Why does someone who spent a couple of years learning certain parts of Yoreh Deah deserve a title of respect, but someone who may have spent more time than that mastering mesechtos in Shas, or other parts of Shulchan Aruch (or even the same parts without a test) not?
The gadol earned that title with decades of toil, and made himself into a living sefer Torah. Luchos v’shivrei luchos munachin ba’aron.
I’m willing to concede that someone who is recognized by the general populace as a talmid chacham would be another type of exception that I mentioned. I would not call the Chofetz Chaim “Mr. Kagan” during the time he did not have semicha.
That being said, I still maintain that anyone who has earned the title should be allowed to keep it, even if they are no longer practicing.
The Wolf