• Nougat
        link
        fedilink
        291 month ago

        The reversing of adjective-noun order in phrases like “notary public” and “attorney general” are holdovers from Middle English, after the Norman conquest. French was the language of authority and nobility then, and French word order is noun-adjective.

        • @Lojcs@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          81 month ago

          Til attorney General doesn’t originate from military. Always thought it was a relic from the past when it did or something

    • @Empricorn@feddit.nl
      link
      fedilink
      English
      141 month ago

      That’s only relevant if you didn’t apply for a Certificate of Exclusion From Mass Knowledge Database. So… you now owe me $3000.