Vals Kilmer (like "attorneys general"?)
Matthew Gordon
gordonmj at MISSOURI.EDU
Mon Mar 27 18:34:23 UTC 2006
I think the question was about how attorneys general are addressed. When
Alberto Gonzales appears before congress, is he addressed as General
Gonzales? I think this happens at least sometimes.
-Matt Gordon
On 3/27/06 11:43 AM, "Dennis R. Preston" <preston at MSU.EDU> wrote:
> I guess I don't understand. If he is the attorney for general
> matters, then he is a "general attorney," just like a court martial
> is court (N) plus martial (adj) a "military court."
>
> dInIs
>
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~
>> I've no beef with adjectives following nouns, a la francais. This still
>> doesn't explain why we address this (general interest) attorney as
>> "General" if it isn't meant as a rank.....?
>> AM
>>
>>
>> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>> W stands for >:< War ____Waste___Wiretaps____Witchhunts >:<
>> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
>
> --
> Dennis R. Preston
> University Distinguished Professor
> Department of English
> Morrill Hall 15-C
> Michigan State University
> East Lansing, MI 48824-1036 USA
> Office: (517) 353-4736
> Fax: (517) 353-3755
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
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