Butler

From Wikitia - Reading time: 2 min

A person who works as a domestic worker in a big family and also serves as a butler is referred to as a butler. In large manors, the household is often organised into departments, and the butler is often in charge of the kitchen, dining room, and wine cellar. Some of them are also in charge of the whole parlour floor, while housekeepers are responsible for maintaining the overall beauty of the home. A housekeeper is typically a woman and is in charge of the household's female staff, while a butler is often a male and is in charge of the household's male workers. Male servants, such as footmen, were traditionally considered to be of greater rank and received larger wages than their female counterparts. The greatest level of servant position belongs to the butler since he is the most senior male servant. In addition to that, he may occasionally fill the role of a chauffeur.

When the butler is the most senior employee in an older home, other workers may be given titles such as majordomo, butler administrator, house manager, manservant, staff manager. In some cases, the butler is also referred to as the majordomo. The particular responsibilities of the employee will vary, at least to some degree, in accordance with the title that is given to the employee, but probably more crucially, they will change in accordance with the needs of the specific employer. There is occasionally an estate manager of greater status than the butler, and this occurs in the most opulent mansions as well as in situations in which the employer owns more than one property. In addition, the butler may get assistance from an under-butler, who is either a head footman or footboy.

The term "butler" originates from Anglo-Norman buteler, which is a variant form of Old Norman *butelier. This term corresponds to Old French botellier, which literally translates to "officer in charge of the king's wine bottles." Botellier is derived from the word "bottle," which comes from the Gallo-Romance word BUTICULA, which means "bottle." Since the dawn of time, the butler has been the attendant who is entrusted with the care and service of wine and other bottled beverages. This is because, in earlier times, wine and other bottled beverages may have accounted for a sizeable portion of a household's assets, which led to the position becoming the chief steward of a household.

Butlers were traditionally considered to be middle-ranking members of the home staff in big households in Britain. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the butler increasingly became the most senior member of a household's staff. This position was typically held by a man. The most opulent homes had butlers. However, there was often a steward who managed the outside estate and financial concerns, rather than merely the home, and who was higher in social standing than the butler until the 19th century. The butler was the person who served as the head of the household. Butlers used to always be dressed in a unique uniform, which was distinguishable from the livery of lesser staff. However, in modern times, a butler is more likely to wear a business suit or business casual clothes and only appear in uniform on rare occasions.


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