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Profesora Doctora

English translation: Prof. Dr.

19:38 Dec 16, 2021
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Education / Pedagogy / Forms of address
Spanish term or phrase: Profesora Doctora
SPAIN. I'm translating an article and the author signs her name as "Prfa. Dra. Name, Surname, Surname"... which seems a bit overkill to me. Usually I'd either address the person as Professor (Prof.) or (Doctor (Dr.), but not both at the same time. So, my dilemma is, how should I translate this form of address into English?
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 15:19
English translation:Prof. Dr.
Explanation:

Since this is a translation, I would suggest to use both Professor and Doctor as in the title. This is common in other countries and the person might be offended if you take one title out of her signature.

As most people know, anyone who holds the title of “doctor” has achieved a Ph.D. in a certain field of study, but it can be interchangeable with professor. Of course, out of respect, some professors wish to be called doctor if they have achieved a doctorate degree.

https://cuchimes.com/11/2019/difference-between-titles-profe...

In the UK is it proper to address an academic professor with a PhD as Doctor?

So, in the UK, an academic whose title is ‘Dr’ is someone who’s got a PhD, but hasn’t been promoted to the highest academic grade, while an academic whose title is ‘Professor’ is someone who probably (but not necessarily) has a PhD, but who has been promoted to the highest grade on the university pay scale. Professorship therefore denotes seniority and status.

https://www.quora.com/In-the-UK-is-it-proper-to-address-an-a...
Selected response from:

Stuart and Aida Nelson
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:19
Grading comment
In the end I just left it as Prof. Dr., since it isn't really all that important. Thanks to everyone again for all the help, links and comments. And season's greetings to you all!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1Professor
philgoddard
4 +1Professor of X, Dr. XX
Barbara Cochran, MFA
3 +1Prof. Dr.
Stuart and Aida Nelson
Summary of reference entries provided
Refs.
Taña Dalglish

Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Professor


Explanation:
English just gives the highest qualification - most professors have doctorates anyway.

philgoddard
United States
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 259

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Marie Wilson
1 hr
neutral  Adrian MM.: This misses the point that Dr. is or used to be part of the name, included on passports, in countries like Germany + Austria. // That's odd, because a Dr.-stripped client threatened to sue my translation office in London for defamation + prof. neg.
3 hrs
  -> I'm not missing any point, thank you.
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35 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Prof. Dr.


Explanation:

Since this is a translation, I would suggest to use both Professor and Doctor as in the title. This is common in other countries and the person might be offended if you take one title out of her signature.

As most people know, anyone who holds the title of “doctor” has achieved a Ph.D. in a certain field of study, but it can be interchangeable with professor. Of course, out of respect, some professors wish to be called doctor if they have achieved a doctorate degree.

https://cuchimes.com/11/2019/difference-between-titles-profe...

In the UK is it proper to address an academic professor with a PhD as Doctor?

So, in the UK, an academic whose title is ‘Dr’ is someone who’s got a PhD, but hasn’t been promoted to the highest academic grade, while an academic whose title is ‘Professor’ is someone who probably (but not necessarily) has a PhD, but who has been promoted to the highest grade on the university pay scale. Professorship therefore denotes seniority and status.

https://www.quora.com/In-the-UK-is-it-proper-to-address-an-a...

Stuart and Aida Nelson
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:19
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
In the end I just left it as Prof. Dr., since it isn't really all that important. Thanks to everyone again for all the help, links and comments. And season's greetings to you all!
Notes to answerer
Asker: I'll probably just go with this in a literal translation, although I suspect she is just a lecturer with a doctorate, rather than a full professor.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Adrian MM.: a cousin of mine is both Prof. and Dr. in Vienna, both titles part of his name and appearing on his Austrian passport.
3 hrs
  -> Thank you, Adrian, your opinion is much appreciated.
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13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Professor of X, Dr. XX


Explanation:
Something like "Professor of Linguistics, Dr. X". or "Dr. X, Professor of Linguistics", if preferred, or of whatever her academic specialization or advanced degree is in. Don't know if it is any different in the UK, though.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 21 mins (2021-12-16 19:59:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Here is one example of someone whom I quoted in my most recent Italian-language paper, which I wrote on "lapsus linguae", in the Italian language :

https://smhs.gwu.edu/neuroscience/events/gwinspeech-and-hear...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 15 hrs (2021-12-17 11:30:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Well, then I would go with what someone suggested above, just "Dr."

Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 09:19
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 82
Notes to answerer
Asker: OK, but the problem is she hasn't specified what her degree or qualifications are. She simply signs off as "Profesora Doctora".


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Adrian MM.: I have an Austrian cousin who is Prof. Emeritus AM, Dr. of Operations Research + Actuarial Studies
3 hrs
  -> Thank you, Adrian. I have a couple of PhD-level relatives myself, but not Professors Emeriti!
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Reference comments


22 mins peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: Refs.

Reference information:
https://www.linguee.com/spanish-english/translation/profesor... (I don't use Linguee often as I do not find them particularly reliable)

External sources (not reviewed):
Susana Beltrán es **profesora doctora** de Derecho Internacional Público (UAB), acreditada en investigación (AQUCat) y PCD (ANECA). cidob.org
Susana Beltrán is a **Permanent Lecturer** in International Public Law (UAB) and an Accredited Lecturer in research (AQUCat) and PCD (ANECA). cidob.org

I agree with you that "Professor Doctor" seems to be overkill.
**Profesora doctora** en la Facultad de Ciencias Políticas y Sociología, Universidad Complutense, Madrid (España) metropolis-server.com
**Professor Doctor** at the Faculty of Political Sciences and Sociology, University of Complutense, Madrid (Spain) metropolis-server.com

Another option I saw was "Tenured Professor". Here:
Profesor Doctor Erimeier - Translation into English - Reverso https://context.reverso.net/translation/spanish-english/Prof...
Se mudó a la UCLA como profesora doctora de Matemáticas en 1987. She moved to UCLA as a tenured Professor of Mathematics in 1987.

Is Professor higher than Doctor?
It is widely accepted that the academic title of Professor is higher than a Doctor, given that the job title of professor is the highest academic position possible at a university. Remember that the Doctor title here refers specially to a PhD (or equivalent doctoral degree) holder and not a medical doctor.18 Aug 2020

Is it better to say professor or Doctor?
If someone is a Professor, i.e. that is their actual job title, rather than Lecturer or Reader, then you should never refer to them as Doctor. If you are going to address them formally as Title Surname, then the appropriate title is Professor. If they are not a Professor but have a PhD, then you can say Dr.

Is professor the highest degree?
'Dr' denotes someone who has studied for, and been awarded, a PhD, so it denotes an academic qualification: the holder of the highest university degree. ... 'Professor' doesn't denote a qualification but an academic staff grade – the most senior one.

Taña Dalglish
Jamaica
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 245
Note to reference poster
Asker: As you noted above, I usually prefer UK English to USA, because I come from the former. So, my translation will be in UK English, although information about the US system is always interesting.


Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  O G V: Hi, Taña, would it make sense to adapt it as “doctor teacher”? // muy bien, pero un doctor no tiene por qué ser profesor, y de alguna forma hay que decir que da clases y no es "professor"
7 hrs
  -> Thank you. As I said in the discussion box and I concur with Peter, IMO, Dr alone is fine for a UK audience, as well as a US audience, whichever is applicable./Hmm! I've seen "Tenured Professor" too//We still don't know 100% if UK or US applicable!
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