Don (honorific)

Although originally a title reserved for royalty, select nobles, and church hierarchs, it is now often used as a mark of esteem for a person of personal, social or official distinction, such as a community leader of long standing, a person of significant wealth, or a noble, but may also be used ironically. As a style, rather than a title or rank, it is used with, rather than in place of, a person's name.

Syntactically, don and doña are used in a way similar to "mister" (señor) and "missus" (señora), but convey a higher degree of reverence, although not necessarily as high as knightly/noble titles such as "lord" and "dame". Unlike "The Honourable" in English, Don may be used when speaking directly to a person, and unlike "mister" it must be used with a given name. For example, "Don Diego de la Vega," or (abbreviating "señor") "Sr. Don Diego de la Vega," or simply "Don Diego" (the secret identity of Zorro) are typical forms. But a form like "Don de la Vega" is not correct and would never be used by Spanish speakers. "Señor de la Vega" should be used instead.

Today in the Spanish language, Doña is used to respectfully refer to a mature woman. Today in the Americas, the title Don or Doña is sometimes used in honorific form when addressing a senior citizen. In some countries, Don or Doña may be used as a generic honorific, similar to Sir and Madam in the United States.

It is used in English for certain Benedictine (including some communities which follow the Rule of St. Benedict) and Carthusian monks, and for members of certain communities of Canons Regular. Examples include Benedictine monks of the English Benedictine Congregation (e.g. Dom John Chapman, late Abbot of Downside). Since the Second Vatican Council, the title can be given to any monk (lay or ordained) who has made a solemn profession. The equivalent title for a nun is "Dame" (e.g. Dame Laurentia McLachlan, late Abbess of Stanbrook, or Dame Felicitas Corrigan, author).

As a varia, an article by Dom Aidan Bellenger about Buckfast Abbey was published on 2 June 2018 in The Tablet, Britain's leading Catholic journal. However, by editorial error the article was attributed to “Dominic Aidan Bellenger”.[2] It is not the only time that this former Abbot of Downside's honorific has been misconstrued.

Don is also a title given to fellows and tutors of a college or university, especially traditional collegiate universities such as Oxford and Cambridge in England.[3] Teachers at St. Peter's College, Radley, a boys-only boarding-only public school modelled after Oxford colleges of the early 19th century, are known to boys as "dons".

Like the don used for Roman Catholic priests, this usage derives from the Latin dominus, meaning "lord", a historical remnant of Oxford and Cambridge having started as ecclesiastical institutions in the Middle Ages. The earliest use of the word in this sense appears, according to the New English Dictionary, in Souths Sermons (1660). An English corruption, "dan", was in early use as a title of respect, equivalent to master. The particular literary application to poets is due to Edmund Spenser's use of "Dan Chaucer, well of English undefiled."[4]

At some universities in Canada, such as the University of King's College[5] and the University of New Brunswick,[6] a don is the senior head of a university residence. At these institutions, a don is typically a faculty member, staff member, or postgraduate student, whose responsibilities in the residence are primarily administrative. The don supervises their residence and a team of undergraduate resident assistants, proctors, or other student employees.

In other Canadian institutions, such as Huron College[7] and the University of Toronto,[8] a don is a resident assistant, typically an upper-year student paid a stipend to act as an advisor to and supervisor of the students in a university residence.

At Sarah Lawrence College, faculty advisors are referred to as "dons".[9] Dons meet regularly with students to plan a course of study.

The "Don" is also an official mascot of the athletic teams of the University of San Francisco[10] and Spanish Fork High School.[11]

In North America, Don has also been made popular by films depicting the Mafia, such as The Godfather series, where the crime boss is given by his associates the same signs of respect that were traditionally granted in Italy to nobility. However, the honorific followed by the last name (e.g. Don Corleone) would be used in Italy for priests only: the proper Italian respectful form is similar to the Castilian Spanish form in that it is applied only to the first name (e.g. "Don Vito"). This title has in turn been applied by the media to real-world Mafia figures, such as the nickname "Teflon Don" for John Gotti.

During the reign of King Juan Carlos of Spain from 1975 until his abdication as monarch on 19 June 2014, he was titled Su Majestad [S.M.] el Rey Juan Carlos (His Majesty King Juan Carlos). Following the abdication, Juan Carlos and his wife are titled, according to the Royal Household website, S.M. el Rey Don Juan Carlos (H.M. King Juan Carlos) and S.M. la Reina Doña Sofía (H.M. Queen Sofía)—the same as during his reign, with the honorific Don/Doña prefixed to the names. Juan Carlos' successor is S.M. el Rey Felipe VI.[14]

The honorific was also used among Ladino-speaking Sephardi Jews, as part of the Spanish culture which they took with them after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492.

The honorific title Don is widely used in the Americas. This is the case of the Mexican New Age author Don Miguel Ángel Ruiz,[15] the Chilean television personality Don Francisco,[16] and the Puerto Rican industrialist and politician Don Luis Ferré,[17] among many other figures. Although Puerto Rican politician Pedro Albizu Campos had a doctoral degree, he has been titled Don.[18] Likewise, Puerto Rican Governor Luis Muñoz Marín has often been called Don Luís Muñoz Marin instead of Governor Muñoz Marin.[19] In the same manner, Don Miguel Ángel Ruiz is an M.D.[20]Additionally the honorific is usually used with people of older age.

The same happens in other Latin American countries. For example, despite having a doctoral degree in Theology, the Paraguayan dictator José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia was usually styled as "Don". Likewise, despite being a respected military commander with the rank of Brigade General, Argentine Ruler Juan Manuel de Rosas was formally and informally styled "Don" as a more important title.

Prior to the American conquest of the Southwest, a number of Americans immigrated to California, where they often became Mexican citizens and changed their given names to Spanish equivalents, for example "Juan Temple" for Jonathan Temple.[21] It was common for them to assume the honorific "don" once they had attained a significant degree of distinction in the community.

In the Spanish Colonial Philippines, the honorific title was reserved to the nobility, the Datu[22] known as the Principalía,[23]^(p218) whose right to rule was recognised by Philip II on 11 June 1594. [24]^{(tit. VII, ley xvi)} Similar to Latin America, the title Don is considered highly honorific,[25] more so than academic titles such as "Doctor" political titles such as "Governor." and even titled knights with "Sir". Usage was retained during the American Colonisation. Although the traditional positions of the Principalía (e.g., Gobernadorcillo, Cabeza de Barangay, etc.) were replaced by American political positions such as Municipal President, etc.[26] But slowly, however, the practice faded after the World War II, as children of Principalía often did not carry on the title, and when the leaders were no longer appointed, but chosen through popular election. Prior to the electoral regime, which started in 1954,[27] the appointment of Mayors were done by the President of the Republic of the Philippines, pursuant to Commonwealth Act No. 158 amending Commonwealth Act No. 57. Section 8 of Commonwealth Act No. 158, as amended by Republic Act No. 276.[28]