their daily lives and mostly come from a privileged background; 'casual Francophones', who use the language in certain contexts, alternating it with Arabic, and 'passive Francophones', who can understand French but do not speak it. French television channels are widely watched in Algeria, and Algerian newspapers print their television schedules. Algeria also has

2407-401: Is the language of instruction in secondary and tertiary education. It is also the main language of government, alongside Malagasy. French is the sole official language of Niger . In Niamey , the capital, French is seen as essential for work, studies and administrative procedures. Two-thirds of residents believe that the use of French is becoming more common in the country. French became

2490-517: Is the main language of education, the number of French speakers is derived from the average number of schooling years. French native speakers by countries It is estimated that 80 million people worldwide speak French as a main or first language . In Algeria , 69.1% of the population over 15 in Alger , Constantine , Oran and Annaba can read and write French. According to a survey conducted in 2012, fewer than four in 10 Algerians identified with

2573-509: Is the sole official language of Togo . According to the 2010 census, 53% of the population over the age of 15 can read and write French. French language is spoken in the overseas departments of French Guiana and the French Antilles , including Guadeloupe , Martinique , and the islands formerly attached to Guadeloupe. There are over a million people living in these departments and collectivities. French Creoles are also spoken on

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2656-501: The Latin maiestas , meaning ' greatness ' ) is used as a manner of address by many monarchs , usually kings or queens . Where used, the style outranks the style of (Imperial/Royal) Highness , but is inferior to the style of Imperial Majesty . It has cognates in many other languages, especially of Europe . Originally, during the Roman republic , the word maiestas was

2739-654: The Mandate for Palestine of the League of Nations , it was His Britannic Majesty who was designated as the Mandatory for Palestine . Britannic Majesty is famously used in all British passports , where the following sentence is used: His Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State Requests and requires in the Name of His Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford

2822-550: The United States armed forces . U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force regulations state that ma'am is an appropriate greeting for junior personnel when rendering a hand salute to a female superior. The use of formal modes of address such as sir or ma'am , ingrained in military culture, is distinct from the American corporate or civilian setting, where most co-workers refer to each other by first name and use of formal titles

2905-725: The courts of England and Wales , a magistrate is addressed as " Your Worship " or "Sir" (if male) or 'Madam' (if female). A female judge of the District Court may be addressed in writing as Dear Judge or Dear Madam , while a female judge of the High Court may be addressed as Dear Madam or Dear Dame (first name) or Dear Judge . While in court, however, District Court judges are addressed as Judge (or according to title), and female High Court judges are addressed as My Lady or Mrs/Ms Justice (last name) . In diplomacy , either Madam Ambassador and Ambassador (lastname)

2988-691: The Constitution. French is one of two official languages of Cameroon , the other being English. French is the main language in eight of the ten regions of the country, with English being dominant in the remaining two. French is the mother tongue of a vast proportion of young Cameroonians living in urban centers. In Cameroon, 63.7% of the population aged 15 and older in Douala and 60.5% in Yaoundé can read and write French; an additional 13–15% can speak French without being able to write it. To some extent,

3071-937: The Permaisuri of Johor use the Malay style Duli Yang Maha Mulia (DYMM) which is equivalent to His/Her Majesty since 2017. Prior to that, they were addressed as His/Her Royal Highness in English, similar with the other eight royal state Malay rulers in Malaysia. In Burma, the full Burmese title for the King of Burma Proper was officially Bhone Taw Kyi Hla Thaw Myanmar Min Myat Phya ( Burmese : ဘုန်းတော်ကြီးလှသောမြန်မာမင်းမြတ်ဘုရား ), shortened to Bhone Taw Kyi Phaya ( Burmese : ဘုန်းတော်ကြီးဘုရား ) or Ashin Paya ( Burmese : အရှင်ဘုရား ). French-speaking countries The French language became an international language,

3154-760: The Sublimeness';) in reference style in favour of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques , a style adopted by historical Islamic rulers. However, the King of Saudi Arabia by custom continues to be referred to as Your Majesty in conversation. In Malaysia, the Malay style for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Raja Permaisuri Agong is Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda or simply Seri Paduka Baginda . The Sultan of Johor and

