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The use of the title 'Don' in Spanish is a sign of respect on the part of the person speaking toward the person so addressed. In Spanish, the title 'Don' frequently precedes the person's first name (Examples: Don Diego, Don Fernando, Don Ricardo, etc.) as opposed to their surname. Its use is a sort of obsequy, but frequently, its simply an acknowledgement of the person's status and bearing in the community. It takes on a facetious, playful, even ironic cast when the person upon whom it is conferred is NOT worthy of the title (or the attendant respect), e.g. children, beggers, transients, etc. (Hence the inherent irony in the title 'Don Quixote.') 'Don' is the title used for males. Its counterpart is 'Doña' for females. All the terms of use described for 'Don' above equally apply to the use of 'Doña, however 'Doña' is usually only applied to married women. In Honduras, most, if not all, adult males are addressed as 'Don _____.'

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14y ago

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