Do you use your title?

There was an odd little thing which came up on a friend's blog a couple of days ago. She said it annoyed her when people who were not doctors used the title "Dr". By this she meant people who have a "Doctor of Philosophy". She felt they were not entitled to be called "Dr". 

It is an interesting thought. Are they or aren't they? They are of course. They are the original "doctors". It was only later the medical profession started to use the title. They even go on to become "Mr" (or the female equivalent) again later when they rise through the ranks.

But a "doctor" back in say the fourteenth century was someone who had studied and reached a high level of learning. It probably goes back even further than that but I have not bothered to look it up. By no means all of them had written the theses required today. "Dr Johnson" of dictionary fame was simply known as "doctor" and there are plenty of other examples to be found among the men of science. Women of course did not get consideration!

The use of the title "doctor" varies. It is more common in some countries than others. It is much less common here than it is in Italy for example. If people write to me here they are much more likely to address me by my given name (and that will often be spelt incorrectly.) They might address me as "Ms" - a term I find intensely irritating. (That apparently began because the late Winston Churchill once said, "Well write "m" stroke "s" then if you don't know if she is married". ) If colleagues in Italy (and elsewhere in Europe) write to me I can get not just "doctor" but "doctor doctor".  Once I even had a letter which used "doctor" four times. It was apparently considered correct etiquette" in the situation!

I certainly do not sign myself off as "doctor", especially in social situations. It is not considered appropriate here. I have a friend in Cambridge who pointed out that it is considered quite usual there - but it is one of the oldest university cities in the world and it is considered quite normal there.

The other problem is the danger of being expected to act as a doctor in an emergency situation. This happened to someone I know. After attending a conference in Athens she was flying back to London. There was a medical emergency on the plane and she was called on. Fortunately there was a medical doctor on the plane and she was actually able to help him because her late father had suffered from the same condition and she knew what to do. But, it was a close call. The head of the research unit we both worked in at the time sent a message around to the staff advising them not to use their doctor titles when travelling abroad.  It is possibly even more important now when litigation is so much more common.

I suppose it is up to individuals themselves but I also thought of housekeepers. Many housekeepers, especially in the eighteen and nineteenth centuries, were given the title of "Mrs" even when they had never married. 

On the whole I think I will leave titles to the medical profession and when it matters in academia. I call my doctor by her given name and do so at her invitation. Last week the barrister, a KC working for us introduced himself by his given and last name and then said, "It's J..." (his given name) so we knew what he preferred. In court I would be more formal. Even the judge involved was relaxed outside the formal court proceedings. It all just indicated there is a time and a place for titles. Getting it right is the problem.