3237-576: The Sultan as having a small bit of God's immense power. The title paduka means "victorious" from Old Malay while seri is an honorific from Sanskrit . The title baginda is a third-person noun for royals and prophets. In History of China after Han dynasty , the honorific ( 陛下 ; bìxià ), referring to the Emperor of China ( 皇帝 ), was used. In 1986, King Fahd abolished the use of Majesty ( Arabic : صَاحِب الْجَلَالَة , romanized :  Ṣāḥib al-Jalāla , lit.   'Master of

3320-681: The Thai King is considered a part of Vishnu , one of the highest gods in Hinduism . Traditionally, many Thai people referred to their kings as Pho Khun ( พ่อขุน ), a term connected to the word father as seen in the Sukhothai Kingdom or the Phayao Kingdom , where the king is addressed as Pho Yuhua ( พ่ออยู่หัว ) or Pho Yuhua Chao ( พ่ออยู่หัวเจ้า ). This reflects the concept of patriarchy , considering

3403-606: The United States, ma'am is more commonly heard in the South and Midwest and less common on the East and West Coasts . "Ma'am" is commonly used as a verbal address for female officers of inspector and higher ranks in British police forces. The word is also used by junior personnel to address female superiors in the British Armed Forces . The use of sir and ma'am as forms of address for superiors are common in

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3486-423: The ability to speak French being more common in the south of the country. The Atlantique and Littoral departments have a French-speaking majority. French speakers are more commonly men than women, owing to a disparity in access to education. French is the sole official language of Burkina Faso . In Ouagadougou , 49.4% of the population aged 15 and older can read and write French. At the national level French

3569-612: The administrative language of Rwanda in 1916. The Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994 and the victory of the Rwandan Patriotic Front were followed by a period of linguistic upheaval, with the return of refugees from Anglophone countries setting the stage for the officialisation of English in 1996 and the gradual usurpation of French as the language of education, culminating in the decision in October 2008 to make English

3652-434: The appellation Mr./Madam Prime Minister and Mr./Madam Minister is "often heard informally" for prime ministers and other ministers but that is incorrect and Mr./Madam are not used in addressing a prime minister or other minister. Instead, they are addressed simply as "Prime Minister" or "Minister", as applicable. Madam is an appropriate title in conversation with a female Governor General of Canada or female spouse of

3735-400: The authority of the same, as follows: Wives of Kings are entitled to the style of Her Majesty (such as Queen Camilla ). Husbands of queens regnant do not have the same right, as was the case with Queen Elizabeth II 's consort Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , who had the style Royal Highness . This is because a king outranks a queen, therefore, the consort would outrank the monarch, also,

3818-572: The bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary. Most Excellent Majesty is mainly used in Acts of Parliament , where the phrase The King's (or Queen's) Most Excellent Majesty is used in the enacting clause . The standard is as follows: BE IT ENACTED by the King's [Queen's] most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal , and Commons , in this present Parliament assembled, and by

3901-481: The capital of Madagascar , French is seen as important for work, education and administrative matters, but not in everyday life, where Malagasy dominates. Less than half feel solidarity with other Francophone countries or consider knowledge of French as essential. Education in primary schools is bilingual in Malagasy and French. The latter is used as medium of education for mathematics and scientific subjects. French

3984-508: The colonial period, began to expand as part of the mass education efforts launched after 1962. Its controversial status as a legacy of colonialism led to the increasing Arabisation of the school system in the 1970s and 1980s. The usage of French in the country reached its lowest point during the Algerian Civil War in the 1990s, when armed Islamist groups targeted teachers of French. The language has rebounded in public life since

4067-608: The country. At the time, it was also a lingua franca for the communities of foreign origin, especially in Cairo . During the period of the British colonization of Egypt French was actually the medium of communication among foreigners and between foreigners and Egyptians; the mixed French-Egyptian civil courts operated in French, and government notices from the Egyptian Sultan , taxi stand information, timetables of trains, and other legal documents were issued in French. This

