John wrote: > Who knows, cultural habits that we learn and conform to. Look at > Ms as opposed to Miss/Mrs. nearly every culture has a single/married woman > equivalent. I notice at Wimbledon this year that all of the women are > referred to as Miss. Journalistic practices at a tennis match (albeit the Sacred Cow of Wimbledon) hardly constitute "cultural habits." Referring to all of the entrants as Miss is Correct...the business of Ms. was socially gauche, IMHO. Liz was absolutely correct in pointing out that throughout history respect (as it is defined within a time frame) is what forms the basis for social ettiquette's conventions. How else can one live in relative harmony with an assortment of humans? Catharine