A theory

I looked long and hard for a thread that someone made last year, but couldn't. It was essentially asking why Signor Roberto refers to Vito as "Don Vito" but everyone else refers to him as "Don Corleone". I was watching GF Part II last night and that scene reminded me of that question.

I think I'll hazard a guess:

I noticed that not only does Roberto refer to Vito as 'Don Vito' but that Vito in turn refers to Roberto as 'Don Roberto', I suspect this is because they are seen as "equals" in the social status pyramid, as they both carry the honorific of "don".

It's clearly not an official status of any kind, and potentially could be bestowed upon anyone, say, if you're trying to flatter them or sway them to your view. Could it be the type of thing where if someone is "above" you in the social hierarchy, you could call them "Don ___"? Sort of like how you might call your boss or an elderly man "sir"?

I also noticed that Roberto doesn't give the same respect to Vito in their initial meeting and it isn't until after he "asked around" about Vito that he began referring to him as "don vito". It perhaps undercuts my theory somewhat in that if he's afraid, would he project himself as an equal? Or would he want to show that Vito is above him by referring to vito as "Don Corleone"?

Maybe Furio can extrapolate further on how the title "Don" might be used colloquially in Italy, if it still is (I have no idea).

What you see is the old Italian tradition. A "man of respect" was always referred to by his first name with Don in front of it--as in Don Ciccio and Don Tomassino in Sicily. Roberto refers to young Vito as "Don Vito" in that tradition. He didn't become "Don Corleone" until he formed a family--his last name identified his family. All the Five Family Dons were referred to by their last names because doing so was more American, and gave them some heft--gravitas.

Good explanation TB.

ahhh, so it was a way for American gangsters to distinguish themselves from their Italian counter parts. It makes sense though, as we tend to affix honorific titles to surnames as opposed to given names in the North America.

So, how's it work for Doctors or other people who might have a "title"?

If you earned a postgraduate degree (i.e. a physician, dentist, or Ph.D.) you will usually refer to yourself as "Doctor." If you received an honorary doctorate (i.e., you got an honorary "Doctor of Letters" degree at a college commencement), you don't refer to yourself as "Doctor."

Right, but say you're Doctor Sam Smith, what do people call you? Doctor Sam or Doctor Smith?

(in italy, I mean)

Just to throw in that we have our opera Dons: Giovanni, Pasquale, and Carlo.

How about priests. When did they go from being Father O'Malley to Father Chuck?