4150-527: The court in 1981. Female members of state supreme courts were previously sometimes styled as Madam Justice , matching the Mr. Justice formally used. Justice Rosemary Barkett of the Florida Supreme Court disliked the title, since she was unmarried, and announced that she would simply be called Justice Barkett , leading all the male justices to drop Mr. from their forms of address. In Canada,

4233-612: The current uprising of the English-speaking minority living at the Nigerian border, which complains that English language is disappearing progressively under the pressure of the more numerous French speakers and that the linguistic rights of the English speakers are not respected, endangering their specific culture. French is an official language of the Central African Republic along with Sango. French

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4316-525: The end of the war, culminating in the efforts to reintroduce French in primary schools in 2006, which were initially hampered by a lack of sufficiently qualified teachers. Referring to the continued usage of French in Algeria in the post-colonial period, the writer Kateb Yacine described the French language as the ' spoils of war ' ( butin de guerre ) of Algerians. Local French-language media include El Watan , Le Soir d'Algérie , Liberté , Le Matin and Tout sur l'Algérie . According to

4399-508: The fall of the Holy Roman Empire, Majesty was used to describe a monarch of the very highest rank— it was generally applied to God . Variations, such as Catholic Majesty (Spain) or Britannic Majesty (United Kingdom) are often used in diplomatic settings where there otherwise may be ambiguity (see a list ). A person with the title is usually addressed as Your Majesty , and referred to as His/Her Majesty , abbreviated HM ;

4482-456: The inland regions and the south it remains a foreign language. French is introduced from the third grade at 8 hours per week. In high school French is the language of instruction for mathematics, science and computing. Teachers are not always sufficiently trained for this usage, however. Nearly three-quarters of the population of Tunis , Sousse and Sfax consider French as essential in their professional or personal lives. However, only half of

4565-477: The islands of Dominica , St. Lucia , and to a more limited extent, Grenada . French is one of two official languages of Haiti , together with Haitian Creole , which is French-based. French is the language of culture and business in Haiti , and also the main language of institutions. French is used most by the elite and the middle class. Attempts to increase the legitimacy of Creole as an official language and in

4648-736: The king as the father and the people as the sons. During the reign of King Ramathibodi I of the Ayutthaya Kingdom , society expanded, and the king's status evolved from father to god. King Ramathibodi I adopted the concept of Devaraja from the Khmer Empire , incorporating the word Phra Bat ( พระบาท ) from the Khmer king's title, along with Somdet ( สมเด็จ ) rooted in the Khmer language . The names of Thai kings also signify divinity, such as Ramathibodi meaning Rama

4731-522: The language situation in Cameroon between French and English could be described fairly accurately as an exact inversion of the linguistic situation existing in Canada between English and French : Being spoken by 80% of the educated population (unlike English which is much less spoken), French predominates largely especially in government and information, even in English-speaking regions, which has led to

4814-406: The legal term for the supreme status and dignity of the state, to be respected above everything else. This was crucially defined by the existence of a specific case, called laesa maiestas (in later French and English law, lèse-majesté ), consisting of the violation of this supreme status. Various acts such as celebrating a party on a day of public mourning, contempt of the various rites of

4897-538: The main foreign language, but French was still being learnt by 8 million Egyptians in 2013. There are two French-speaking universities in the country, the Université Française d'Égypte and the Université Senghor . French was demoted from its status as an official language of Mauritania in 1991. Even so, it is taught from the second grade onward for up to six hours a week. French is also

4980-450: The main language of education at higher levels, effectively relegating French to the status of third language. Nevertheless, a survey of students in Kigali found that French was known by a majority of them. French is the sole official language of Senegal . French was commonly spoken by 9.4% of Senegalese in 2002, mainly as a second language, with just 0.6% speaking it natively. Wolof

5063-507: The media, on radio and television in particular, led to a relative decline in the share of French usage. Most teachers of French suffer from a low level of skills in the language, with nearly 85% achieving a level between A2 and B1 in the Test de connaissance du français (TCF) in 2009. French is the second most common language in Canada , after English , which are the two official languages of

