Germans like their structure and their order and names are not exempt.
Don’t even consider jaywalking, but that’s another post.
This post we’re gonna focus on titles in German.
I don’t mean titles of books or movies, but titles for people, Mr., Mrs., Dr. and such.
Herr Professor Doktor
When I was taking German in college, my English professor was also a German student.
The day we had learned about the importance of titles in German, he was so excited that his name was now Herr (hair) Professor Doktor Bruhn. He even implemented this title in our English class and made me explain why to all my classmates.
The titles signify all their education and their importance. The titles go from least important to most important.
For example, while I am not a professor nor a doctor, my official title would be Frau (frow) Bachmann. I am Mrs. Bachmann.
The formality of this title seems unusual for us Americans, who often call teachers by their first names or nicknames.
I was Mrs. B. when I worked with kindergartners.
Proper names and proper titles are important to German culture.
Now it could get confusing with my in-laws because my mother-in-law is Frau Bachmann, my husband’s Oma is Frau Bachmann, and two of my sister-in-laws are also Frau Bachmann (so 5 of us total!)
This level of formality is less likely to occur in family events since we all call each other by first names. It is fun to go out to restaurants though.
Brief overview of common titles
We have established that Herr (pronounced like hair) is Mr. and Frau (pronounced like frow) is Mrs.
The Germans often lump miss, unmarried, and Ms,. also unmarried or not wanting to share as Fraulein (froy-line). Even if you are unmarried at 60 years old, you are a Fraulein.
The other titles come from degrees or jobs that you have earned, like Professor or Doktor.
Not all the titles are used at the same time. Dr. Bruhn liked to use all of them in the German class because it was fun. Otherwise he would be known as Dr Bruhn.
All the titles are really only used in a formal setting similar to one where you have to use your middle name. You only hear your middle name on legal paperwork, when you’re in trouble with your mom, or other formal settings.
