Address forms

When people directly address each other with courtesy or affection, they may choose to use a proper noun (Jane, Jones, Mrs Smith) or a common noun (darling, sir) - or of course a combination of the two (darling Jane). Proper nouns may be informally shortened (Katherine > Kate) or adapted (Edward > Ned, Yedward), but there are far more possibilities using common nouns. The language of endearment is explicitly recognized by Falstaff as he addresses his companions (1H4 II.iv.271): ‘gallants, lads, boys, hearts of gold, all the titles of good fellowship’.

The naming practice performs a variety of expressive functions, shading from courtesy through endearment into sarcasm and insult, and the exact nuance can be deduced only by taking careful note of who the personalities are and the context in which they are speaking. The following list illustrates some of the distinctive expressions in Shakespearean English, when used in direct address. A few may still be heard today, especially in regional dialects.

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Item	Location	Personalities	Gloss
bawcock	WT I.ii.121 TN III.iv.112 H5 III.ii.25	Leontes to Mamilius [father to child] Sir Toby to Malvolio [aristocrat to steward] Pistol to Fluellen [soldier to officer]	fine fellow, dear lad [often in parody]
biddy	TN III.iv.115	Sir Toby to Malvolio [aristocrat to steward]	chicken [childish affectation]
bully	MW II.iii.16 MND III.i.7 Tem V.i.258	Host to Doctor Caius [companions] Quince to Bottom [co-actors] Stephano to Caliban [master to servant]	dear, excellent [encouragement, warm companionship]
captain	1H6 V.iii.97 Tim II.ii.77 WT I.ii.122	Margaret to Suffolk [nobles] Page to Fool [acquaintances] Leontes to Mamillius [father to son]	[to a senior person of no particular rank; also, familiar address to non-soldier]
chuck	Oth III.iv.49 LLL V.i.105 TN III.iv.113	Othello to Desdemona [spouses] Armado to Holofernes [aristocrat to schoolmaster] Sir Toby to Malvolio [aristocrat to steward]	chick, chicken [between spouses, to children; also in parody]
dame	Mac IV.ii.65 AC IV.iv.29 TS II.i.23 2H6 I.ii.42	Messenger to Lady Macduff Antony to Cleopatra [lovers] Baptista to Katherina [father to daughter] Gloucester to Duchess [husband to wife]	lady, mistress [formally polite] girl [as reprimand] woman [as reprimand]
father	TS IV.v.45 Cor V.i.3	Katherina to Vincentio Menenius reporting Coriolanus’ words to him	[respectful to an old man]
gallant	MA III.ii.14 MW III.ii.1 1H6 III.ii.41	Benedick to all [fellow-lords] Mistress Page to Robin [lady of the house to a page] Pucelle to the English [enemies]	fine gentleman [often ironic or sarcastic]
gentle	WT IV.iv.46	Florizel to Perdita [lovers]	dearest, dear one [polite intimate]
gentles	H5 II.chorus.35 LLL II.i.211 MND V.i.126	Chorus to audience Princess to all Quince to the play audience	ladies and gentlemen [formally polite, regardless of rank]
gentleman	TN III.i.76 MND III.i.179 RJ II.ii.100	Sir Toby to Viola as Cesario [knight to gentleman] Bottom to Peaseblossom [Queen’s consort to fairy attendant] Juliet to Romeo [lovers]	sir [formally polite, regardless of social rank] [conveying sincerity]
gentlewoman	TG IV.iv.105 RJ II.iv.107	Julia to Silvia [as if messenger to lady] Mercutio to Nurse [noble to member of household]	madam [formally polite] [mock polite]
