# "Doctor", not "the doctor" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 20, 2020, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427 "2020-10-20T18:37:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/1 "2020-10-20T18:37:37Z")
I’ve noticed this at my dentist, at the vet, and at other medical offices. The support staff refers to the doctor as “doctor” rather than “the doctor”, as in “Let’s see what doctor has to say about that.” Is there some reason for this linguistic peculiarity? Is it region-specific? Can anyone enlighten me? ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/2 "2020-10-20T18:41:42Z")
Title becomes name. Same as in a kitchen, you wouldn’t say, “Let’s talk to the Chef.” you’d say, “Let’s talk to Chef.” ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/3 "2020-10-20T18:50:38Z")
They do that on the tv show “Call the Midwife.” It sounds so weird - but I assumed it was a British thing. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/4 "2020-10-20T18:53:49Z")
But, of course, on Doctor Who he (or she, now) is _always_ “The Doctor” ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/5 "2020-10-20T18:56:33Z")
I was just going to post that they do it to avoid confusing the dentist with David Tennant ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/6 "2020-10-20T18:58:34Z")
There is the (English?) nursery rhyme that goes, “I love little pussy, / Her coat is so warm” and not “I love the little pussy”. So it’s not restricted to professions. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/7 "2020-10-20T19:00:14Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Same as in a kitchen, you wouldn’t say, “Let’s talk to the Chef.” you’d say, “Let’s talk to Chef.” Uh, I would say "Let’s talk to the Chef.” Just like I would say: “Lets go see the doctor.” “Let’s go talk to the President about that issue.” “Let’s go to the dentist and see about that tooth.” “You need to go to the barber and get your hair cut.” ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/8 "2020-10-20T19:01:05Z")
If you were a patron in the dining room, sure. If you were a cook in the kitchen, no. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/9 "2020-10-20T19:07:56Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > “I love little pussy, / Her coat is so warm” and not “I love the little pussy”. So it’s not restricted to professions. I’ve known a professional pussy or two. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/10 "2020-10-20T19:16:39Z")
It might be region specific- but I feel like it might be more of an age/generational thing maybe. I remember hearing a lot of “Doctor” in the way you describe when I was a kid in the '60s and medical offices were very different than they are now. They had often had just one doctor and one nurse working in the office - and the nurse wasn’t a nurse practitioner. She ( and it was always a she) performed the functions now handled by receptionists and medical assistants and was the one who said “doctor” as if she was saying “God” . ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/11 "2020-10-20T19:20:14Z")
Nurses and doctors tend to do that with parents too. You’re in the ER with a little one and the nurse or doctor calls you “Mom” or “Dad” rather than “Mrs./Mr. X.” ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/12 "2020-10-20T19:22:48Z")
This seems like it might be related to the phenomenon with the definite article and institutions: You’re going to school (to study) You’re going to _the_ school (you are visiting the place for some other reason) I’m going to hospital (to be admitted as a patient) I’m going to _the_ hospital (to visit a relative who is ill) He’s going to prison (because he is a convict) He’s going to _the_ prison (he’s the chaplain) They went to church (to worship) They went to _the_ church (to steal the lead off the roof) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/13 "2020-10-20T19:42:45Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Title becomes name. > > Same as in a kitchen, you wouldn’t say, “Let’s talk to the Chef.” you’d say, “Let’s talk to Chef.” “Damn it, children! Why do you always ask me questions I’m not supposed to answer?” ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/14 "2020-10-20T20:01:29Z")
I’ve long noticed that people do this with “baby” too. I think it sounds very strange. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/15 "2020-10-20T20:44:14Z")
It’s weird as hell. It always sounds strange. The worst was a old friend that did that for his Mom. He would say “lets go talk to Mom”. Like everyone in the group didn’t have their own Mom. There are a lot of Moms and a lot of Doctors and a lot of Chefs. Maybe let’s go talk to my Mom or your Mom or the Doctor (that works in this office) or the Chef (at this restaurant). ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/16 "2020-10-20T21:11:38Z")
As the doctor’s patient, I usually greet him or her as Doctor. It’s “Hello, Doctor, how have you been?,” and it used to be followed by a handshake. I see it as a gesture of respect. The handshake is now obsolete. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/17 "2020-10-20T21:46:41Z")
As a generic American IME usage like “Let’s ask Doctor” (no “the”) is pretty random. Some offices do it, others don’t. But it does seem any given office is pretty consistent; the whole staff uses the same style. I don’t much care for it. I don’t see it as archaic; rather the opposite: I think I hear it more now than I did, e.g., 30 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/18 "2020-10-20T22:03:40Z")
“I want to see the doctor.” “Doctor will see you now” “Tell the chef that the potatoes are too salty.” “Chef says that if you don’t like his cooking, you can eat elsewhere.” “Tell your teacher that Mum says you don’t need to learn grammar.” “Teacher says that grammar doesn’t matter until it does…” It’s one of those grammar things where there is no definitive right or wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/19 "2020-10-20T22:12:18Z")
In short, you really have to work at it to get phrasing wrong in colloquial English. OTOH, for some people it’s the only work they’re good at. ---
**Author:** ![GrassFox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b19c9b/32.png) [@GrassFox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrassFox)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2020, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427/20 "2020-10-21T15:08:59Z")
At my Dentist office the Dentist wants to be called by his first name. I’ve never heard anyone refer to a dentist as doctor. Everyone just assumes he is a doctor. To me he is just Bob Smith D.D.S. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427.md?page=2)