Honorifics for peasants and commoners

[magycmyste]

Ok, I've started work on another of my projects - this one set in an alternate world that is mostly generic fantasy (i.e. medieval Europe) with a backstory based on the fall of Atlantis and Ancient Greece.

Does anybody know any honorifics used in either medieval Europe or Ancient Greece (or modern Greece, for that matter? I could work with that) to address commoners, peasants, or basically people without any real standing or nobility? I feel like I overuse sir,madam, and ma'am. I'm looking for something to replace Mr. and Mrs. in modern usage.

The very specific situation I'm looking at right now involves a group of three of my main characters (T, F, and A). A and F are keeping an old woman busy while T is treating her husband of an illness). I'm trying to figure out how A and F would address the old woman politely (so "Old Lady!" is pretty much out.

This feels like something I ought to know (well, for medieval European-style fantasy, anyway), and have probably seen in books before, but I'm completely blanking out now.

Thanks in advance for the help!

EDIT: Wow, thanks for al the help, guys! I think I've got what I need for this now. Whoo!!

Comments

[magycmyste]

hehe, I've done that a few times....

Interesting... the group here is really sort of a traveling band... they all have histories in higher places, but none of them were really brought up there. Except for A - she was originally a military girl. The old woman they're talking to is really more of a client, I guess.

Would people of similar ranking actually address each other as "man" or "woman"? I might be thinking by today's standards, but it seems as though it would be awfully rude to address an acquaintance that way if you already know who they are.

Hope you don't mind the extra questions...

[paganpaul]

In medieval Europe, most "lower people" would not have last names, so they would call each other by first name if they knew each other. (Last names were introduced when Napoleon took charge.)

So you'd be stuck with first names if they know each other, or sir/master/fellow/friend for strange men, and lady/mistress/friend/ma'am/madame for unknown women, I'd say.

And do ask. Asking never made one dumber. ;)

[magycmyste]

::nod:: Now that makes sense to me. Thanks for answering!