Vals Kilmer (like "attorneys general"?)

Dennis R. Preston preston at MSU.EDU
Tue Mar 28 16:12:06 UTC 2006


Please note "Revenue Marine" for more of what I take to be
French-influenced N+adj.

dInIs

>  >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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>>  The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org


--
Dennis R. Preston
University Distinguished Professor
Department of English
15C Morrill Hall
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-353-4736
preston at msu.edu

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



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