# Question re. titles

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-re-titles/144567>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 23, 2002, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-re-titles/144567 "2002-12-23T18:39:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![thedexter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@thedexter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thedexter)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-re-titles/144567/1 "2002-12-23T18:39:20Z")

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So, my question is: how can I acquire the title “Master”? Certainly there’s a myriad of ways, but I want to get it without having to be adopted by a British duke or become a GM rated by the Internationale Federation d’Echess.

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**Author:** ![mister\_me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@mister\_me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mister_me)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-re-titles/144567/2 "2002-12-23T18:50:15Z")

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hmmm… I could be wrong but I always thought that ‘Master’ was more of a term used (before the actual name) when addressing someone (male), to show respect.

I do not believe it is an awarded title.

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**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-re-titles/144567/3 "2002-12-23T18:58:33Z")

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I believe that male children are thus addressed.

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**Author:** ![Davebear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Davebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Davebear)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-re-titles/144567/4 "2002-12-23T19:10:38Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Nametag \*  
> \*\*I believe that male children are thus addressed. \*\*

Yes. Males are traditionally addressed as Master until, at some arbitrary point, they are awarded the title Mister.

So, all thedexter needs to do is remain 8 or so years old, forever. 😉

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**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-re-titles/144567/5 "2002-12-23T19:52:48Z")

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P.S. The word _re_ is not an abbreviation, but the Latin word for “in the matter of”.

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**Author:** ![NoGoodNamesLeft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@NoGoodNamesLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoGoodNamesLeft)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-re-titles/144567/6 "2002-12-23T20:00:53Z")

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Yes, my English Grandparents always sent cards addressed to “Master Coates”.

Basically, it’s just a juniour version of “Mister”.  
…unless you meant you wanted to become master, as in “Massa” in which case you’d have to travel back to turn of the century Alabama…

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**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-re-titles/144567/7 "2002-12-23T20:23:18Z")

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Ten bucks says thedexter’s last name is “Bater”.😉

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**Author:** ![don\_willard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@don\_willard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_willard)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-re-titles/144567/8 "2002-12-23T20:38:11Z")

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My grandmother, who was from Scotland, used to address cards to me as Master (myname) when I was a little boy. It was something they did back then in the good old days.