Peter Fries wrote:

> In this context, no one has mentioned an example which my prescriptive self
> finds particularly annoying.  I have often heard newscasters, when
> interviewing the attorney general of some state or of the of federal gov't,
> address the person as 'general'.
>
I've had the same reaction to that form of address, since general is a
following adjective in attorney general and surgeon general, but it raises a
question perhaps someone on the list can answer. Presumably the military
rank of general originated as an adjective (from "general officer"??).
Anyone know how the noun "general" derived from an earlier adjectival form.
Also, in ranks such as brigadier general and lieutenant general, which term
is the modifier?

Dick Veit

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