nun

[jokaec1]

If someone is not a catholic, can he/she call the nun Teresa "Mother Teresa" or just "Nun Teresa"?

 

[Raymott]

Yes, there are Buddhist and Hindu nuns, but they probably wouldn't be called 'Mother Teresa'. I don't think there are Protestant nuns, or Islamic nuns.
A nun is typically called 'Sister Someone', unless she's the head of an order.

nun[SUP] 1[/SUP]

n.A woman who belongs to a religious order or congregation devoted to active service or meditation, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/nun

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nun
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monasticism

PS: I might have answered the wrong question. Of course a non-Catholic can call Mother Teresa, "Mother Teresa".

 

[jokaec1]

So, a buddhist or protestant can call Mother Teresa "nun Teresa", right?

 

[Rover_KE]

They would call her 'Mother (not 'nun') Teresa'.

 

[emsr2d2]

Remember to capitalise religions: Catholic; Buddhist; Protestant; Muslim; Christian etc.

 

[Eckaslike]

In my experience, we use people's proper titles, or English versions them, regardless of our own religion or lack of it:

So, "Mother Teresa" already has a title which exists in English so we would not change it. Therefore, in English, you would always refer to her as "Mother Teresa". This would nearly always override what any literal translation of a person's title might be from your own language into English.

In standard usage, it would probably be seen as an insult to the person, group, or country, to use a non-standard English form. Using a non-standard form may be interpreted to mean that you had some form of agenda against them, for whatever reason.

 

[Olympian]

**** I am not a teacher ****

Jokaec1, everyone in India calls her "Mother Teresa" and most people in India are not Catholics. ;-)

If you don't mind, I have a question regarding why you had this question. I mean, I am trying to understand if it has anything to do with the way Chinese people use titles and address others. Please correct me if I am wrong in the following:
A Chinese worker/employee will address his/her manager as "Manager Wang" (for example), but a person who is not an employee in that office will simply address the manager as "Mr Wang" (not as "Manager Wang"). So I am guessing that you are perhaps thinking that if a person is a Catholic, (i.e, similar to the analogy of an employee above), then s/he should address Mother Teresa as "Mother Teresa", but if a person is not a Catholic (similar the analogy of a non-employee calling someone "Mr Wang" and not "Manager Wang") then they should address her as "Nun Teresa". Is that how you came up with the question?

As others have already explained above, she is called "Mother Teresa". The work she has done for the downtrodden here would make people call her as "Mother", regardless of her formal title as a Catholic.

 

[Raymott]

The work she has done for the downtrodden here would make people call her as "Mother", regardless of her formal title as a Catholic.

Are you sure? You live in India, so you might be right.
But 'Mother' is a formal term in the Catholic Church, not a term given by the people. Do you know nuns who are called "Mother" when they are officially only Sisters, and not heads of convents, etc? I think it would be impious for such a nun to allow herself to be called "Mother".


5. Roman Catholic Churcha. A mother superior.
b. Used as a form of address for such a woman.

[h=2]mother superior[/h]n. pl. mothers superior or mother superiorsA woman in charge of a religious community of women.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mother

 

[Eckaslike]

Duplicate post removed.

 

[Eckaslike]

Are you sure? You live in India, so you might be right.
But 'Mother' is a formal term in the Catholic Church, not a term given by the people. Do you know nuns who are called "Mother" when they are officially only Sisters, and not heads of convents, etc? I think it would be impious for such a nun to allow herself to be called "Mother".


5. Roman Catholic Churcha. A mother superior.
b. Used as a form of address for such a woman.

mother superior

n. pl. mothers superior or mother superiorsA woman in charge of a religious community of women.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mother

Raymott,

From memory, I think that Olympian's meaning may be, that in India someone might be given the additional title "Mother" if they have done great deeds to help the poor, sick, destitute etc., regardless of their usual title. He is meaning that in India she is regarded as "Mother" [official title] + "Mother" [title given to her by the people], simply doubly reinforcing the fact her title is "Mother Teresa".

Olympian, please correct me if I am wrong. Raymott, just trying to explain what I think Olympian may be meaning rather than challenging what you have said, which is right.

