[HPFGU-OTChatter] Joanne Rowling's Doctorates

[Shaun Hately]

On 13 May 2003 at 19:39, Ivan Vablatsky wrote:

> The above proves to me that she IS entitled to call herself Dr Rowling. I presume the 
> quote in brackets is by Prof. Wiseman. If he doesn't know who can use that tile, no 
> one does.

All this really means is that someone (perhaps Professor Wiseman) chose to make a 
joke. This isn't uncommon. I've been to ceremonies conferring Honourary Doctorates 
here, and people always make jokes about them afterwards - often calling the person 
'Doctor', sometimes asking things like 'Can you remove my appendix now?'. It doesn't 
mean the title is something they are entitled to use. It's just a reflection of the good 
spirits that erupt on such occasions (and depending on the institution may be a reaction 
to having just escaped from a three hour ceremony conducted entirely in Latin).

I might see if I can track down a copy of the British protocols on this.

Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately |webpage: http://www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       |email: drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200

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