Addressing Nobles
In rofans, very much like the European periods they are based off, there are barriers to education depending on your status. As a result, there are nuances in the way people address a fellow noble or a noble that they serve. In Korean, there is typically one or so terms to refer to a noble and said terms are used across all social standings. However, that is not the case in English – a noble will refer to a fellow noble in a formal, more “elevated” manner compared to a stable hand addressing a noble.
Used Strictly Between Nobles
Lady – 영애
ALSO: Young Lady, My Lady
(Romanized: young-ae)
Used by a noble to refer to a young and unmarried lady of noble, respectable standing.
Lord – 영식
ALSO: Young Lord, My Lord
(Romanized: young-shik)
Used by a noble to refer to a young and unmarried lord of noble, respectable standing.
Other Titles and Positions
아가씨
(Romanized: agasshi)
- Lady, Young Lady, My Lady
Used by nobles and educated commoners to refer to an unmarried, typically young lady of noble status. Can also be used to address commoner ladies of respectable standing, like daughters of wealthy and influential merchants.
- Miss, Young Miss, Milady
Used more colloquially.
Used by more uneducated commoners, like maids, street vendors, bar owners, etc. to refer to an unmarried, typically young lady of noble status. Can also be used to address commoner ladies of respectable standing, like daughters of wealthy and influential merchants.
도련님
(Romanized: doryun-nim)
- Young Master, My Lord
Used by nobles and educated commoners to refer to an unmarried, typically young lords of noble status. Can also be used to address commoner lords of respectable standing, like sons of wealthy and influential merchants.
- Young Master, Milord
Used more colloquially.
Used by more uneducated commoners, like maids, street vendors, bar owners, etc. to refer to an unmarried, typically young lords of noble status. Can also be used to address commoner lords of respectable standing, like sons of wealthy and influential merchants.
Suffixes
–님
(Romanized: –nim)
- For men: Sir, My Lord, Milord
- For women: Ma’am, My Lady, Milady
Used to refer to a person who is the titleholder and/or head of the family, not the consort. This suffix implies respect for the person who has a certain title and/or position.
Consider the example:
남작님 (Romanized: namjak-nim) literally translates to “Baron + acknowledging respect” in English, but “My Lord” or “Milord” is used instead to refer to the person with baron status.
A servant would say, “Yes, My Lord” to the baron, rather than saying, “Yes, Baron”, as it is awkward in English and sounds belligerent for someone of a lower status to call someone in that manner.
This suffix is not just limited to noble status – it is a general suffix that is added at the end of an occupation-type title or even a person’s name to show deference.
–부인
(Romanized: –bu-in)
If this word is not used as a suffix, but as a standalone noun, it does mean wife in English. However, when used as a suffix or an implied title, the closest translation would be –ess.
In Korean, a woman’s position and the accompanying respect is implied, but that is not how it works in English – the proper title must be used as titles are gender-specific. However, in both Korean and English, the suffix is very much dependent on the rank of the husband.
- Duchess
공작 부인 = 공작 + –부인
Created by literally combining duke + –ess
- Marchioness
후작 부인 = 후작 + –부인
Created by literally combining marquess + –ess
- Countess
백작 부인 = 백작+ –부인
Created by literally combining count + –ess
- Viscountess
자작 부인 = 자작+ –부인
Created by literally combining viscount + –ess
- Baroness
남작 부인 = 남작+ –부인
Created by literally combining baron + –ess
Something to keep in mind is that like other titles, this suffix can also be used as a standalone in Korean and still make sense. Consider the examples:
- 수고했습니다, 부인.
Great work, My Lady.
The literal translation of the sentence is “Great work, –ess.”. Although the title is not clear, it does not matter because like mentioned before, people generally respond with variations of “Ma’am” or “Sir” rather than by their title to show their respect.
- 안녕하세요, 녹스 백작.
. . .
네, 녹스 부인을 만났습니다.
Hello, Count Knox.
. . .
Yes, I met Countess Knox.
The literal translation of the bottom sentence is “I met –ess Knox”. However, the reader knows her status because of the context and flow of the sentences preceding it.
Many web novels and manhwa/webtoons will generally use the suffix alone, and the reader is expected to understand the character’s implied context. Context is very important in Korean, so when the suffix pops up, it is typically clear that the women it refers to is from a certain noble standing.
tags: glossary, rofan glossary, romance fantasy glossary, ropan glossary, manhwa notes glossary, translation, translations, manhwa notes translations, manhwa notes translation, korean, english, romance fantasy, rofan, ropan, January 28, 2024, manhwa notes, manhwanotes
