How decent is it to call a woman "mamzel"? How did this word appear in Russian and what does it mean? Who are these “mamzels” and is it worth using this word in everyday life?
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After the defeat of Napoleon’s troops, a wave of French emigrants rushed to Russia. These were people of different classes, traveling with the aim of making money, hiring for work with noble people. Among those who wanted to get rich, there were many women. They were hired by governesses, cooks, and milliners. In those days, it was commonplace to have the French serve. How to relate to such people, no one has yet understood. It seems that they are not servants, but also not gentlemen. Well-educated and well-dressed women demanded that they be contacted by Mademoiselle.
For ordinary Russian citizens, such a word was new, and not everyone could pronounce it, especially if it concerned the peasants. Gradually, he was reduced to “mamseli”. This markedly facilitated his pronunciation and soon became a part of everyday life. Thus, the word had a pretty decent status and was used everywhere. However, after a while its meaning changed a little.
