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Really now, what is an Esquire? Are any of you esquires?

post #1 of 32
6/29/10 at 3:41am
Thread Starter 
One of my uncles on the English side of my family always signs his emails "xxxxx, Esq., BSc, ARCS, CPhys, MInstP." Is an being Esquire something you just make up and give to yourself to be extremely pretentious? Sincerely, Buttons Mittnish, Sr. Esq.
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post #2 of 32
6/29/10 at 3:49am
Traditionally in the UK it meant whilst you didn't have a title you were a gentleman, presumably coming from the earlier title "squire" which was a minor landowner/supporter of a more serious titled individual although I could be making that last part up. In the order of things, if I remember correctly, it is one down from Honorable (hon.) which means closely related to someone titled but without your own, and one up from Mr. which means you are at least not a commoner. Criteria for being called Esq. include graduating from one of the "great" universities, owning more than a certain amount of land or not having to work for an income. Now pretty much any bank that wants your custom will address you in letters as esquire and it doesn't mean a whole lot of anything. Singing your emails Esq. is probably pretty stupid. Those people I know who actually have titles certainly wouldn't put them in an email to family members or friends. In the US I think some lawyers call themselves esquire. Yours, Young Scientist Esq., Bsc (Hons) stan, AMRI
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post #3 of 32
6/29/10 at 4:00am
I've never seen that before, although I have seen knighted "Sir"s and even a "Count". The example you provided just screams pretentiousness. I certainly hope he has the Bespoke and Patek to go along with his alphabet soup honorifics.
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post #4 of 32
6/29/10 at 4:02am
Thread Starter 
Well I guess he did graduate from a "Great" university. About being pretentious, all I can say is that he's extremely, extremely English, and my father's side of the family is just not very normal.
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post #5 of 32
6/29/10 at 4:06am
you mean like, Bill S. Preston Esq.?
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post #6 of 32
6/29/10 at 4:07am
The "Great" universities as included in the definition are oxford and cambridge but even if he did go to one of them Esq. is meaningless really, but also harmless, so whatever tickles his fancy.
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post #7 of 32
6/29/10 at 4:12am
As far as I'm aware is simply denotes an untitled gentleman. A commoner is Mr, but someone of higher social status (often one who is expected to obtain a title in the future) is referred to as Esquire. I have to sign legal documents as .esq as I will one day inherit my fathers title of Lord. To be honest I wouldn't use Esquire outside the most formal of communications, and to bequeath it upon ones self if rather pretentious.
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post #8 of 32
6/29/10 at 9:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackhood View Post
As far as I'm aware is simply denotes an untitled gentleman. A commoner is Mr, but someone of higher social status (often one who is expected to obtain a title in the future) is referred to as Esquire. I have to sign legal documents as .esq as I will one day inherit my fathers title of Lord. To be honest I wouldn't use Esquire outside the most formal of communications, and to bequeath it upon ones self if rather pretentious.
Plz adopt me so that I may be a Lord.
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post #9 of 32
6/29/10 at 10:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Connemara View Post
Plz adopt me so that I may be a Lord.

Lord Fancypants
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post #10 of 32
6/29/10 at 10:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eason View Post
Is an being Esquire something you just make up and give to yourself to be extremely pretentious?

It's not a formal title in the US. I use it as an attorney because it makes me sound more important than I really am. If you use it and are not an attorney you won't go to jail, but it can be used as evidence that you are practicing law without a license. A disbarred attorney around here continued to use the .esq after his name and continued to give out legal advice. He was successfully prosecuted for that crime and his use of .esq was used as evidence that he was intentionally deceiving people about his license status.
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post #11 of 32
6/29/10 at 10:46am
If you want to get some great titles without having to work for them I fully endorse the Universal Life Church. You can become a Minister for free, and if you want a fancier title they charge only a modest fee. http://www.themonastery.org/ Back in College I was "The Most Reverend Dr. Funk-on-High". I still have the little diploma thing I printed out from the website somewhere.
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post #12 of 32
6/29/10 at 10:54am
I've known a few attorneys who used the title.
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post #13 of 32
6/29/10 at 10:59am
The dean of students at my law school signs her emails "Officious McMeddler, Esq. J.D. M.A." I marvel daily that she hasn't added Dr. to the front of it, or perhaps "Dame."
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post #14 of 32
6/29/10 at 3:26pm
I've got quite a few letters to put after my name, but almost always choose not to. People don't give a damn about your education, they care if you can do the job right.

FLMountainMan, Esq., MBA, MPA, CFE, SCV
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post #15 of 32
6/29/10 at 3:53pm
I think it's for lawyering types.
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