From Mr R. Dingli
I refer to Daphne Caruana Galizia’s opinion piece in The Malta Independent on Sunday (11 February).
Daphne makes a rather bold statement that the term Madam Chairman is correct and by implication chairperson is not. Daphne does not elaborate on this statement. She fails to tell us why she believes this is correct. She fails to make reference to any salutation conventions. So is this correct just because Daphne thinks so? Where is the evidence?
In one sentence she states that the use of chairperson has more to do with ignorance rather than feminism. In another sentence she alludes to the fact that the word chairperson is “only for those who would have the plumbers... go down a personhole (sic)”.
My view is that unless there are written agreed conventions on such matters then it is a matter for the person holding the position.
I have attempted to look up salutation conventions on Google. Some interesting facts have emerged. In the “Catholic Women’s League of Canada” publication, the word chairperson appears on numerous occasions. The word chairperson is used to refer to a position rather than a specific individual. See http://www.cwl.ca/supplies&forms/Secretary%20Handbook.pdf
On another website, Kathryn D. Brown, the chairperson of the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency directs that anyone addressing her does so as chairperson – see http://www.ccadp.org/joseamayaruiz.htm
The Human Rights Commissioner for Sri Lanka prefers to be addressed as chairperson rather than chairman. The person currently holding that position is an adult male. See http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/116/
It seems to me after doing some research (it took all of 10 minutes), the conclusion is that there is no strict convention although it could be argued that the person holding the position has a right to determine how they will be addressed is in fact the convention.
So there you have it – all methods of salutation are correct only if the person being addressed deems it to be so. I doubt that those who would have the plumbers go down the manholes would like to be called chairpersons.
Raphael Dingli
WATSON
AUSTRALIA