mem (12/13/82)
c Some months ago I read a letter-to-the-editor in the Boston Herald American newspaper. The originator of the letter was offended by the paper's use of last names, exclusive of titles such as "Mr.", "Mrs.". Now, the Herald is essentially a rag - think of the New York Post, and you can just as well be thinking of the Herald. The writer also objected to things like "Ronnie" and "Jimmy". Well, it seems that the Herald doesn't pay much attention. They'll call anybody anything. As a matter of fact, they seem to take some sort of pride in inventing names for prominent people. A rather large thief was dubbed "Mr. 4x4". Last Saturday their headline said something about "Hinck". Took me a while, but I got the reference. But, yeah, I think there is a need for titles of respect. Doctors earn the right to their title; there are political, military, and what-have-you rankings which are, in general, earned. And a certain amount of respect is deserved just for growing up, from those who haven't. Mark Mallett
trb (12/13/82)
Re: Mark Mallett's claim that "Doctors earn the right to their title..." Aw, come on, Mark. How come a doctor (regardless of actual redeeming value) "earns the right" to be called Dr. in your opinion, where (even a great) hacker or carpetlayer or bartender doesn't earn an honorific title? I think that honorific titles are silly. If a person commands respect, a person can get respect no matter what you call him. There are plenty of people with doctorate degrees scattered around our workplaces. They would be thought silly in most instances if they demanded that their peers called them Dr., and it would certainly be ridiculous or vile if they required folks higher or lower (respectively) on the ladder to call them Dr. It confounds me that a person would be so narrow minded as to require that I perform the linguistic equivalent of stooping to kiss his signet ring before addressing him. Herr Hacker (feh!) Andy Tannenbaum Bell Labs Whippany, NJ (201) 386-6491