Vals Kilmer (like "attorneys general"?)

Tue Mar 28 15:43:03 UTC 2006

>From USCG.gov:

      "We trace our roots back to 1790, when _Treasury_ Secretary Alexander
Hamilton created the Revenue Marine by commissioning ten cutters to enforce
our new nation's laws on the water.  In the 213 years since, we've merged
with other government agencies – such as the Lifesaving Service, the
Lighthouse Service, and the Steamboat Inspection Service – to become today's
Coast Guard."

-Wilson

On 3/28/06, Dave Wilton <dave at wilton.net> wrote:
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Dave Wilton <dave at WILTON.NET>
> Subject:      Re: Vals Kilmer (like "attorneys general"?)
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Actually, the Coast Guard used to be under the Dept. of Transportation,
> not
> Treasury. And the NHSC is not a uniformed service. The uniformed service
> is
> the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. The NHSC is something else
> entirely. If you go to the PHS web site, you will see uniforms a plenty
> (http://www.usphs.gov/). The PHS is part of the Dept. of Health and Human
> Services.
>
> The other uniformed service is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
> Administration (NOAA) Commissioned Corps, which is in the Commerce
> Department. Like the Public Health Service, they have naval rank and
> uniforms.
>
> The government makes a distinction between the "uniformed services" and
> the
> "armed services." There are seven "uniformed services," two of which, the
> PHS and NOAA are not "armed services." The "armed services" are, of
> course,
> the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. The first four
> are
> in the Defense Department and the Coast Guard is in Homeland Security,
> although in time of war it can also operate under the control of the
> Defense
> Department.
>
> --Dave Wilton
>   dave at wilton.net
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
> Of
> James Smith
> Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 6:31 AM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: Vals Kilmer (like "attorneys general"?)
>
> Not all uniformed branches of the federal government
> are in the Dept of Defense.  The Coast Guard was under
> the Dept of Treasury until the recent reassignemt to
> Dept of Homeland Security.  Likewise, the Nation
> Health Service Corp is a uniformed branch of the
> government, and the head of NHSC is a general, the
> Surgeon General (this is an anomaly as other ranks in
> the NHSC follow the pattern of navy rather than army
> grades, and the uniforms are patterned on naval
> uniforms).  However, the NHSC doesn't make a big deal
> of it's military-like organization; if you go the NHSC
> web site (http://nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov/), you'll be hard
> pressed to find any mention of the military-like
> aspects of the organization.
>
>
> --- Beverly Flanigan <flanigan at OHIO.EDU> wrote:
>
> > The Surgeon General is always addressed as General.
> >
> > At 01:34 PM 3/27/2006, you wrote:
> > >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
> > >
> >
> >------------------------------------------------------------
> > >The American Dialect Society -
> > http://www.americandialect.org
> >
> >
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society -
> > http://www.americandialect.org
> >
>
>
> James D. SMITH                 |If history teaches anything
> South SLC, UT                  |it is that we will be sued
> jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com     |whether we act quickly and decisively
>                                |or slowly and cautiously.
>
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