goodman	LLL IV.ii.36 RJ I.v.77 Ham V.i.14	Holofernes to Dull [schoolmaster to constable] Capulet to Tybalt [head of family to nephew] Second Clown to First Clown	mister, master [dignified, respectful] [as a reprimand] [mock politeness]
gossip	MW IV.ii.8	Mistress Page to Mistress Ford [friends]	friend, neighbour [usually, woman to woman]
heart	Cym I.ii.43 RJ I.i.184 RJ I.v.88	Innogen to Posthumus [lovers] Romeo to Benvolio [friends] Capulet to all [host to guests]	sweetheart dear friend dear friends
lady	MA II.i.283 Oth III.iv.36 TN V.i.256	Claudio to Beatrice [lord to a lady at court] Othello to Desdemona [spouses] Sebastian to Olivia [lovers]	madam [very formal; also, as ‘my lady’]
liege	R2 II.i.147	Northumberland to Richard [lord to king]	lord, sovereign [subject to king; usually ‘my liege’]
lordings	2H6 I.i.143	Gloucester to all [lord to other lords]	my lords, gentlemen
master	TN IV.ii.27 2H4 II.i.1 MV II.ii.43	Sir Toby to Feste as Sir Topas [aristocrat to parson] Hostess to Fang [lady to sergeant] Launcelot to Gobbo [of himself]	[dignified term for a professional person; sometimes applied inappropriately by lower classes, e.g. to a sergeant or yeoman]
masters	1H6 I.i.152 Ham II.ii.420 TS I.ii.18	Bedford to all [lord to other lords] Hamlet to Players Grumio calling the inhabitants of a house	sirs, gentlemen [formally polite; condescending to social inferiors; often as ‘my masters’]
mouse	LLL V.ii.19 Ham III.iv.184 TN I.v.58	Rosaline to Katharine [friends] [Hamlet imagining] Claudius to Gertrude [spouses] Feste to Olivia [fool to employer]	little one [playful, usually to a woman]
signor, signior	MA V.i.110 MND IV.i.16 1H6 III.ii.67	Claudio to Benedick [lord to lord] Bottom to Cobweb [Queen’s consort to fairy attendant] Alençon to Talbot [enemies]	sir [friendly approach; also as ‘good signor’; not restricted to Italy] [mock friendliness]
sir	TN IV.ii.17 WT I.ii.135	Sir Toby to Feste as Sir Topas [aristocrat to parson] Leontes to Mamillius [father to son]	[respectful title for a priest, clerk, or other professional; often mock use]
sirs	AC IV.xv.84	Cleopatra to Charmian and Iras	[unusual use to women]
sirrah	KL I.ii.78 TS I.ii.19 KJ II.i.140 KL I.iv.114 Mac IV.ii.31	Lear to Edmund [father to son] Petruchio to Grumio [master to servant] Bastard to Austria [aristocratic adversaries] Fool to Lear [fool to master] Lady Macduff to Son [mother to son]	sir [authoritative] [authoritative] [contemptuous] [familiar] [playful]
sweet	TNK I.i.217 MV II.vi.44 TG II.iv.152	Theseus to Hippolyta [engaged couple] Lorenzo to Jessica [lovers] Valentine to Proteus [good companions]	sweetheart [between spouses and lovers] dear friend [uncommon between men]
sweetheart, sweet heart	MW IV.ii.10 AW II.iii.266 TN III.iv.29 2H4 II.iv.178	Mistress Page to Mistress Ford [friends] Parolles to Bertram [friends] Malvolio to Olivia [as a lover] Pistol to his sword	dear dear friend darling darling [with mock affection]
sweeting	Oth II.iii.246 TS IV.iii.36	Othello to Desdemona [spouses] Petruchio to Katherina [as lover]	darling
wench	TS III.ii.237 TNK II.i.181 Tem I.ii.139	Petruchio to Katherina [as spouse] Emilia to Woman [mistress to maid] Prospero to Miranda [father to daughter]	lass, girl [affectionate to wife, daughter, or sweetheart]
worship, your	MA V.i.307 MW II.ii.39 Cor II.i.88	Dogberry to Leonato [constable to governor] Mistress Quickly to Falstaff [housekeeper to knight] Menenius to Brutus and Sicinius [friend of Coriolanus to enemies]	[great respect; also used for mock effect]

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