Guests Gender

[newtimber]

Fortunately the booking system we use asks for title otherwise I'd be in a complete mess. Either I'd have to just use the first name provided (sounding a bit familiar) or I'd have to use the abbreviated "Dear M. Smith" which isn't ideal either.

Of course, some people don't alter the pop-up title on the online form, so I have a Mr Mary Smith booking the cottage - but if Mary wishes to be addressed as Mr Smith that's fine by me!

[Bunny]

I've struggled a few times, particularly with foreign names but more recently I mistook a brother and sister for husband and wife. I can't remember what I said to them but the sister suddenly said to me "You think we are a couple don't you? We are brother and sister". Luckily they laughed about it.

[Mouse]

Yes I've done that a couple of times. I just get an impression in my head about what people will be like, can't help it. Course Mr M doesn't help because if I've been referring to someone as 'he' rather than 'she' he will blurt out on arrival 'oh we thought you were a Mister'
He has also, when dealing with correspondance prior to arrival, asked someone if they are a 'lady Alex' as opposed to male.
I don't generally let him near correspondance (and those that have seen the examples of his replies I've posted on here will understand why!)

Mouse
x

[pambon]

There is a Nicola staying at an apartment I look after. It came as a bit of a shock when a big burly, tattooed bloke walked through the door, not the woman I had imagined in my mind. I gather it's a common man's name in Italy but definitely not in the UK.

Absolutely! Nicola (accent on the CO) is Nicholas and very common out here. Another one is Andrea (accent on DRE - pronounced 'dray'!) which here in Italy is the male name for Andrew.

[Casscat]

No wonder people find it odd though pambon - Italian, like other European languages, has masculine and feminine forms for nouns and typically that involves an 'o' for masculine and an 'a' for feminine. So explain the logic behind Nicola and Andrea on that basis!

[pambon]

I know what you mean but there are quite a few exceptions to that rule Casscat. One is: la mano/hand another is: la radio and when my brain is less fried in this blistering heat I will come up with some others

[Hells Bells]

Our Italian ski instructor friend is Simone, male most definitely male.

[PW in Polemi]

No wonder people find it odd though pambon - Italian, like other European languages, has masculine and feminine forms for nouns and typically that involves an 'o' for masculine and an 'a' for feminine. So explain the logic behind Nicola and Andrea on that basis!

You think that's confusing? You should try Greek names.
His name is Andreas - but only when you are talking about him. When you talk to him, he's Andrea (An-DREY-a).
Nikos becomes Niko
Christos becomes Christo
Christakis becomes Christaki
Giorgos (Yorgos) becomes Giorgo
And Marios, just to be difficult, becomes Mari-e (rhymes with pay).


Oh, and the village postMAN is Nikitas (spoken to as Nikita).

[pambon]

Good Lord!

[alcooper]

I had a booking from someone called Lindsey S**** so I replied "Dear Ms. S**** - got a really stroppy email back saying "I am a male Lindsey and would appreciate bring respected as such..." - things went downhill from thereon, he was an absolute pain, so now I wonder if I should ditch the formality and email "Dear Lindsey" ???

[Bunny]

I had a booking from someone called Lindsey S**** so I replied "Dear Ms. S**** - got a really stroppy email back saying "I am a male Lindsey and would appreciate bring respected as such..." - things went downhill from thereon, he was an absolute pain, so now I wonder if I should ditch the formality and email "Dear Lindsey" ???

OMG, I used to work with a male Lindsey S**** too. He was in another department but self employed and I had never met him. I sent him an invoice addressed to Ms L S****". He was so incensed that he came in person to see me and asked me to refer to him as Mr in future. He was a pompous git. Must be something about Lindseys, unless of course, it was the same one!

[Ecosse]

Ooh, that's harsh - it's really not your fault that you didn't know whether your guest was a male or female! You can guarantee that you weren't the first person to call him a her... so surely a better way of dealing with his parents' androgynous name choice would be for him to sign his name Lindsey S.... (Mr)??!

[Bunny]

I think, in my case, he thought I was trying to be funny with him as he felt I should have known he was a he. Too full of his own self importance IMO. That was exactly my thought - I blame your parents.

[alcooper]

well he was a real SMART arse huhhum - and yes, he had such a chip on his shoulder, probably brought on by his name - maybe his parents were Fleetwood Mac fans!

[Bunny]

well he was a real SMART arse huhhum - and yes, he had such a chip on his shoulder, probably brought on by his name - maybe his parents were Fleetwood Mac fans!

Different surname then. So these two Lindseys with big chips on their shoulders! Fancy spending your whole life going around being so angry about your name.