Quote by Ambrose Bierce
Miss: A title with which we brand unmarried women to indicate that they are in the market. Miss, Misses (Mrs.) and Mister (Mr.) are the three most distinctly disagreeable words in the language, in sound and sense. Two are corruptions of Mistress, the other of Master. If we must have them, let us be consistent and give one to the unmarried man. I venture to suggest Mush, abbreviated to MH.
Summary
This quote satirically criticizes societal norms and language conventions surrounding titles for unmarried women. The quote argues that terms like Miss, Misses, and Mr. have negative connotations and are unequal in their usage. It suggests that if we must have titles for unmarried individuals, we should use a similar term like Mush (abbreviated to MH) for unmarried men to maintain consistency and challenge traditional gender roles. The quote highlights the need for linguistic equality and questions the assumptions made by certain titles in differentiating marital status.