Board 8 > Is "entitled" correct the way most people use it?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Like in things with titles, such as books or music. Like this:

"The next piece is entitled Symphony no 6 and was composed by Beethoven."

I've always been under the impression that that's incorrect, but i can't be sure. English majors help me out?

Correct as far as I know.

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i am sure people are entitled to use it however they wish.

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entitled past participle, past tense of en·ti·tle (Verb)
1. Give (someone) a legal right or a just claim to receive or do something.
2. Give (something, esp. a text or work of art) a particular title

So yeah, it's using the second definition.

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Any reason to suspect it's wrong?

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2. Give (something, esp. a text or work of art) a particular title

Yeah I was aware of this definition, but I was under the impression that only an author can entitle something. Like Beethoven can entitle his music "Symphony no 6" but when you're describing what the title is 200 years later, you would just say "titled" or "called" or whatever. Not the case?

Aren't you implying it that way when you say it though?

Obviously the title came from the creator, you're just leaving out the creator.

This next piece is entitled ______ (by so-and-so).

Either way, it's understood that way in common usage even if it's not exactly meant that way originally.

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ok, looked it up to clear my confusion.

http://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/agcomm/ontarget/0506/GrammarTraptitledvs.entitled.htm
http://www.dailywritingtips.com/titled-versus-entitled/
http://www.kirkmahoney.com/blog/2008/07/entitled-vs-titled/

so it is incorrect, but pretty much no one is aware of it. might be one of those things that has just slipped into our vocabulary and isn't leaving at this point.

it's kind of odd though, because people generally use "entitled" as a more sophisticated way to say "this thing is called." I really only hear entitled in academia. and if it's an incorrect usage, that's a little silly!

That seems needlessly complicated. The second link acts like the second definition doesn't even exist, and the other two say it means to give it a title OTHER than it's title... But the definition doesn't really say that. If anything, it sounds like they're adding on to the existing definition, which would make THAT the change.

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SEP Nash, Smelling Like the Vault since 1996
Step FOUR! Get Paid! http://img.imgcake.com/stevenashgifpu.gif

It's not incorrect terminology because it's used in the passive voice, and someone did infact entitle something with a title it at some point.

However, it is usually used with the incorrect tense. "Was entitled" or better yet "has been entitled" would be more accurate since "is entitled" technically means it is still being named as we speak.

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From: OmarsComin | #001
"The next piece is entitled Symphony no 6 and was composed by Beethoven."

This just sounds awkward.

Here's how it works:
The next piece is titled Symphony no 6
The next piece is entitled with the name Symphony no 6

Both of those sound good...

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_foolmo_
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what kev said works too

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_foolmo_
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