Ministry says 'ciao, dottore'

All Italian university graduates can legally claim the title "doctor", and many visitors to the country are surprised at being addressed as " dottore " by everyone from business contacts to hotel porters and lavatory attendants. But the country's love affair with this academic courtesy may soon be over.

By law, a university graduate is a doctor of political science, philosophy or whatever field he or she studied. Even the humblest university researcher is addressed as " professore ", as are schoolteachers, including physical education instructors.

To be greeted as " dottore " it is usually enough to be male, over 35 and wearing a tie. To be "well spoken" is not essential. Women are universally addressed as " signora ", no matter how well educated they are, and possibly " contessa " if no longer young and wearing a heavy signet-ring.

The agency of the imminent change is a commission of the university ministry. Along with the reform of university degrees in line with the Bolgona process, the commission is reviewing relations with professional registers.

It has proposed abolishing the title for all except physicians and holders of research doctorates. This, the commission argues, will bring Italy into line with European practice.

It may be some time, however, before any decent Italian male finally loses the distinction of being addressed as " dottore ".

"This is a term that will not die easily," said Michele Cortelazzo, professor of history of the Italian language at Padua University. "People choose words for their communicative efficacy, and dottore is firmly in everyday common usage."