if called to be a witness in court, how would you address...

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Answer by Mikey
Submitted on 9/29/2003
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Hmmm...your answer raises other questions in my mind: 1. Isn't "thee" plural? Shouldn't your "thee"s be "thou"s? 2. Is pseudo-old English actually used among Quakers,or are you merely being pretentious? 3. The biggie: I infer from this thread that Quakers have an aversion to titularism. Is this true? If so, then how would one Quaker address another particularly revered or respected Quaker? Even in an egalitarian society, men are men, and some are more respected than others (which is why true egalitarianism is a concept which is sought after, but never fully achieved. The same can be said of democracy, too). Anyway, could such an address be applied to a Judge without insult? I agree, however, that if such addressment is far out of the ordinary, that the Court Clerk or Attendant should be respectfully informed of the situation before the case is called so that the CC or CA can apprise the Judge. Even without such pretext though, I've never seen a Judge upset or angered by social or cultural anomalies as long as the subject speaks honestly and ACTS respectfully to the court. PS: If it's any help, in the secular arena, a judge is normally properly addressed as "Judge", "Your Honor", or simply "Sir".

Answer by Ariel
Submitted on 1/5/2005
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Very few Quakers still use "thee" and "thou". This was common usage, however, in the 1600s when Quakerism first began. These are not "pseudo Old English"; rather, they are the singular forms, which we do not use anymore. (Both are singular- I have to admit I do not quite understand how they differ.) Just like French, for example, which has different forms of "you", so too did English. "You" was the plural form. People would use "you" when addressing royalty and such, but "thou" when talking to one's peers. Quakers believe that all people are equal, and so used the same form of address for all people. (No honoring kings before god, and all that!) Which is also the reason for not addressing people by such titles as "your honor". I believe that calling a judge "Judge Smith" (or whatever) would be appropriate since Judge is, in fact, his occupation. But for most Quakers, I think, this practice has gone the way of "thee" and "thou"...

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Question by tomican1
Submitted on 7/11/2003
Related FAQ: soc.religion.quaker Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
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if called to be a witness in court, how would you address the judge

Answer by Luke
Submitted on 8/25/2003
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Thee would tell the court that thee is a Quaker and that thee will use the judge's name with no tile or just the word friend thee would say this to the judge befor the the court case.

Answer by Geoff
Submitted on 10/20/2003
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Call the the Judge "Your Royal Grand Pubba"

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