Captain title
It is very quaint and veddy British for someone who retired 30 years ago
from the Army to be addressed as Major.
In our eyes, but entirely understandable in what is still a very
class-conscious society where for hundreds of years promotion from the
ranks in the military was one of very few means of class mobility. If you
weren't one of the "landed gentry" then your military title might be about
all you had to show your place in society.
Class-consciousness and the use of titles are a couple of the less
attractive attributes of British society that were rejected by the North
American colonies when they became independent. In addition to taxation, of
course. Hence the egalitarian disdain for the use of titles to this day.
Now if we could work on the taxation part, too...
Mike T.
I would like to offer a few thoughts on the use of Capt. in signatures on
this list. May I preface my remarks with the acknowedgment of the right
anyone has to use whatever title he or she chooses. (For those who have an
adgenda, please, I am not thereby blessing everyone's right to throw bombs
or engage in child pornography.) Some use it because the Coast Guard has
issued them a certificate. OK. Others use it because they act as a captain
on their own boats. OK. I would venture that most of those who have valid
certificates issued by the CG or Merchant Marine or U.S. Navy do not use
the title here on the list. I don't. Why? Because I consider it to be
tacky. Its pretty obvious that some physicians on the list do not use the
title, Dr. Listees with acadamic doctorates also do not use Dr. or Prof.
or Dean, or whatever. I don't either because again, I consider it tacky.
There is a kind of very American (North American more properly) mind set
which rebels against the use of titles in non-professional settings. In a
hospital or a clinic or a University or a church we might be offended if
people refused to use our professional title or to specify our particular
degree. This has nothing to do with how many years we worked for the
title, or how hard we studied, or how much we or our parents spent for it,
or how proud we may be. It has everything to do with status within a
particular professional setting. A person may be Doctor or Bishop or Judge
or Major or Captain at work but on the tennis court (or for that matter, on
an internet list) a great many of us perfer Sarah or Sam without saying
that everyone should have this preference.
It is very quaint and veddy British for someone who retired 30 years ago
from the Army to be addressed as Major. If someone insists on the same
stuffiness here on this side of the Atlantic, we are amused and probably
acquiese and give him whatever title makes him happy. Colonel Saunders of
fried chicken fame illustrates this. In some cultures Excelenzia, or
Eminenzia, or Professoria are used by all on all occasions, even mothers
are expected to address sons with such formal titles. I for one find that
this sort of thing makes me very uncomfortable either using or receiving
such treatment. I do find it somewhat interesting that some of my fellow
listees are quite comfortable giving themselves a title in what seems to me
to be an inappropriate venue.
Oh well, as the Italians say, "Sazeach his own." (liberally translated:
"Everyone is entitled to his own silliness.")
Frank Lawlor, BABB (bumbling amateur boat builder)
Puuleeezze, not again.
(just plain) Maurice
AKAMA
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-trawler-world-list@samurai.com
[mailto:owner-trawler-world-list@samurai.com]On Behalf Of Frank Lawlor
Sent: Friday, July 09, 1999 3:30 AM
To: Trawler World List
Subject: Captain title
I would like to offer a few thoughts on the use of Capt. in signatures on
this list. <snip>