“Lordship”指领主的身份/爵位,也可指领主的权力与统治(管辖权);在英式英语中还可用作对法官或贵族的尊称(如 Your Lordship)。
/ˈlɔːdʃɪp/(英式), /ˈlɔːrdʃɪp/(美式)
His lordship owns the estate.
他的领主大人拥有这座庄园。
The villagers petitioned for relief, arguing that the lordship’s taxes had become impossible to pay after the poor harvest.
村民请求减免,称歉收之后,领主的税负已到了无法承受的地步。
“Lordship”由 lord(领主、贵族)+ -ship(表示身份、地位或性质的后缀)构成,原意是“领主的地位/身份”。在中世纪欧洲的封建制度语境中,它也逐渐带上“领主统治权、辖区权力”等含义,并在法律与礼仪场合发展出作尊称的用法。