Sorry, comrade - it's 'sir' and 'madam' now
By Huang Yan |
June 1, 2010, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
BUS drivers and ticket sellers in Beijing have been urged to call passengers "sir" or "madam" instead of "comrade," according to a new training manual.
Older Beijingers, a few of whom still wear "Mao suits" that were once a virtual uniform for China's hundreds of millions of citizens, will be exempt from the new ruling.
"Old comrade" is listed as the final possible choice of address for elderly travelers, but it comes after "elder master" and "elder sir", the Beijing Youth Daily reported yesterday.
A newly released manual for Beijing bus staff suggests forms of address ranging from "student" to the plain "passenger" for younger travelers, for whom comrade has a different gloss, as a slang term for gay.
"Using 'comrade' as a form of address is not suited to an appropriately targeted service standard," the paper quoted an official from the Beijing Public Transport Co as saying.
Many Chinese people picked up the habit of calling each other comrade from the Soviet Union, as it was considered at that time a more egalitarian, friendly form of address than traditional titles.
At one point, it was virtually obligatory, and officials still use the word frequently in speeches and letters.
Older Beijingers, a few of whom still wear "Mao suits" that were once a virtual uniform for China's hundreds of millions of citizens, will be exempt from the new ruling.
"Old comrade" is listed as the final possible choice of address for elderly travelers, but it comes after "elder master" and "elder sir", the Beijing Youth Daily reported yesterday.
A newly released manual for Beijing bus staff suggests forms of address ranging from "student" to the plain "passenger" for younger travelers, for whom comrade has a different gloss, as a slang term for gay.
"Using 'comrade' as a form of address is not suited to an appropriately targeted service standard," the paper quoted an official from the Beijing Public Transport Co as saying.
Many Chinese people picked up the habit of calling each other comrade from the Soviet Union, as it was considered at that time a more egalitarian, friendly form of address than traditional titles.
At one point, it was virtually obligatory, and officials still use the word frequently in speeches and letters.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
