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Emeritus

Robby Zhu

Senior Member
China - Mandarin
As used in "member emeritus", does the word, necessarily and specially in our forum, mean "passed away"？ Because it usually means retaining a title after retirement.
As used in "member emeritus", does the word, necessarily and specially in our forum, mean "passed away"？
It appears so. I've seen only three profiles with that title here: Parla's, Thomas Tompion's and DonnyB's: all three passed away, I think.
Because it usually means retaining a title after retirement.
Right, but it sounds more dignified than, say, "Member Mortuus" would.
No, it doesn’t and yes you’re correct in someone being for example a professor emeritus, retaining their honorary status be they retired, semi-retired etc.
Since there is no formal retirement from a forum or an official legal relationship, in any event, the word can't really be applied in the normal way.

So it's just a creative use of the word in an informal way as a sign of respect to members who have "retired" in a different way. It's not meant to be taken literally.
Emeritus and emerita are commonly used in the US for people who have retired from their position or office but are still alive such as professors or officers and people with some formal position in an organization. It's a title of respect. Spmetimes they still take part in the workings of the organization as an advisor or, in the case of a professor, as a part-time teacher.
As used in "member emeritus", does the word, necessarily and specially in our forum, mean "passed away"？
It does. When Parla passed away she was still a senior member but like Donny and TT, they'd contributed a lot to our forum before they passed away so they have been given the title of "member emeritus". I remember it was me who asked our administrator to add the title to Parla's name because he forgot that. πŸ‘ Smile :)


So in our forum, "member emeritus" means "member who have passed away". But in a sense they just retired from this forum but their posts are always helping people here.
That's a very good thing for you to suggest, but the WR use of emeritus is the only time I've ever seen it used for someone who is deceased.
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