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5146-464: The plural Their Majesties is TM . Emperors (and empresses) use [His/Her/Their/Your] Imperial Majesty , HIM or TIM . Princely and ducal heads usually use His Highness or some variation thereof (e.g., His Serene Highness ). In British practice, heads of princely states in the British Empire were referred to as Highness. In monarchies that do not follow the European tradition, monarchs may be called Majesty whether or not they formally bear

5229-426: The population aged 10 and older could read and write French. Spoken mainly in cities among the upper middle class, French is the medium of instruction of two-thirds of courses in higher education, including science and technology, health, economics and management, although the adoption of English for this role was being considered by the Minister of Education. In the private sector, French is treated as more than simply

5312-434: The population feels Francophone, and only a third feels solidarity with other Francophone countries. 70.8% of the population over 15 in the aforementioned Tunisians cities can read and write French. Arabic increasingly dominates the Tunisian media landscape, especially on television: the audience share of local French-language channels reached 25% in the early 1990s, but hardly reached 3% by the 2010s. On social media, French

5395-500: The population of the capital identifies as Francophone and considers French as essential. All local publications are in French. French is the sole official language of Guinea . In Conakry , 42.1% of the population aged 15 and older can read and write French. French is the sole official language of the Ivory Coast . In Abidjan , largest city of the country, 57.6% of the inhabitants over 15 can read and write French, and another 11% can speak it but not write it. The French language

5478-402: The reign of James VI and I , Majesty became the official style, to the exclusion of others. In full, the Sovereign is still referred to as His (Her) Most Gracious Majesty , actually a merger of both the Scottish Grace and the English Majesty. Britannic Majesty is the style used for the monarch and the crown in diplomacy , the law of nations , and international relations . For example, in

5561-488: The republican and non-royal style of Excellency. Andorra is the only non-hereditary, elective and appointive monarchy in Europe. In the United Kingdom , several derivatives of Majesty have been or are used, either to distinguish the British sovereign from continental kings and queens or as further exalted forms of address for the monarch in official documents or the most formal situations. Richard II , according to Robert Lacey in his book Great Tales from English history,

5644-407: The result of functional and vernacular ownerships, satisfying the needs of a society with new sociocultural and socioeconomic realities. French has begun developing into almost independent varieties, with creation of different types of slang by speakers with a sufficient knowledge of French. Examples include the Ivorian jargon " Nouchi " in Abidjan and the Cameroonian " Camfranglais ", which

5727-421: The second international language alongside Latin , in the Middle Ages , "from the fourteenth century onwards". It was not by virtue of the power of the Kingdom of France : '"... until the end of the fifteenth century, the French of the chancellery spread as a political and literary language because the French court was the model of chivalric culture". Consequently, it was less as a centralising monarch than as

5810-453: The sovereign, Naresuan signifying God in human form, and Ramesuan a combination of Rama and Ishvara There is further evidence of similar uses, such as Somdet Phra Puttha Chao Yu Hua ( สมเด็จพระพุทธเจ้าอยู่หัว ), implying that the king holds the status of a Bodhisattva destined to attain enlightenment and become a Buddha in the future. Somdet Borombophit ( สมเด็จบรมบพิตร ), meaning ' Your Majesty '

5893-433: The speaker and the person addressed; the "whiff of class distinctions " implied; and "dismissive, stiff and drab" associations. Others, such as etiquette authority Judith Martin , defend the term as dignified. Martin writes that Madam (or Ma'am ) and Sir are "all-purpose titles for direct address, as a foolproof way of conveying the respect due to people whose names escape you." There are regional differences in use; in

5976-551: The state and disloyalty in word or act were punished as crimes against the majesty of the republic. However, later, under the Empire , it came to mean an offence against the dignity of the Emperor . The term was first assumed by Charles V , who believed that—following his election as Holy Roman Emperor in 1519—he deserved a style greater than Highness , which preceding emperors and kings had used. Soon, Francis I of France and Henry VIII of England followed his example. After

