Emphasis on proper address was: Snape as father figure

[phoenixgod2000]

No: HPFGUIDX 131207

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Alina <mysticowl at g...> wrote:

> I live in Canada and I addressed my high school teachers and
> university professors as "Sir" and "Ma'am," and so did some of my
> classmates. I agree Snape is a horrible person, but I think if I was
> his student, I'd still address him as "Sir," because it has simply
> been drilled into my head from childhood to respect my elders.

I don't truly understand where this idea that Harry is being 
disrespectful comes from. Other than peaking into his pensieve, Harry 
is almost always perfectly respectfuly to Snape--at least by the 
standards I use in my own classroom.  Yes, Draco uses Sir all the 
time. He also happens to be a obsequious booklicker of the highest 
caliber.  Young Malfoy is hardly the barometer I would use to measure 
appropriate levels of student/teacher respect. To Snapes face, Harry 
gives him far more respect than Draco does to *Professor* Hagrid so 
its not like Draco is a paragon of respectfulness. Honestly, Harry 
gives Snape more respect in the classroom than the man deserves.  
Whenever Harry is corrected by someone, he is refering to Snape, not 
directing a comment towards Snape himself. No one, other than the 
prickly Snape himself, has made mention of Harry treating Snape 
disrespectfully to his face. Why care what he calls Snape when Snape 
isn't around? 

Honestly, you guys make it sound like Harry is calling him a &*@##$ in 
the middle of the classroom. He's not. Harry gives all the respect 
Snape's position afords him inside the classroom that Snape is due and 
little respect outside the classroom because outside the classroom 
Snape hasn't earned any.  which is fine by me.

I agree that everyone else corrects Harry as a form of good manners, 
but I think Snape himself has a far more petty reason for insisting on 
the sirs. Like every other petty person who has ever gotten an ounce 
of authority, Snape likes to remind people of his position in order to 
make himself feel important. To reassure himself that he isn't the 
fifteen year old being picked on by the mean boys anymore. I've seen 
it before in other teachers who get caught up in exerting their 
authority for no other reason other than they can.

phoenixgod2000