Dr. Oprah Winfrey

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by RAM PhD, May 31, 2013.

Loading...
  1. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Time to kill on Google? Sure... :smile:

    Neither of these two sites answers that exact question directly, but they're pretty interesting. This is the Internet, so I'm making no claims of authority or accuracy, here. It seems the Knighthoods generally awarded to citizens of countries with no allegiance to the British Sovereign are, as Dr. Rich Douglas correctly put it, of an "honorary" nature and the recipients are, again as noted by Rich, not to be known as "Sir" or "Dame."

    Regardless of their nature, these indeed still seem to be "foreign honours." That seems (to me) to contravene the (Constitutional) rule that U.S. officials may not receive such awards -- but U.S. Presidents and U.S. generals have received them. :question: I do note, however, that the Presidents and Generals who received these awards, did so after their terms of service to the US had ended. That's probably significant. Most of the private citizens got their "honorary" awards during their careers. So that may provide us with an indirect answer. Likely, no such honour can be accepted while serving the US in an official or military capacity. I surmise that US soldiers serving alongside their allies can receive awards / medals for gallantry from the allied country - but Congress must approve first.

    Can Americans get a title such as sir by the queen? - Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers

    KNIGHTHOOD

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 5, 2013
  2. Boethius

    Boethius Member

    Johann,

    So I guess it's not about private citizens receiving a title of honor from a foreign country, it's about whether they can use it here in the US or Canada? So if a US private citizen receives a knighthood, Americans have to call him "Sir Joe Schmo?" Something is awry. . . .
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 5, 2013
  3. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Either way Americans don't have to refer to people by their preferred form of address, and generally speaking I wouldn't refer to someone by a political title, whether monarchical or republican. They're all just Mr. and Ms. to me. (Well, unless they've earned a doctorate, since that I respect.)
     
  4. RobbCD

    RobbCD New Member

    Canada has an order of honors. It also has the Queen.

    Order of Canada - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Lot's of Commonwealth countries have these kind of orders. Sir Peter Jackson (of Lord of the Rings movie fame) is a Knight Companion of the Order of New Zealand. The Commonwealth is swimming with these chivalric orders. It's not just the UK. Peter Jackson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
     
  5. ebbwvale

    ebbwvale Member

    I do not think that anybody anywhere has to be referred to by their title. It may be courtesy in some countries and on some occasions, but there would not be any punitive consequences for failure to do so.
    My feeble understanding of the titles conferred upon non Commonwealth members is that the title does not confer the right to be referred to as a Knight. Effectively, it is a Knighthood with no entitlement rights for the usual references such as "Sir".

    The Australian Honors list does not now include Knighthoods. If one wants to become a "Sir" with the entitlement to becalled "Sir" then you have get one the UK Honors List as the UK Citizen. The Queen is the Queen of different countries such as Australia, New Zealand etc. She has to abide by the honors list designated by the various countries. Some have kept Knighthoods and others not. I think New Zealand still has Knighthoods but I could be wrong there.
     
  6. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    No - apparently the specific kinds of knighthood bestowed on those not from countries with allegiance to the British sovereign, definitely do NOT carry the right to be called "Sir" or "Dame."

    This is, I think, at least to a fair degree, a British rule - certainly not specific only to US recipients. I think it's done this way because the "regular" Knighthood for Brits might require some show of allegiance to the Sovereign ... and Britain, of course, does not expect that from foreigners. So - only "honorary" knighthoods for Americans, or others not owing allegiance to the Queen.

    Dr. Douglas correctly pointed this "honorary" feature out and the websites I cited seem to be in complete agreement as to the nature of the awards to Americans - and the absence of "Sir" or "Dame" provisions. The possible reason I gave is my own thought - no research done.

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 6, 2013
  7. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Except (unlikely these days) social ostracism, perhaps. :jester: The etiquette books (does anybody still read them?) are full of the correct ways to address people. Dukes are "Your Grace," Archbishops are "Your Excellency" etc. - and so on, right down to "Waiter!"

    I "get" that many don't like this. Particularly (but by no means limited to) Americans. After all, they did win a war, back in 1775-83 :smile: I'm a very pompous, formal type of guy. I like this stuff. I know -- that's very annoying. :smile:

    BTW - I just read that books of the sort I mentioned are aimed at a specific audience - commoners, those not born into, or who have not married into "The System." For instance, his social inferiors are supposed to address a Duke as "Your Grace" while his equals may address him as "Duke." Interesting....

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 6, 2013
  8. That contradicts what RAM wrote above. I'd bet you would have a difficult time finding anyone who actually earned their doctorate willing to agree with your "fact".
     

Share This Page