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Italian honorifics

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These are some of the honorifics used in Italy.

Nobility

As part of the republican constitution that became effective in Italy on 1 January 1948, titles of nobility ceased to be recognized in law (although they were not, strictly, abolished or banned), and the organ of state which had regulated them, the Consulta Araldica, was eliminated.[1] However the so-called predicati — territorial or manorial designations that were often connected to a noble title by use of a nobiliary particle such as di, da, della, dei, could be resumed as part of the legal surname upon judicial approval for persons who possessed it prior to 28 October 1922 (date of Italian fascism's accession to power).[2] In practice, this meant that, e.g., "John Doe, Duke of Somewhere" or "Princess Jane of Kingdom" might become "John Doe di Somewhere" or "Jane della Kingdom", respectively. Nonetheless, titles are often still used unofficially in villages, private clubs and some social sets. Signore and Signora (formerly signifying landed nobility) are translations of "Sir" and "Lady", used also in the military hierarchy and for persons in official positions or for members of a society's elite. A few titles are also common in diminutive form as terms of affection for young people (e.g. Principino for "Princekin" or Contessina for "the Little Countess").

  • Re (King) / Regina (Queen)
  • Principe (Prince) / Principessa (Princess)
  • Duca (Duke) / Duchessa (Duchess)
  • Marchese (Marquis) / Marchesa (Marchioness)
  • Conte (Count or Earl) / Contessa (Countess)
  • Visconte (Viscount) / Viscontessa (Viscountess)
  • Barone (Baron) / Baronessa (Baroness)
  • Coscritto (Select) no female equivalent
  • Patrizio (Patrician) no female equivlaent
  • Nobiluomo – n.h./n.u. (Nobleman) / Nobildonna – n.d. (Noblewoman)
  • Cavaliere Ereditario (Baronet) no female equivalent[3]

State honorifics

The President of the Republic can give “honours of the Republic”. These are:

  • Medals (Gold, Silver, Bronze) to persons or entity for merit or valor
  • Knighthood (Cavaliere di Gran Croce, Grande Ufficiale, Commendatore – comm., Cavaliere Ufficiale – cav. uff., Cavaliere – cav.) of five Orders (Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana, Ordine Militare d’Italia, Ordine al Merito del Lavoro, Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana, Ordine di Vittorio Veneto)
    • Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana (Order to the Merit of the Italian Republic) is for persons who have a particular merit in regard to the Nation
    • Ordine Militare d’Italia (Militar Order of Italy): it has the objective to reward the actions done by unities of the Armed Forces or by only soldiers, demonstrating skilfulness, responsibility and valor. The title can be given also to the memory of a death person
    • Ordine al Merito del Lavoro (Order to the Merit of the Work): on purpose of the Prime Minister or on motu proprio, the President of the Republic give this title (only in the degree of Cavaliere – cav. del lav.) to persons who have worked with skilfulness, contributing to the develop of the Nation and to a better status to the workers
    • Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana (Order of the Star of the Italian Solidarity)
    • Ordine di Vittorio Veneto (Order of Vittorio Veneto) for the Italian soldiers in the First World War

See Italian orders of merit for further details.

State rules

  • Presidente – pres. (President): used for the President of the Republic, or for the President of the Senate, of the Chamber of Deputies, of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister), of the Constitutional Court, of a Region Council, for Judges president of a Court
  • Presidente emerito – pres. em. (Emeritus President): used for ex President of the Republic
  • Senatore – sen. (Senator): some are for life (ex Presidents of the Republic and persons who glorified the Country)
  • Onorevole deputato – on. (Honourable Member of the Chamber of Deputies)
  • Ministro – min. (Minister)
  • Giudice (Judge)
  • Console – cons. (Consul)
  • others

Work

  • Dottore – dott. (Doctor; in Italy it is used for any person holding an academic title, something which confuses foreigners; the title is also used to address mature people with deference)
  • Maestro / Maestra (teacher or expert artisan or musician)
    • Mastro (archaic for artisans)
  • Professore – prof. / Professoressa – prof.ssa (Professor, usually used for university teachers, and high school teachers)
    • Full professors in the university are most formally addressed as Chiarissimo Professor (Chiar.mo Prof.), derived from Latin clarus which meant famed

Academic degree

  • High school degrees:
    • Ragioniere – rag. (degree in business economics)
    • Geometra – geom. (degree in land surveying and basic constructions techniques)
    • Perito – per. (degree of technical extraction in a specific branch, such as chemistry or mechanics)
    • Maestro / Maestra (degree from a music conservatory or sociopsychopedagogical lyceum)
  • University degrees:
    • Dottore – dott. (all people holding a laurea degree, correspondent to a Bachelor Degree)
    • Avvocato – avv. (Lawyer, a laurea specialistica in law and a state-exam are both required)
    • Ingegnere – ing. (Engineer, a laurea specialistica in engineering and a state-exam are both required)
    • Architetto – arch. (Architect, a laurea specialistica in architecture and a state-exam are both required)
    • Dottore di Ricerca (holder of a Ph.D., literally "Doctor of Research")

Roman Catholic Church hierarchy

Besides normal titles, there are some words that are strictly Italian:

  • don (Father) - more a form of address than a title as such, don comes from a medieval styling for very esteemed persons, it is a colloquial form of Dominus - the Latin for Lord, Sir. It is still used, rarely, for the leading or wealthiest citizens in some areas (as in some parts of Spain and Latin America, and also for mafia bosses.
  • prevosto: name used in northern Italy for important parish priests.
  • arciprete: archpriest usually used for the senior priest - parish priest of the senior parish - in an important or significant town that is not a Bishop's seat, i.e. not the centre of a diocese.
  • curato: parish priest of the countryside.
  • canonico: canon - the senior priests attached to the cathedral, with some additional responsibilities there.

Military hierarchy

Style for letters

Excluding special titles or antique versions, in Italy that is the manner of address in letters:

  • to men: Egregio signor – Egr. sig. (Eminent mister / Esq.)
  • to women: Gentile signora – Gentile sig.ra (Gentle mrs / Esq.)
  • to agencies: Spettabile ... – Spett.le ... (Esteemed ... / Messrs)

References

  1. ^ "Governo Italiano". La Costituzione della Repubblica Italiana:Disposizioni Transitorie e Finali §XIV (in Italian). Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri. Retrieved 2006-12-04. I titoli nobiliari non sono riconosciuti. I predicati di quelli esistenti prima del 28 ottobre 1922 valgono come parte del nome. l'Ordine mauriziano è conservato come ente ospedaliero e funziona nei modi stabiliti dalla legge. La legge regola la soppressione della Consulta araldica.
  2. ^ "Regalis". Italian Titles of Nobility. Louis Mendola. Retrieved 2006-12-04. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  3. ^ "Regalis". Italian Titles of Nobility. Louis Mendola. Retrieved 2006-12-04. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)

See also

External links

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