 

[jokaec1]

**** I am not a teacher ****

Jokaec1, everyone in India calls her "Mother Teresa" and most people in India are not Catholics. ;-)

If you don't mind, I have a question regarding why you had this question. I mean, I am trying to understand if it has anything to do with the way Chinese people use titles and address others. Please correct me if I am wrong in the following:
A Chinese worker/employee will address his/her manager as "Manager Wang" (for example), but a person who is not an employee in that office will simply address the manager as "Mr Wang" (not as "Manager Wang"). So I am guessing that you are perhaps thinking that if a person is a Catholic, (i.e, similar to the analogy of an employee above), then s/he should address Mother Teresa as "Mother Teresa", but if a person is not a Catholic (similar the analogy of a non-employee calling someone "Mr Wang" and not "Manager Wang") then they should address her as "Nun Teresa". Is that how you came up with the question?

As others have already explained above, she is called "Mother Teresa". The work she has done for the downtrodden here would make people call her as "Mother", regardless of her formal title as a Catholic.

Sorry for late response. Actually in China, if a perpson has a title like manager, no matter in the office or outside, he will called 'Manager xxx' because of respection.
For 'Mother Teresa, she is a special case. She did a lot of good things for others, especially for poor people and kids, so some of other religious believers think she deserves to use 'mother' title. But I think not all other Catholic leaders given 'mother' or 'father' titles by Roman Catholic churcha will be addressed as same titles by the other religous believers. Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[tedmc]

Sorry for the late response. Actually, in China, if a per[STRIKE]p[/STRIKE]son has a title like 'manager', no matter in the office or outside, he will be called 'Manager xxx' because(out of) of respect[STRIKE]ion[/STRIKE].

[STRIKE]For[/STRIKE] 'Mother Teresa (,) [STRIKE]she[/STRIKE] is a special case. She [STRIKE]did[/STRIKE] has done a lot of good things for others, especially for poor people and kids, so some of other religious believers think she deserves to use the 'mother' title. But I think not all other Catholic leaders given 'mother' or 'father' titles by Roman Catholic church[STRIKE]a[/STRIKE] will be addressed [STRIKE]as[/STRIKE] the same titles by the other religious believers. Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Olympian]

Raymott,

From memory, I think that Olympian's meaning may be, that in India someone might be given the additional title "Mother" if they have done great deeds to help the poor, sick, destitute etc., regardless of their usual title. He is meaning that in India she is regarded as "Mother" [official title] + "Mother" [title given to her by the people], simply doubly reinforcing the fact her title is "Mother Teresa".

Olympian, please correct me if I am wrong. Raymott, just trying to explain what I think Olympian may be meaning rather than challenging what you have said, which is right.

Eckaslike, as David Letterman would say, "You have crystallized my thoughts eloquently." :up:

Raymott, women who are spiritual teachers/leaders (whether nuns or not), are called "Ma" (maa) or "Mata " (maa-taa) along with their name. The "Ma" can come before or after the name. I think most (non-Christian) people here may be unaware that the "Mother" in "Mother Teresa" is a formal title. Because of such reverence, people may bow down and touch Mother Teresa's feet (regardless of the fact that such practice does not exist in Christian traditions), and some may even put their head at/on her feet, either by kneeling or prostrating. That is the Indian custom. While some people, especially Westerners may find it repugnant, it goes beyond mere symbolic meaning of deep respect. But I won't bore you with that. I would like to mention from a language and culture perspective that the Chinese also call their mothers "ma" or "mama", much like some English-speakers might do. Also, the Chinese culture has a similar custom. In English, the word is spelled as "kowtow", and involves touching the head on the ground. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kowtow

 

[Raymott]

But I think not all other Catholic leaders given 'Mother' or 'Father' titles by Roman Catholic churcha will be addressed as same titles by the other religous believers. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Titles are capitalized in English.

It's usually done when you want to be respectful. It's generally equivalent to someone being called Doctor X or General Y. Such titles are usually followed in English-speaking societies. If you call such a person Mr or Ms, you could be taken to be protesting against academia or the military or the church.
Also, Catholics have no problem (usually) calling people Imam W, or Ayatollah K, etc. if that's their title. It doesn't mean you have to ascribe to their beliefs. It's a name. But if you don't want to be respectful, you can call people what you like.