Kenni,

Oh, I really don't think that these are "joking pleasantries" at least the
people I have met in European countries (especially Austria) who would thus
misapply the title to the spouse were quite serious people and not joking at
the time -- I think in some European countries, among some people or some
classes, the importance attached to titles in an informal way as a social
status symbol is quite astounding to those who have not encountered it
before, and this is something that is very different than in the U.S..
However you are right that "Mrs. Professor" would definitely not include
this on her resume, indeed a woman thus addressed would be unlikely to talk
about herself in a similar fashion (unless _she_ was joking). And I think
such titles are not applied to sisters, just to spouses most of the time --
but as the ridiculous but true example of the 3-year old addressed as
Professor shows, there are times when the titles are misapplied further
beyond the spouse, but I think that is fairly rare, whereas the
misapplication of titles to spouse is fairly common.

Joanna

"Kenni Judd" wrote in message
...
Joanna: I think/hope that the usages you mention are just joking
pleasantries, and that "Mrs. Professor" wouldn't include her husband's
degree if she were to prepare something like a resume or job application
for
herself, to publish or to submit to a potential employer.

Also, in the example, Betty was Albert's sister, not child or spouse.
Although I'm not sure that would make a difference in the conversations
you
describe. Kenni

"J Fortuna" wrote in message
news:3Wlhf.3510$Qs2.1889@trnddc03...

"Kenni Judd" wrote in message
...
snip
Much like the Smith family mentioned above. Just because Albert Smith
gets
a Ph.D, that doesn't mean his sister Betty Smith gets to call herself
"Doctor". G.

Kenni,

Unless the Smith family lives in Austria, and they encounter someone
like
the Austrian swimming instructor of friends of my family, who would
always
call their 3-year old son Dr. SoAndSo because his father had a P.h.D.
:-)
While that is a silly extreme, some titles that technically should not
apply
to spouses get applied nonetheless, a lot of wives of college professors
get
called Mrs. Professor, at least in many European countries they do. I
guess
orchid nomenclature is a bit more consistent on that point, an award
given
to a seed parent of a hybrid is not applied by association to the pollen
parent. :-)

Joanna