Professor


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Posted by Robert Dilley on May 11, 2003 at 18:50:39 from 65.39.15.73 user rdilley.

In Reply to: Re: Dick School - references ROMAN posted by John Nichols on May 11, 2003 at 17:21:43:

I agree that it is well North Americans realise that the title "Professor" for Dick and Dot's father meant that he was truly eminent in his field. When I was a student at Cambridge (the UK one) in the early 60s my department (Geography) had just one "Professor" who was the academic and administrative head and a permanent appointment.

Here at Lakehead "Professor" is the generic title for even part-time lecturers. I am referred to as "Dr Dilley" because I have a PhD; before I got it I was "Professor Dilley"; definitely a lesser title. In fact, in Ontario all teachers at community colleges are known as "Professor" now. Maybe in time we will go the Hogwarts route and call all high school teachers by that title, too. (It is trickier in Quebec, where they have to distinguish between Professeur and Professeuse.)

In Professor Callum's day his was a title that would have carried great respect. Even now, if I want to impress someone in the UK with my importance (easier to do if they haven't actually met me) I will flourish the title "Professor" rather than "Doctor". I believe one UK university -- Northumbria? -- decided go the North American route, and there was a rumour that it was being discussed at Oxford (well, as a Cambridge man, I wouldn't expect anything better) as well, because their Senior Lecturers were fed up with being relegated at conferences to hotel rooms overlooking the parking lot while junior Assistant Professors from Anywhere State got the prime rooms. Don't know if anything came of that.



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