Mas'r and Massa - what's their meaning?

[ladorada]

1. What's the meaning of the appelative Mas'r Davy in David Copperfield by Charles Dickens? (Ex.: chapter 46) How could Mas'r be described in a few words? Is it a mix of condescendence and lack of education or is it about anything else? Does the context count?

2. What is its meaning nowadays if there is any and if it is still used?

3. What's the difference between Mas'r and Massa? Does it relate to any historical background?

[Quizmonster]

Both are abbreviations/corruptions of 'master', the first in London/English speech and the second in American slave speech of the 19th century. The former means a young man, diminutive of 'mister' and the latter means owner/slave-master

[fagidill]

try ! wikidedia

[rutineli]

Were you serious???

[ladorada]

Thank you, Quizmonster. I'm still not sure if Mas'r has the same meaning nowadays as it had in Dickens' times. If I address a 20 year old using Mas'r, I suppose it sounds strange, old fashioned maybe or...?

Yeah, Rutineli, we, the Egyptian mummies, are very serious. :-P

[Quizmonster]

'Master' - referring to a boy - is now used in British English only on envelopes, for example, containing birthday cards for him. Other than that, it might be used as a bit of a joke or when the speaker is deliberately trying to be old-fashioned..."You'll need to do better than that, young Master Jones!" You would definitely not use it for anyone over the age of adulthood, namely 18, in these circumstances.

Referring to an adult, it might be used of male school-teachers, qualified tradesmen - a master builder, for example - ships' captains and so on. That is, where the person is fully qualified and experienced in his profession...ie a master of it.

I'm not sure about American English usage for male children, though obviously, 'master' and 'massa' are no longer used to mean a slave-owner!