44 réponses à ce sujet

[massive_effect]

In real life, no females are called "Sir". They're called "Miss" or "Ma'am".

 

It's jarring when your female character isn't recognized as a female in Inquisition.

 

For those that believe the world should change to call women "sir", such language does not exist in any society in the history of the world.

 

Okay, so it's fictional...but, it's also a video game! So, we should have the option to choose 'sir' or 'ma'am'.

 

Finally, for those that say it's a title of rank, 'Dame' is the title given to a female knight (in real life).

 

Do any of you find it jarring? Would you ever consider calling your sister, mother, or grandmother, 'Sir'?

 

Please share your thoughts!

[Elhanan]

In the last two games, the title was Ser (eg; Ser Cauthrian). This may be different; uncertain.

But it is my understanding that in some cases, the title 'Sir' is used regardless of gender. Not certain when or where, but have noticed this is used in the show 'Castle' regarding the female Captain.

[massive_effect]

To be fair, Elhanan, Castle is fictional. In the US Military, a female captain is called 'Ma'am' (as are all women in the military).

 

IN DA2, I think they called everyone 'Serah' (not Ser).

 

In Dragon's Dogma, they call everyone 'Ser' (same pronunciation as sir)

[grombie]

I don't care because, to put it bluntly, Dragon Age isn't real life. The universe is entirely separate  to our own so the naming conventions that we may use do not apply there. 'Ser'/'serrah' are both fine in my opinion.

[FumikoM]

This has been common in games that does allow you to choose your gender and refer to the player as "sir" since, well forever. Developers almost never bother to change it because common player = dudes and thus the norm is to go the male way. Even if that have changed most devs in the gaming industry still don't care enough to change, it's obviously considered a waste of time to cater to about +40% of the players in this way... Add voice acting and none really bothers with it.

 

Besides, "sir" is considered gender neutral in the gaming world by most devs. Even if it has no bearing in the real world, this is the most common attitude. But it has more to do with development cost than anything else, the rest is just excuses.

[massive_effect]

That makes sense, Fumiko. It's true that guys are used more. (This was true for Mass Effect.) I hope for more options in the future, though.

[AEve1]

Doesn't bother me. I grew up with Star Trek, where female officers were "Sir" and female junior officers were "Mister."  To me, "ma'am" sounds like I'm getting addressed by a cashier at the grocery store. I'd rather be called "Sir" in-game, or "Ser" or "Serah" - sounds more deferential (I'm a woman).

 

It's just like "poet," or "author," or "actor," or "waiter" - no reason to preserve a separate feminine version of a word for the exact same position. Easier from a sociolinguistic perspective to just let the masculine form take on a gender-neutral meaning, unless there's a major difference in meaning (for example, "dominatrix", which is no longer the female form of "dominator" but has been specialized into a BDSM-specific meaning).

[massive_effect]

AEve1, it's interesting that we lean toward the masculine form, instead of the feminine.

[AEve1]

AEve1, it's interesting that we lean toward the masculine form, instead of the feminine.

Yeah, it's unfortunate that the feminine forms tend to be the ones that take on additional sexual or diminutive meanings. I really liked DA2's way of calling everyone "Serah" because of that - it sounded feminine to English-speaking ears, but was actually unisex.

 

Still wouldn't want to be called "ma'am" though. It sounds older to me. I think general usage tends not to favor it, at least on the US coasts and parts of the northern Midwest. I'd be interested to see what other people think.

[Ysandre]

i've been reading military/regular sci-fi since i was knee-high to anything, and the conventions in fiction kinda go back and forth. truth is, it makes MORE sense, in a military setting, for gender-neutral titles to be the norm. this further reinforces the concept of equality. whether it's sir, ser, sirrah, serah, or what-have-you, it is something (like most good sci-fi) that i do see happening as we creep our way, socially, up the evolutionary ladder. 

 

and i think it's hugely beneficial.

[Hair Serious Business]

Oh?If you watched anime by name "Hellsing" then you sure would remember Integra she is a woman and yet everyone always called her "Sir Integra".

[Lady Luminous]

It's not sir as in sir/ma'am. It's ser which is a midieval term to recognize someone of a higher station. 

[FKA_Servo]

"Ser" and "serah" are both gender-neutral honorifics in Thedas.

[massive_effect]

Gender-neutral honorifics are boring. Games are supposed to be fun. The relationship between a man and woman is complimentary. They way a child looks up to his mother is vastly different than his father. The way a mother raises her child is vastly different than a father. That is love and love is fun. Children are not raised by androgynous beings.

