In the Russian language there are quite a few words borrowed from French in the 18th and 19th centuries, for example, floor, atelier, understudy, lampshade, madame, etc. The meaning of the word “madame” at first glance seems obvious, but it’s not out of place to know its history .
Etymology of the term
Ma dame ("my lady") - so in the heyday of courtly lyrics, medieval troubadours turned to the subject of their passion. Old French ma dame, in turn, came from the Latin expression mea domina, and is translated into Russian as "my mistress."
Later this word began to be written together (madame), and in oral speech it was used before the surname when referring to a married woman, for example, Madame Lecock. However, not all married French women could count on such a polite treatment - such ceremonies were not respected for commoners.
The meaning of the word "madame" was not limited to the appeal to aristocrats or wives of the bourgeois, in some cases it played the role of a title when it came to women of royal blood. So, the daughter of Louis XI Anna French in the documents is often referred to simply as Madame.
In the XVIII and XIX centuries this word began to be used in the Russian Empire as an appeal to a married woman. In the story "Trouble", for example, Chekhov wrote:
And, having said something else, Madame Kushkina rustled in a train and left.
In addition, this term was used in relation to owners of fashion houses, boarding houses or foreign governesses, as we find confirmation in Pushkin’s novel “The Young Lady-Peasant”:
His daughter had a Madame Englishwoman.
What does the word "madam" mean today
Over time, any language evolves, therefore, the meaning of some words in it can undergo changes. Nowadays, the term "Madame" has acquired an ironic connotation in Russian. This may be called a middle-aged woman who behaves too important: "A certain 50-year-old Moscow Madame is going to sue the workers of the housing office."
Another example is the once popular smash hit Pugacheva A. "Madame Broshkina", which sings about a broken middle-aged reconnaissance.
In addition to the ironic meaning, today there is another thing: in Russian journalism there are names borrowed from English that are held by women: Madame President, Madame Speaker.