What's so bad about using CFA as a noun?

CFA General
#1

I know it violates the standards, but why? CFA stands for Chartered Financial Analyst, which is clearly a noun.

#2

In 2004 I phoned CFA Institute to ask them this very question.

Their answer was quite simple, and has nothing to do with ethics: if they allow charterholders to use it as a noun, there is a risk that it will become a generic term, and they will lose their copyright.

#3

ah ok. that makes sense.

to be honest, if it comes up in the exam its always an easy mark.

#4

Well then, why can’t you say “I am a Chartered Financial Analyst”? Why do you have to say “I am a Chartered Financial Analyst Charterholder”? (seems like it belongs in the Department of Redundancy Department)

I would not imagine that “Chartered Financial Analyst” could become a generic term.

#5

damn i thought cfa meant certified financial analyst

#6

Nothing is wrong, the Institute is just anal about it.

#7

I’m just relaying what I was told by a representative of CFA Institute. (Well, technically, a representative of AIMR; this happened before the name change.)

#8

It is indeed strange that we can be a Chartered Financial Analyst Charterholder when there actually is no such thing as a Chartered Financial Analyst (except perhaps financial analysts that have some kind of Charter).

Clearly this was designed by a logician with a sense of humor.

#9

just think of it as people say “i’m going to the ATM machine”

or: automated teller machine machine

#10

For an organization that tests us on hundreds of pages dealing with Ethics and Corporate Governance, I believe it would be reasonable for the non-profit CFAI to put this issue to a vote. This can be really embarassing:

  • So, are you a CFA?

  • No, I’m a CFA charterholder.

  • I hate you.

Next they may demand we pronounce it as Chartered Fee-nancial Analyst (Charterholder, of course).

#11

They will only put to a vote ideas that can generate more revenues. This topic is irrelevant to them.

#12

^ was that how Claritas was born?

#13

Probably. After convincing bright people that the CFA was the golden ticket to the front office, they needed something to tap into the admin market. Something that seems prestigious without being too difficult.