This is true in the Hawaii school system as well. Perhaps many more. It doesn't strike me as odd for a school system, especially in those cases where there is a more familiar relationship such as with a tutor, advisor, or counselor; e.g., refering to a speech therapist in an elementary school as Mr/s FIRST NAME would be quite common I think.
Phil Bralich
-----Original Message-----
>From: Jeff Wiemelt <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: May 31, 2007 3:51 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Mr. + first name
>
>Seth, I can't speak to the origins of that usage, but I can say that here in
>the New Orleans area it's the default form of address used whenever
>addressing someone significantly older--kids to young adults, young adults
>to middle-agers, and middle-agers to the elderly. It doesn't seem to vary
>much across settings, except those characterized by high degrees of
>formality. Certainly a child in my neighborhood would address me as "Mr.
>Jeff." But students generally lean toward "Dr. Jeff," too. Now if there was
>an element of derision in this usage originally, it's certainly gone now in
>the deep south. Nor is "distance" part of the equation anymore. Rather, "Mr.
>Jeff" indicates a show of deference + friendliness, perhaps a respectful
>first move in negotiating closeness. In fact, to call me "Mr. Wiemelt" or
>"Dr. Wiemelt" would likely signal a very distant or highly formal
>relationship. It's a good way to offend someone in many cases.
>
>I should say that I'm not from the south originally, and all of this was
>quite difficult for me to get used to once I moved here, 15 years ago. But
>I've come to love this usage. It may take a bit longer for me to swallow
>this whole "sugar" and "sweetie" thing. And don't even get me started on the
>#%$$* weird courtesies of southern drivers. . . .
>
>Jeff
>
>Dr. Jeff Wiemelt
>Director of Freshman English
>Southeastern Louisiana University
>Hammond, LA 70402
>(985) 549-5761
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Katz, Seth" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2007 1:55 PM
>Subject: Mr. + first name
>
>
>>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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>>
>
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