"Doctor" and "baby" without noun markers

[dieastra]

Hi, I'm from Germany and I am wondering about something that I recently repeatedly encounter in the British TV series "Call the midwife" (which is set in London in the 1950s if that is important

Comments

[asher63]

In the particular case you're referring to, I'd say that "doctor" is being used as a title, short for the full form "Doctor [name]", and "baby" is used as a substitute for a personal name.

I have heard medical assistants and secretaries refer to their boss as simply "Doctor".

On a side note, you're probably aware that Americans say "go to the hospital" while Britons say "go to hospital".

Not all men say "the wife" and I think some people find it sexist.

[thekumquat]

This. Use of Doctor is in this way is pretty standard; baby and mum tend to be used as substitutes for a name solely by healthcare workers despite the latter really annoying many of said mums.

"the wife" is dialect - the speaker is implying they are a bit under her/the thumb for slight humorous effect. It's a similar use to "her/him indoors".
The 'the' could be taken as an endearment, a bit like der/die Name in parts of Germany. Though the phrase is associated with older, traditional men if it's used without joking intent.

[dieastra]

Yeah, I can see why it would be annoying to the mums but as someone explained further down, it is also easier and quicker to use if you don't know all the names.

It's true though that even in Germany there are differences in the areas, some say just the name of a person in a sentence, others always put a "der/die" in front. I live in Saxony in Eastern Germany where we do the latter, and when my aunt from Western Germany visited, she omitted these words and just said the name.

Glad to hear that "the wife" is mostly used jokingly, I'll approach it differently now. It's often hard to tell with written words in the internet and no facial expression.

[mamculuna]

I think Britons say "go to University" also. Americans oddly will say "go to college," but only "go to the university."

[gr_cl]

Or even "go to school".

[biascut]

You wouldn't capitalise university in that sentence. Going to university means going to a higher education institution to do a degree; you'd only capitalise university if you were referring to a specific institution.

[mamculuna]

Thanks!

[dieastra]

Yeah, I would have not a problem with it if there was the name of the doctor added as well. There is only one doctor in the series but in real life surely there would be more than one? (and I always have to make sure not to write "the Doctor" with capital D as in "Doctor Who")

No, I did not know about the hospital thing yet, but I'll file it away for later use, thanks! But they would go to "the cinema" in the UK?

I stumbled first about "the wife" in an action figure forum where someone said that she should rather not find out how much money he spends on his figures. Maybe it was said in jest but if not it makes me rather sad, that he can't share what apparently is important for him. Naturally, everyone there assumed I was a boy as well ;)

[meepettemu]

Yes, we go to 'the cinema'