Titled vs. Entitled

Hi, you have A Way with Words.

Hi, this is Amanda calling from Michigan.

Hello, Amanda. What’s going on?

Oh, not too much. It’s not been too bad here. It’s kind of weird.

Oh, so it’s only like 12 degrees instead of 10.

Exactly.

Well, what’s going on?

Well, I have a question for you about the difference between titled and entitled.

I thought it was pretty clear that a book is titled Gone with the Wind

And you’re entitled to compensation when you work.

But it seems like everyone always says the book entitled.

And I think that’s wrong until I went to my dictionary and I looked it up and it said the first definition of entitled is to give a title to.

So I’m not sure if it is as cut and dried as I thought.

Most style guides, I think, will tell you that you can say either titled or entitled.

Where people get in trouble is to say, I’m going to entitle my book this.

Now, I’ll share a secret with you.

Amanda, since it’s just you and me and Grant talking.

When I got a little spare time, I was thinking about writing a bestseller,

And I’ve been looking at the bestseller list and studying all the elements.

So I’m going to write a book that I want to call

How to Get Rich and Thin While Dating Celebrities After Death.

What do you think?

You’re going to make a million dollars.

Yeah, exactly.

Would you like to collaborate with me?

I’d love to.

Okay, okay.

Well, here’s the thing.

You and I are going to title our book, How to Get Rich and Thin While Dating Celebrities After Death.

We’re not going to entitle the book that.

So in other words, you can say this book is titled How to Get Rich and Thin While Dating Celebrities After Death.

Or you can say this book is entitled How to Get Rich and Thin While Dating Celebrities After Death.

The difference is that you don’t want to use entitle as an active transitive verb when you’re talking about giving a name to something.

Does that make sense?

It certainly does.

That’s really great to know.

Yeah.

I still like to think I’m very superior with my grammar, though.

Well, you know what?

I think you’re entitled to think that way.

Oh, excellent response.

And we’re going to title you, what, Queen of Grammar?

I love that title.

Please give me that title.

So does that work for you, Amanda?

It certainly does.

All right.

Well, we appreciate your calling.

All right.

Thank you.

All right.

Bye-bye.

Bye.

Bye-bye.

So I think that’s a pretty good way to say it, right, Grant?

Titled and entitled work fine if you’re talking about the name of a book.

But when you’re talking about an active, transitive verb, I’m going to title my book this.

Exactly.

And if you’re uncertain, just go with titled and be safe.

Right.

Or don’t write a book at all.

That’s right.

Just call us at 1-877-929-9673.

And you’re also entitled to email us.

The address is words@waywordradio.org.