Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

TYPES OF VOCATIVE

117

Names and titles

117a

Vocatives include various forms of people’s names and titles:

People’s names and titles

form

example

full first name

Laura, have you got a minute?

abbreviated first name

Can you give me a hand, 

Pete. (Peter)

nickname

Hi, 

Red. How are you? (to a red-haired man)

title plus family name

Mr Roberts, could I have a word with you?

title alone

Thank you, 

doctor.

228 | From discourse to social contexts

Cambridge Grammar of English

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Abbreviating first names

First names can be familiarised by abbreviating the name (often to a single

syllable) or by ending the name with an -ie or -y form. Among names created in

this way are:

The following abbreviated or ‘short’ forms are less transparent:

Degrees of formality

Using full, unabbreviated first names is more formal than using abbreviated forms.

Using full family names and family names with titles is more formal still,

indicating a greater social distance between speakers:

Now, 

Jennifer, you’ve passed the test. So well done … but we’d like you to do

just one part again.

May I introduce you? 

Professor Jackson, this is Martine, our new secretary.

Doctor Jones, there’s a telephone call for you on line 3.

Family-name-only vocative is rarely used among adults in British English, except

in strict institutional contexts, and generally only by a senior person addressing a

junior person (e.g. teacher to school student, army officer to subordinate,

employer to servant).

✪

The use of the academic titles doctor or professor as vocatives is not normal

without the family name of the individual:

Professor Smith, could I give you my essay?

(Professor, could I give you my essay?)

Doctor

can be used as a vocative without the family name only to a medical doctor:

Do you think it’s serious, 

doctor?

Some other titles of rank and profession can be used alone:

[radio interviewer interviewing a military general]

Now 

general, you have considerable experience of guerrilla warfare.

[addressing a Roman Catholic priest]

Father, can I buy a ticket for the charity dinner?

Catherine (Kate,

Katie, Kit, Kitty)

Deborah (Debbie,

Debs)

Dorothy (Dolly, Dot)

Edward (Ted, Teddie)

Elizabeth (Betty, Liz)

Geraldine (Gel)

Julie (Jules)

Richard (Dick, Rick,

Ricky)

Robert (Bob, Bobby)

Terence (Terry, Tel)

Anthony (Tony)

Antonia (Toni)

Devinder (Dev)

James (Jamie)

Jennifer (Jenny, Jen)

Judith (Jude, Judy)

Matthew (Matt,

Matty)

Michael (Mike, Mick,

Mickey)

Rajiv (Raj)

Susan (Sue, Susie)