Entitled / Titled

Certain sets of words in the English language tend to confuse people. I have found the following to be among them:

ENTITLED / TITLED

Traditionally, books with names were entitled:

My novel is entitled A Bit of Sun.

However, in the latter half of the twentieth century, the term titled began to be used instead. Now titled has become the more common term.

Personally, when it comes to elegant prose, I think entitled sounds better. Fortunately, it seems we get a free pass on this issue, so either titled or entitled will do.

Other common uses of the words titled (meaning of the nobility) and entitled (meaning having a right to) generally refer to people:

Persons of nobility are said to be titled.

Only the titled gentry are entitled to become members of the House of Lords in the British Parliament.

It is a good thing when people are entitled to read whatever books they wish to read, regardless of what the books are titled/entitled.

So while books are not generally entitled to anything, one could make the claim that they are entitled to be titled (or entitled).

© 2019 Ann Henry. All Rights Reserved.

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