Emeritus

Emeritus (pronounced ih-mer-i-tuhs)

One retired or honorably discharged from active professional duty, but retaining the title of one's office or position.

1785-1795:  1785–1795: From the Latin ēmeritus (having fully earned) (tus the past participle suffix), past participle of ēmerēre, perfect passive participle of ēmereō (earn, merit, the construct being ex- +‎ mereō (earn, merit, deserve).  The ex- prefix was from the Middle English, from words borrowed from the Middle French, from the Latin ex (out of, from), from the primitive Indo-European eǵ- & eǵs- (out).  It was cognate with the Ancient Greek ἐξ (ex) (out of, from), the Transalpine Gaulish ex- (out), the Old Irish ess- (out), the Old Church Slavonic изъ (izŭ) (out) & the Russian из (iz) (from, out of).  The “x” in “ex-“, sometimes is elided before certain constants, reduced to e- (eg ejaculate).  The adjective was a learned borrowing from the Latin ēmeritus (having been) earned, (having been) merited; (having been) served, having done one’s service”), the perfect passive participle of ēmereō (to earn, merit; to gain by service (and in military use "to complete one’s obligation to serve, to serve out one’s time”), the construct understood as ex- (the prefix meaning "away; out") + mereō (to deserve, merit; to acquire, earn, get, obtain; to render service to; to serve), probably from a Proto-Italic cognate of the Ancient Greek μέρος (méros) (share, portion), from the primitive Indo-European smer- & mer- (to assign, allot)) + -eo.   Related were the Classical Latin merx and the Ancient Greek μείρομαι (meíromai) (to receive as one's portion or due).  The female equivalent, ēmerita is occasionally used, but as often happens with loanwords, the use of the donor language's inflectional system faces limits in the recipient language; in English, emeritus is often unmarked for gender.  Emeritus is a noun & adjective (the noun derived from the adjective); the noun plural is emeriti (from the Latin ēmeritī) (the form emerituses is rare but, under the rules of English construction, a correct (if inelegant) alternative).

Used for good and bad

Emeritus in its current usage, is an adjective used to designate a retired professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, or other person.  In some cases, the term is conferred automatically upon all persons who retire at a given rank, but in others, it remains a mark of distinguished service, awarded to only a few upon retirement.  It’s also used when a person of distinction in a profession retires or hands over the position, enabling their erstwhile rank to be retained in their title.  The term emeritus does not necessarily signify that a person has relinquished all the duties of their erstwhile position and they may continue to exercise some of them.  It seems first to have been used of retired professors in 1794, an American innovation.  It also attracts others.  Former Ugandan dictator, Idi Amin (Idi Amin Dada Oumee (circa 1925–2003; President of Uganda 1971-1979) styled himself:  His Excellency, President for Life, Professor Emeritus, Field Marshal Al Hadji, Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular.

Dr Rowan Williams (b 1950; Archbishop of Canterbury 2002-2012) and Pope Benedict XVI (1927–2022; pope 2005-2013, pope emeritus 2013-2022) at prayer, Lambeth Palace, September 2010.

Meanwhile, back at the Vatican:

Upon retirement, Benedict became Pope Emeritus, creating an unusual situation for Pope Francis (b 1936, pope since 2013) and one for which there was no precedent in living memory.  The sudden radicalism in the positions taken by Francis since his predecessor's death does seem to suggest Benedict’s very presence in the Vatican exerted some influence in matters such as papal appointments, some of Francis’ choices being thought too liberal to proceed while Benedict lived.  The presence was literal, Benedict living in a sort of papal granny flat, close to the centre of the Vatican.  It’s was said he lived quietly but his door was always to be open to cardinals and others who might like to call in for a yarn.  While not quite the uneasy feeling some recent prime-ministers (the UK and Australia come to mind) must have felt, knowing their predecessors were down the corridor scheming against them, Francis must have felt just a little constrained.  Since Benedict's funeral, things have changed.

Benedict talking, Francis listening.

Rupert Murdoch, Chairman Emeritus

Whether or not the consequence of certain legal difficulties (or the anticipation of more to come), Rupert Murdoch (b 1931) in September 2023 announced that in November he would be “transitioning from” the positions of chairman of Fox Corporation and executive chairman of News Corporation, his son Lachlan (b 1971) assuming the chairmanship of both.  Mr Murdoch will evolve into “chairman emeritus”.  Some decades earlier, Mr Murdoch had found the “emeritus” title a convenient thing to have around.  After the scandal of the forged “Hitler Diaries” which were published by the UK’s Sunday Times, the editor (Frank Giles (1919–2019) was told he was no longer in that position and had been moved to the newly created job of “editor emeritus”.  When he asked Mr Murdoch what that meant he was told: “It's Latin, Frank; the “e” means you're out and the “meritus” means you deserved it.”

Rupert Murdoch reading The Sun (2012).  Year earlier, when he added the topless "Page 3 girls" to The Sun, it was observed "Rupert Murdoch has discovered a gap in the market; the oldest gap in the world".

The internet reacted to the announcement as it usually does to anything said by Mr Murdoch: a mix of cynical amusement with a variety of suggestions about hidden agendas and ulterior motives.  The consensus was that as chairman emeritus Mr Murdoch would be far from “out” and from Fox News and News Corporation's mastheads, we should expect more of the same.  Interestingly, without any apparent sense of irony, in his letter to staff, Mr Murdoch, whose approach to politics, industrial relations and such has for decades been well-known, claimed that he was a champion of those oppressed by “elites”, saying he would continue to be “…involved every day in the contest of ideas”, warning the “battle for the freedom of speech and, ultimately, the freedom of thought, has never been more intense.  For my entire professional life, I have been engaged daily with news and ideas, and that will not change.  My father (Sir Keith Murdoch (1885–1952)) firmly believed in freedom, and Lachlan is absolutely committed to the cause. Self-serving bureaucracies are seeking to silence those who would question their provenance and purpose. Elites have open contempt for those who are not members of their rarefied class. Most of the media is in cahoots with those elites, peddling political narratives rather than pursuing the truth.  Our companies are communities, and I will be an active member of our community. I will be watching our broadcasts with a critical eye, reading our newspapers and websites and books with much interest, and reaching out to you with thoughts, ideas, and advice. When I visit your countries and companies, you can expect to see me in the office late on a Friday afternoon.”