I was wondering if any of you have observed this particular usage, and if you might know anything about its origins and distribution.  
 
One of my students, named Nate Smith, works at his father's business and has observed that African American workers in the business refer to him as "Mr. Nate" and refer to his father as "Mr. Mike."  Nate has observed the same usage among his African American co-workers in a campus cafeteria kitchen--where he is not the boss's son, but a fellow dishwasher.
 
On brief reflection, I realized that this usage appears in a number of contexts: the care-providers in child-care facilities are often referred to by the children as Mr. or Ms. + first name.  The staff in the pediatrician's office does the same thing: it's "Dr. Lori," not "Dr. + last name" (though sometimes they just refer to the physician as "Doctor"; I've heard the same with Catholic priests being referred to as "Father," though I've also heard them referred to by Father + first name).  In some congregations, I have heard the clergy person called Rabbi Sam (instead of Rabbi Schwartz) or Pastor Tom (instead of Pastor Eckhart). Then there are nationally syndicated figures like Dr. Laura and Dr. Phil.
 
Does anyone know the origin of this usage--honorific + first name? Does it originate in Black English?  I'm thinking of "Mistah Charlie," for example, as a generic reference to the boss(es) or White men with power. In the odd mix of intimacy (first name use) and distance (honorific), might I detect some derisive irony--an opportunity to get in a dig (by being overly familiar) while maintaining the guise of respect (by using the honorific)?  If derision was implied in its origin, my sense is that that feature has been lost as the usage has spread: that it has become a sort of 'cutism' to make figures of authority (physicians, clergy, employers) seem more approachable.
 
I myself find the usage grating for the most part, though it is cute when my 4-year-old neighbor calls me "Mr. Seth" and I call him "Mr. John."
 
Any information or opinions would be welcome.
 
Seth
 
Dr. Seth Katz                                                     
Assistant Professor     |   Faculty Advisor
Department of English   |   Bradley University Hillel
Bradley University      |                             

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