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Pet hate - being asked for a title
Comments
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Indeed - and not to mention that their Dr title is honorary (assuming they haven't done a PhD or MD) whereas those with a PhD actually have a doctoral level qualification!
And Doctor comes from a Latin word meaning teacher, so the medics are being called by the name of another skill and profession anyway.But a banker, engaged at enormous expense,Had the whole of their cash in his care.
Lewis Carroll0 -
Torry_Quine wrote: »Only surgeons are called Mr or female equivalent from the days when you became a surgeon by being apprenticed to one rather than going to university to become a doctor. A consultant physician, psychiatrist etc is called Dr.
Thankyou, that explains why my consultant neurologist calls himself Dr. I did wonder!
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I have a PhD, work in academia, and use my Dr title whenever I'm asked for it. As it's my title! & nicely gets around the ridiculous Miss/Mrs/Ms debacle.
That said I would never correct anyone to 'look clever' or introduce myself with it or anything like that...
It's funny how people don't tend to feel the same way about medical doctors using their title.
I feel much the same. Assuming I graduate, I would prefer to use the same name/title everywhere, which would be Dr. I'd get short thrift applying for postdocs as a Miss! So it would make sense to use that as my name elsewhere so I could easily produce ID without having to explain Dr and Miss Rosemary7391 are in fact the same person. If no title is asked for it isn't a problem.
I think titles are used to reflect something about the person they refer to. Marital status used to be important for women; it may still be important to some and they should be allowed to use a title that reflects that should they so wish (ditto men in my opinion although they'd have to make something new up!). They're not wrong to feel like that. Those who feel differently can use a different title or none. All you have to do to find out is ask - hopefully not a massively difficult task!0 -
But if lots of us use Ms (whether we are single, married, divorced, widowed, feminists or gay - all things I've been told 'Ms' means!) then others will come to understand far sooner.I think the title Ms. has underlying connotations that some, but not all, women would identify with.
Things in addition to my list above?0 -
whether we are single, married, divorced, widowed, feminists or gay - all things I've been told 'Ms' means!Things in addition to my list above?
I've never heard of it in reference to one's sexuality! :rotfl:
If anything, I would link the title Ms. primarily with a political movement, some of whose views (and behaviours) not all women want to be associated with.0 -
I've never heard of it in reference to one's sexuality! :rotfl:
Oh yes - I was told quite firmly that only lesbians use Ms!
I find it extraordinary that people can grasp the idea that Mr refers to an adult male but have invented so many other meanings for Ms.
If anything, I would link the title Ms. primarily with a political movement, some of whose views (and behaviours) not all women want to be associated with.
Which one?0 -
I'd say... If somebody has a PhD and uses the title in their professional life (e.g. on their business correspondence) that's reasonable. Somebody who insists on it from a retailer or on their club membership card is possibly a bit up themselves. I've worked in academia and the people who have two doctorates and a professorship are quite likely to say "Call me Jack".
That makes no sense to me. If someone is a Dr, or a Rev, or a Lord or whatever, they can use that wherever the hell they want.
After all, a retailer doesn't need to know my marital status anymore than they need to know whether I have a PhD or have been ordained - but presumably you don't think it's 'up themselves' for someone to use Mrs in a shop?0 -
Torry_Quine wrote: »As explained countless times, in my experience its used by divorced women or older unmarried women. That may not be your experience but its mine.
That might be how you (incorrectly) perceive someone who uses it but it wouldn't be how others would perceive you and you said that you were concerned how others perceive you. It implies that you think everybody perceives things in exactly the same way you do which is obviously ridiculous.
You also said the term itself is new to you and yet you now say you have this wide experience of who uses it - I don't see how you can have it both ways.0 -
I've never heard of it in reference to one's sexuality! :rotfl:
If anything, I would link the title Ms. primarily with a political movement, some of whose views (and behaviours) not all women want to be associated with.
You've mentioned "connotations" and now you're talking about "political movements" - you're really going to have to explain what you're on about, because I have no idea!0 -
missbiggles1 wrote: »You've mentioned "connotations" and now you're talking about "political movements" - you're really going to have to explain what you're on about, because I have no idea!
I'm really curious now - Labour? Lib Dems?0
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