[Yenkaz]

Well, the way nobles are addressed was established already in DA:O and DA2. I don't see why it should be retconned now and I don't imagine Bioware is going to recall every voice actor to record an additional line (which was probably the reason they decided that that was how it worked in Thedas from the beginning - to avoid having to do a lot of dialoge lines twice).

[FKA_Servo]

Gender-neutral honorifics are boring. Games are supposed to be fun. The relationship between a man and woman is complimentary. They way a child looks up to his mother is vastly different than his father. The way a mother raises her child is vastly different than a father. That is love and love is fun. Children are not raised by androgynous beings.

Sure.

[Draining Dragon]

Gender-neutral honorifics are boring. Games are supposed to be fun. The relationship between a man and woman is complimentary. They way a child looks up to his mother is vastly different than his father. The way a mother raises her child is vastly different than a father. That is love and love is fun. Children are not raised by androgynous beings.

What does this post have to do with anything being discussed in the thread?

[Lady Luminous]

Gender-neutral honorifics are boring. Games are supposed to be fun. The relationship between a man and woman is complimentary. They way a child looks up to his mother is vastly different than his father. The way a mother raises her child is vastly different than a father. That is love and love is fun. Children are not raised by androgynous beings.

 

 

...Pretty sure  you're trolling at this point. 

[NRieh]

 

In real life, no females are called "Sir". They're called "Miss" or "Ma'am".

From what I know, the 'ma'am' is a rather recent thing (compared to the whole history of the military rankings and titles), and for quite a long time female officer was officially addressed as a male one.  Probably in some countries it's even still the case. 

 

I don't have any problems with being a 'sir', as long as it's NOT a bug. I've heard about male characters being  addressed as 'she', and me myself had flirt options with Cassandra (female human rogue). If that's intentional - fine, if not - I'd really hate to find out that my PT is bugged after spending something like 50+ hours. I'd rather restart now.  

[FKA_Servo]

From what I know, the 'ma'am' is a rather recent thing (compared to the whole history of the military rankings and titles), and for quite a long time female officer was officially addressed as a male one.  Probably in some countries it's even still the case. 

 

I don't have any problems with being a 'sir', as long as it's NOT a bug. I've heard about male characters being  addressed as 'she', and me myself had flirt options with Cassandra (female human rogue). If that's intentional - fine, if not - I'd really hate to find out that my PT is bugged after spending something like 50+ hours. I'd rather restart now.  

 

The male character thing is a bug - but I'm pretty sure that all flirt options are open now regardless. You just strike out if they're not into it.

[massive_effect]

What does this post have to do with anything being discussed in the thread?

 

This thread is about gender-neutral honorifics which I disagree with, and I explained why I disagree with them. Would you call your mother "sir"?

 

@CaptivatingKS,

This is not trolling. Would you call your father 'ma'am'?

[Lady Luminous]

This thread is about gender-neutral honorifics which I disagree with, and I explained why I disagree with them. Would you call your mother "sir"?

 

@CaptivatingKS,

This is not trolling. Would you call your father 'ma'am'?

 

No, I'd call my father Dad. 

[DarthLaxian]

In real life, no females are called "Sir". They're called "Miss" or "Ma'am".

 

It's jarring when your female character isn't recognized as a female in Inquisition.

 

For those that believe the world should change to call women "sir", such language does not exist in any society in the history of the world.

 

Okay, so it's fictional...but, it's also a video game! So, we should have the option to choose 'sir' or 'ma'am'.

 

Finally, for those that say it's a title of rank, 'Dame' is the title given to a female knight (in real life).

 

Do any of you find it jarring? Would you ever consider calling your sister, mother, or grandmother, 'Sir'?

 

Please share your thoughts!

 

My thoughts?

 

Ok, I am male (just to get that out) - but if I were a leader of any kind (military, special forces, a spy etc.), I would like to be called "Sir" if I was a woman (Ma'am sounds so stupid IMHO...don't like it in the slightest - maybe because I grew up with Star Trek: Voyager...and Cathryn Janeway hates being called Ma'am (she says so in the pilot-episode...not that she really likes "Sir"...she hates it even more actually))

 

But I think "Ser" (yes, an "e" instead of "i") is a unisex-title and I like seeing it used (I hate different titles - King/Queen, Count/Countess -.- I prefer unisex ones)

[NRieh]

 

Would you call your mother "sir"?

If she's my superior in rank and it's the proper way to address one regardless of gender - absolutely.   

[Sartoz]

Yeah, it's unfortunate that the feminine forms tend to be the ones that take on additional sexual or diminutive meanings.

Hmmm...

A reason for not rename an object in the feminine form is the following example: manhole