Use of names

[Haggridd]

No: HPFGUIDX 18720

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Amy Z" <aiz24 at h...> wrote:
> David wrote:
> 
> > One of the ways that JKR shows the different characters of the 
> > different teachers is in their use of first names.  So, for 
example, 
> > McGonagall uses 'Mr Potter', 'Miss Grainger', etc most of the 
time. 
>  
> > Snape often just says 'Potter' or 'Longbottom'.  Notice too 
Dobby's 
> > rather inexpert grasp of names.
> 
> > 
> > Dumbledore almost without exception uses first names for everyone 
> > (though there are exceptions).  It is he who lets us first know 
what 
> > these names are in many cases.  So I think calling Moody 'Alastor' 
> is 
> > what I'd expect, even after a fairly slight acqaintance.  He does, 
> > however, refer to other teachers as 'Professor...' when talking to 
> > Harry, even correcting him in PS/SS when Harry refers to 'Snape' 
> > without title.
> > 
> <snip>
> 


I believe that Dumbledore uses first names for two reasons: first, he 
is in a superior or an equal position to everyone we have yet 
encountered, including the Minister of Magic.  Using the familiar 
address reinforces this.  Second, he uses first names to defuse 
situations where passions are running too high, a sort of verbal 
reminder that "we are all on the same side here."  His use of the 
familiar form of address is in distinction to his use of appropriate 
honorific when referring to a person, especially in the presence of a 
student.  As you have said, Albus dumbledore is most courteous.

> 
> -Dumbledore calls students by their first names one-on-one (cf any 
> conversation with Harry), but when speaking to them in front of 
> others, may use their first names or call them "Mr. Potter and Miss 
> Granger" (cf PA ch 21).  In large gatherings he almost always uses 
the 
> latter (cf "I am =not= joking, Mr. Weasley," at opening feast in 
GF). 
>  Dumbledore, in whatever situation, seems to be the model of 
> courtesy (I get this from lots of Dumbledorean adverbs: "politely," 
> "courteously,") so this familiarity does not seem to me to be 
> rudeness.
> 
> 
> -I'm interested in why those who call Voldemort by his name do so.  
> Sirius and Remus do--Harry comments internally on the latter (PA 
> 8)--but we get no explanation of why they are the only people 
besides 
> Dumbledore and Harry who don't do the You Know Who thing.  The 
> implication is that they are less fearful and/or understand that 
> creating a layer of mystery around the name just increases fear, but 
I 
> wonder whether it indicates that they're a part of a circle close to 
> Dumbledore, have gotten the same talk he gave Harry, or what.  
> 

Do you mean a circle such as the "Order of the Phoenix?"
> 
> 
> Amy Z
> who, like your typical USAmerican, prefers for everyone to call her 
by 
> her first name (as long as they permit her to do the same--don't you 
> hate when doctors call you Joe but expect you to call them Dr. 
Jones? 
>  even if they're years younger than you?) but admits to a fondness 
for 
> the NY Times' old-fashioned practice of affixing a title to every 
name
> 
Amy-- if I may so address you-- I am a physician and I run into the 
situation you describe innumerable times.  It is my observation that 
some patients prefer formality in their relationship with their 
doctors.  These I address as "Mrs. or Miss So-and-So", or I take 
refuge in the Southern practice of calling everybody "Ma'am" 
irrespective of age or marital status.  You may have inferred from the 
above that my practice is in Obstetrics & Gynecology.  There are those 
who want some informality in the interaction and these I address 
informally.  I quite agree with you that I never insist upon my 
patients' calling me "Doctor" while addressing them by first name or 
nickname.

Haggridd