The question of titles

The proliferation and inappropriate use of titles in Ethiopia was the topic of a series of discussions the Ethiopian Writers Association started this Thursday. The interior of the Blue Nile Book Store, adorned with books neatly arranged on shelves lining the walls, seemed the perfect setting for the association of writers to bring up the issue.

"The dean has decided that Student Elfneh's case be closed on the grounds that ..." (from a bulletin board in a college)

"A year later, Pastoralist Settler Elfneh drove his cattle to ..."
"... abstract paintings by Artist Elfneh ..."
"A collection of poems by Artist Elfneh..."
"Poet Critique Artist Elfneh ..."
"Engineer Elfneh, Carpenter Elfneh, Janitor...

Everyone has a name signifying their trade, academic status or achievement. One who goes to school is a student. Another, who instructs the student, is a teacher or a lecturer, an assistant lecturer, a graduate assistant.

The award organization founded by Emperor Haile-Selassie, now under the present government, awards honorary doctorates and a sum of money to professionals who excel in their fields. And the Addis Ababa University has conferred honorary doctorate upon Kebede Michael, the poet, Haddis Alemayehu, the author, and Tilahun Gesese, the singer.

However, these people have never introduced themselves as Author So and So or Playwright So and So.

In the field of art there are professional and honorary tittles conferred upon individuals by international award organizations like Nobel and Pulitzer.

The discussion of Writers Association on Thursday focused on such words as author, choreographer, composer, translator, film producer, actor, poet, vocalist, cartoonist, humorist, poet, journalist, playwright, artist, and critique prefixed to names of individuals as if these were titles.

Blurbs and comments on the back cover of books are sometimes signed as Author-Translator-Peace Ambassador So and So, or Playwright-Producer-Actor So and So. It has become common to see scripts submitted to the Writers Association for evaluation come with such lengthy titles. However, the scripts usually turn out to be the first ever for the writer.

Abere, from the Association, pointed out that the Ethiopian media had been using the English word 'artist' indiscriminately as title for writers, painters, poets, sculptors, singers and so on, whereas Amharic radios transmitted from Germany (the DW) and USA (the VOA) use the proper Amharic words for each form of art and the professional who practices it. “Has the Amharic language migrated with a few Ethiopians to Europe and USA?” he wondered.

Media personnel here, both print and electronic, have influenced the public in the use of the word "artist". But the media are also influenced by the painter, poet or the "artist" they interview.

Some individuals introduce themselves as Artist X and insist the title always be attached to their name on all media. This is very true, especially in Ethiopia. This writer has encountered people who made phone calls to the office to complain because titles were not prefixed to their names. And it was not for titles like Dr. or Professor but "engineer" and "artist".

Sisay Negusu, author of Amharic novels like “Sememen” and “Yeknat Zar” said during the discussion that an individual's ego was usually at the root of insistence for the use or misuse of titles.

John Travolta is a pilot by profession and an actor by career. Western media however do not dub him "Pilot-Actor Travolta" but simply refer to him as Travolta, the actor, only a noun phrase set off by commas.

A person's profession, one in which they earned a certificate and their career, may not always match. For example, an eye specialist may work as a counselor in a humanitarian organization. Then, would such a person be called Counselor So and So?

Sisay says that no one needs to be a title monger. The quality of a person's work, when it stands the test of time and the judgment of the audience, will earn him the respect that no honorary title can bring. Behold Shakespeare, Michael Angelo. Emily Dickinson, Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky and other notable writers. "We do not refer to any of these great writers by a title. Yet, we respect them for their timeless works."

If titles have to do with profession, then from guard and janitor to manager all names of trade are going to become titles.

In the Amharic language, most words that qualify persons according to their profession are adjectives derived from verbs whereas their English equivalents are not. The English words singer, lyricist, poet are all nouns. The problem, as pointed out by one of the participants at the discussion, arose mainly because of mass failure to distinguish between ordinary Amharic adjectives and honorary titles. 

In his closing remark Getachew Belete, the president of Writers Association, said that the discussion had only begun. It would continue at the Association's hall and deliberate on the issue in depth and detail until it is settled once and for all.