Re: "Dr." and all that

[Jack Uretsky <jlu@HEP.ANL.GOV>]

On Fri, 29 Dec 2000, Laurent Hodges wrote:

> 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."

        When the subject arises, and sometimes when it doesn't, I tell my
students that I answer to "Mr.", "Doctor", "Commander" and "sir".
        "Mr." is proper address to me as a lawyer,
        "Dr." is proper address to me in an academic context,
        "Commander" is proper address to me in a military context,
and     "sir" is always appropriate.

        I note that when I exchange communications with other physicists
in connection with research or publication matters, the unfailing custom
is to use the title, "Doctor" or "Professor" until a cordial relationship
has been established.
        In connection with Jim Green's remark, the navy custom and
tradition is always to address a person by their rank or rate, although
"Mr." is appropriate for officers of the grade of Lt. Commander and
below.
        The problem with first name familiarity by students is that
it blurs a necessary boundary, whatever the boundary is that I am
comfortable with.  I am thereby inviting the student to guess the
degree of intimacy that I am willing to permit.  That is unfair both
to me and the student.
        For those that don't understand about boundaries, I suggest
a rereading of St. Exupery's <The Little Prince>.
                                        Regards,
                                                Jack