My oldest reacted very strongly to both pieces of news. She and I have thus set off on a rabbit trail to explore the role of the Governor General of Canada and its history. We will also be working on sending a letter to the Queen, as my daughter wished to communicate her feelings to Her Majesty.
Of course, this is a perfect opportunity to look at letter writing skills. But the preparation for that discussion involves looking into protocol, which I began to do this morning. I discovered the appropriate salutation and complimentary close for a letter to Her Majesty, and also learned that in the latter there are two traditional forms. One involves the use of the word "servant," while the other uses "subject."
I was looking for an actual example of a letter to the Queen when I came upon the Nice Letter Generator web site. On their page dedicated to writing to Queen Elizabeth II, they have this to say about the choice of words:
You may close the letter with the form 'I have the honour to be, Madam, Your Majesty's humble and obedient servant'. Use 'subject' if you don't like 'servant' so much.
I was surprised by the implication that "subject" might be perceived as a less objectionable option than "servant." As I often do in similar circumstances, I went straight to the Online Etymology Dictionary to see if I was missing something.
My first instinct was that the word "subject" implied a power-based relationship. When one is subjected to a certain type of treatment, it is not by choice. To be a subject is also to be below, or subordinate to another. To render service, on the other hand, can be a matter of choice. this is why we speak of "public servants" and of doing "community service" - and not of "public subjects" or "community subjection."
I believe the dictionary confirms this. "Subject" came into use in English in the 14th century, with a meaning of "person under control or dominion of another." The original Latin root, subicere, meant "to place under." This very much a word related to hierarchy and to the power one person holds over another. It is true that Queen Elizabeth rules her subjects, but it is certainly not the relationship she herself tends to emphasize.
The word "servant," on the other hand, implies devotion. The original usage in English, as of the 13th century, was that a servant was an attendant who waited upon another. But by the 14th century the word had gained a new meaning, "professed lover, one devoted to the service of a lady." This is very much a relationship of choice, and I believe it is also one that can be held up as the honour to which people refer when they write to their Queen.
Queen Elizabeth's own devotion to her duties and to her subjects has long been known. It is revealed in the speech she gave on her 21st birthday:
"I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great Imperial family to which we all belong.It seems to me that, as the Queen has declared her own devotion to her people and invited us all to join with her in service, it is very fitting indeed to close a letter to her with a statement of our own commitment to serve. There is nothing objectionable or degrading at all in that, and I intend to share exactly this sentiment with my daughter as she chooses her own message for Her Majesty.
But I shall not have the strength to carry out this resolution alone unless you join in with me, as I now invite you to do. I know that your support will be unfailingly given. God help me to make good my vow and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it."
Homeschoolers who are undertaking studies about the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth countries may wish to listen to the original speech as a family. I am embedding it below.
