Sunday, July 8, 2007

PROF WHO?


When I was young (primary school age), I used to read Borneo Post, a Sarawak based paper as my mum (she’s a journalist) was one of its regular contributors then. I often read about the state’s politicians, such as Datuk Amar Sulaiman Daud, Datuk Amar James Wong, Datuk Amar Alfred Jabu & etc. I used to wonder why all these VIPs seem to have similar first names.

I guess that’s excusable (or forgivable) considering I was only 9 or 10. Recently, a friend of mine, L, was at the Radiology Department to look for a certain Professor (in Radiology), who reported the CT scan of her patient. The report stated that the CT films were read by Professor Madya so & so.

L asked a Radiology staff where she could find Professor Madya. Obviously the staff replied, “Which Professor Madya?” since there are so many Professor Madyas in the Department. It took L a while to realise that Madya is not the Professor’s first name, but part of the academic title. Can L be excused (or forgiven), you think?

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