Pastor?

Kevin wrote to ask: Can the word pastor be used as a proper noun…..Pastor?

I accessed no less than seven dictionaries and every one has it as a noun only, with various other forms available for adjectives.

And yet, it seems to me that I have heard it used as a pronoun - so while it may not be proper English, I do believe it is common usage. It seems to me it would be acceptable as a title, such as calling someone who has a phD, Doctor.

Which led me to look up Doctor. Guess what - it is only a noun or a verb, with various forms available again for adjectives or adverbs. And, again, I am sure I have heard it used as a pronoun in common usage.

So - I would consider it in light of where you are using it. In conversation, I think it would be acceptable. In print or any formal communication, maybe not.

Thanks for asking!

Triga adds

Ok, if you look up the definitions of pronoun, and proper noun, you will see a difference between these two.

The origional question was could pastor be used as a proper noun, which means can it be used as, and purely as, a name for a person, like Nick or George. This could only be true if Pastor WAS actually their name, and then it would become a proper noun. As for pronouns, you could subsitute a pronoun for the noun paster, ie - the pastor met with the local community, he gave support to the people. here the pronoun is used in place of the named person (2nd perspective) as to save using pastor repetatively.

Moreover, just because a name is given a capital letter, does not mean it becomes a proper noun. Eg, Doctor Lewis Brown. Lewis and Brown are proper nouns, Whilst doctor is a standard noun which has been given a capital to distinguish between the noun given to the individual, and that given to the whole. ie you would write the doctors, rather than Doctors.