6059-714: The style of Royal Highness, as accorded to all other members of the Grand-Ducal Family, due to being descendants of Prince Félix of Bourbon-Parma . In the Holy See , the Pope – while ruling as Sovereign of the Vatican City State – uses the spiritual style of Holiness. Moreover, while Andorra is formally a monarchy, its Co-Princes – the bishop of Urgell (appointed by the Pope) and President of France – use

6142-429: The term ma'am may be used to address a woman with whom one is not familiar. The term is "meant to convey respect and graciousness lightly salted with deference." For example, waiters, store clerks, or police officers may use the term. Unlike miss , the term ma'am tends to be used for older women, which is one reason some dislike the term. Others dislike the term for other reasons, such as the distance it created between

6225-530: The title of King or Queen , as is the case in certain countries and amongst certain peoples in Africa and Asia . In Europe, the monarchs of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium use the style. By contrast, the heads of state of Liechtenstein and Monaco, being principalities, use the inferior style of Serene Highness . Luxembourg, a Grand Duchy, accords its monarch

6308-449: The total number of French speakers passed 500 million in the year 2020. French speakers by Regions The following figures are from a 2022 report of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). No distinctions are made between native speakers of French and those who learnt it as a foreign language , between different levels of mastery or how often the language is used in daily life. For African countries where French

6391-575: The use case of this term was expanded to include the Empress, the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager. In Brunei, a Malay title for the Sultan of Brunei is officially Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda (KDYMMPSB) or unofficially simply Kebawah Duli . It literally means "Under the dust of the Most Exalted [God], The Victorious Sovereign". It reflects the title of Zilullah-fil-Alam ("Shadow of God on Earth"), referring to

6474-472: Was partly because of some Egyptians had French education and partly because of cultural influence from France. Despite efforts from British legal personnel, English was never adopted as a language of the Egyptian civil courts during the period of British influence. French began to lose ground in Egyptian society in the 1920s for a number of political and social reasons; from the 1930s onwards English became

6557-784: Was the first English King to demand the title of Highness or Majesty . He also noted that, "previous English Kings had been content to be addressed as My Lord ". Most Gracious Majesty is used only in the most formal of occasions. Around 1519 King Henry VIII decided Majesty should become the style of the sovereign of England. Majesty , however, was not used exclusively; it arbitrarily alternated with both Highness and Grace , even in official documents. For example, one legal judgement issued by Henry VIII uses all three indiscriminately; Article 15 begins with, "The Kinges Highness hath ordered," Article 16 with, "The Kinges Majestie" and Article 17 with, "The Kinges Grace." Pre-Union Scotland Sovereigns were only addressed as Your Grace . During

6640-417: Was the first language for 1.66% of the population in 2006 (up from 0.75% in 1996), reaching 9.54% in the capital, where it is the second most spoken language, behind Dioula . Until 2014, French was one of two official languages of Burundi , the other being Kirundi . Only Kirundi is spoken by the vast majority of the population, therefore holding the status of national language as determined by article 5 of

6723-518: Was the language of literacy for 37.2% of the population in 2013, followed by Arabic at 11.1%. French is the main language of education in all regions of Senegal except for Kaffrine , where Arabic remains dominant, with significant Arabic-educated minorities in Kaolack (15.9% to 33.0% for French), Louga (15.8% to 22.7%) and Diourbel (15.0% to 17.2%). This phenomenon is explained by the impact of Quranic schools or Daara in those regions. French

6806-559: Was used on Facebook by 75% of Moroccans in 2014. Local French-language media include Le Matin du Sahara et du Maghreb , TelQuel , Aujourd'hui le Maroc , La Vie éco . French is a working language in many sectors in Tunisia , including healthcare, commerce or communication. In coastal areas and the more developed neighbourhoods of the capital, it is also a common language of communication for all social groups, either in its standardised form or hybridised with Arabic. In

6889-559: Was used on Facebook by 91% of Tunisians in 2014. Local French-language media include La Presse de Tunisie , L'Economiste Maghrébin , Tunivisions , Le Temps . According to the High Council of the International Organization of the Francophonie , in 2010, 96.2 million French speakers were living in various countries in Africa. French has been imported to most of these countries through colonization, and it

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