Saturday, September 28, 2013

Prenominal vs Post-nominal #2

This question was fun, perhaps because it was phrased so interestingly:  "What is appropriate in terms of a prenominal honorific and a post-nominal academic suffix in social situations?" I understood it to be asking if rules of etiquette exist, which admittedly are taking something of a beating in this age of technology, that specify whether one should use a title before a person's name and include letters indicating academic accomplishment after the person's name, as well. For example, some get in the habit of pasting the prenominal honorific "Dr." in front of a name in all situations, professional as well as social. Theoretically, "Dr," indicates that the individual has completed a specific course of education and earned the right to use that title (or had an honorary doctorate bestowed upon them as a courtesy).  It doesn't indicate who the person is as an individual. Consequently, in a social setting it may come across as a bit pretentious to be introduced as "Dr.,"  unless, of course, the person is there is a professional-service capacity (or believes that he/she "is" what he/she has "done"). There are often inequities in social rules, too. Part 3 tomorrow.





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