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"Dr." and all that



Some Americans think "Dr." should only be used for M.D.s, but I notice that
most people - adults and students - will refer to me as "Dr. Hodges" rather
than "Mr. Hodges," and likewise with other university faculty. Sometimes
they use "Professor Hodges," of course. Students often don't use any name.
This past fall one of my female recitation students would call out,
"Laurent," and it always startled me because I don't think any other
student in the past 30+ years called me by my first name. (Most, I think,
are unwilling to try to pronounce it.)

Here's something curious, though: An English doctor told me that in the
England medical interns are called "Dr." but the distinguished surgeons are
respectfully referred to as "Mister."

Laurent Hodges, Professor of Physics
12 Physics Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-3160
lhodges@iastate.edu http://www.public.iastate.edu/~lhodges