Abused word

And being a member of a relevant professional body does not, in itself, make you Chartered.

Even then you can call yourself a Chartered Electrical Engineer without paying the Engineering Council fees.

In article <XnsAA4076B379586TrainJPlantntlworldc@81.171.92.236>, DerbyBorn snipped-for-privacy@Nearhome.com writes

I think you're fighting a losing battle there.

In article snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk>, "Dave Plowman (News)" snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk> writes

Well over there an engineer drives a steam train. And anything they say eventually gets copied over here - as in upcoming.

This was very noticeable when I worked at CERN. The German techs in the physics groups were very formal with their German physicist bosses, in a way that did not happen for the other nationalities.

I've got a certificate of education.

Several actually.

General ones, at O level :-)

Owain

I and many other "Engineers" would agree. BUT The title engineer isnt protected and more to the point common UK usage of the word means any attempt to change the present status is a lost cause.

I got up early on sunday to watch the London marathin does that make me an athlete. Could I apply for celebrity masterchef ? People can call themselves whatever they like, dosnlt make it true though.

RIBA may well be the snitch but it's the ARB that prosecutes

"Engineer" is like many others terms (such as "accountant" and "lawyer") which can be used freely. On the other hand words which connote membership of a /regulated/ profession cannot: eg "chartered account", "solicitor", "barrister", "chartered engineer". And it is membership rather than just passing exams that decides. Hence eg solicitors who are "struck of the roll" can no longer lawfully call themselves solicitors.

The distinction probably ought to be taught at school.

In most countries the title Doctor is reserved for people with a doctorate i.e. a research based qualification. In France, for example, what we would call a doctor is "un medecin".

Another Dave

That's an interesting one. I'm a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the IET, but I stopped paying anything to the Engineering Council and IET several years ago. I still put CEng FIET with the other stuff after my name when it might matter (but this is virtually never, these days) - I'm probably breaking some dreadful rule, but most rules are generally for the guidance of wise men ...

When I was very young I thought that a person who worked in an office was called an officer.

I don't think "Chartered Electrical Engineer" the correct designation. I think you would be an electrical engineer who is a chartered engineer. (I think that's right. My father was one. He was an AMIEE - an Associate Member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers.)

And as for solicitors...

Cheers

Hmm, well suddenly back in the 1970s my Father became a TV Engineer when he had been a technetium. Why? So he got more money. It was all to do with the union. His job did not change he still worked at the factory fixing faulty production units and occasionally visiting the supply chain on the shop floor to check if it was a persistent error or just a mistake. Of course what did change over the years was outsourcing. Gone were the days of winding your own coils, you got a contractor to do that, and etc etc. Brian

OK that is it, No more blind, I am now a tactile imaging consultant! Brian

True, but is there a separate word which is the courtesy title given to medical doctors as opposed to PhDs? Or do medical doctors not have a courtesy title in France - are they just plain Monsieur, Madame, Mademoiselle or Ms (assuming they don't have a PhD doctorate, of course)?

It always seemed perverse that surgeons start out as Mr, study at medical school and become Dr, then study to be a surgeon and revert to Mr ;-) And similarly for women: Miss/Ms/Mrs -> Dr -> Miss/Ms/Mrs.

I bet he was "in his element" as a technetium. I think your voice recognition software has confused technician with the chemical element technetium ;-)