> Are you just asking what a 'professional' is? As in you're not a native speaker?

Indeed.

> Are you confusing the term with just 'anyone who works for a living'? That's not what 'professional' means.

That's how it's commonly used in sports, perhaps that's where I got it from. I'd call any athlete who performs their sport for a living "professional", not because they are e.g. part of a specific league, but exactly because they can do it for a living.

But regardless: which people in a typical company would be the professionals? People with protected titles (Lawyers, etc)? How do e.g. Engineers fit in?

I think the amateur/professional use is a bit different, because nobody is an amateur call centre worker.

> But regardless: which people in a typical company would be the professionals? People with protected titles (Lawyers, etc)? How do e.g. Engineers fit in?

People who's careers would traditionally have been part of learned societies that you had to profess vows to get into, and then careers that have grown up around that.

Lawyers, engineers, HR, marketing (there are learned societies for HR and marketing), etc.

> I think the amateur/professional use is a bit different, because nobody is an amateur call centre worker.

There are political volunteer call center workers aiding the campaign of their favored candidate.

I really don’t think that’s what the amateur/professional distinction means. You’re taking it a bit literally.

Additionally, the other dichotomy (for this use of 'professional') is vocational/professional.

A barber is probably even qualified (which the call centre worker may not be), but it's a vocational qualification; cutting hair is their vocation; it isn't a profession.

>The etymology is from 'someone who has professed vows'

To a certain extent, I think you are guilty of relaxing the definition just as you accuse the OP of doing.

Strictly defined “professional engineers” are licensed and do take those vows of ethical behavior. However, the vast majority of people claiming an engineer title do not meet this criteria. While somewhat pedantic, it does carry legal meaning. Some states have even brought lawsuits in this regard, although I think they were ruled against.

I think I covered that when I said it was relaxing over time and professions which used to require membership I’d learned societies don’t and that software engineering was at the extreme of this.

You did, my point was more along the lines of it’s subjective use and how it blurs the lines, so I suppose we’re saying the same thing. To a certain extent, the perverting of the terminology seems to be used to garner prestige or status rather than any of the original purpose. If subjectivity extends far enough, it’s hard for me to say the OP was using the term “professional” incorrectly. In that case, it’s hard to make the case that your subjective definition is right and theirs is wrong or vice versa