[Bigg Red]

Seriously, you actually think that a stupid TV program started the usage?

Here I found a reference for you:

http://www.formsofaddress.info/attorney_general.html

....

Tell me, do you object to the term “general purpose”, as well?

[Bigg Red]

mark

[Defiant]

You’re late to the party. See post 508. And learn how to use the button that says “View Replies” before you send off nasty responses.

I said that the first time I ever saw or hear the usage was in Seinfeld, and thought that it may have started then. Having been in court since 1986, in law school before that, and having never, ever heard an attorney general referred to as a General in the military rank sense, all of a sudden I started seeing it used that way. Intrigued, I checked into it, before you did, and found that some attorneys have, in court, addressed the Attorney General as General, but I think that is because of a pre-existing misunderstanding of the title that has just come to be accepted sometimes. I would not use it, I would say “Mr. Attorney General”.

And no, I would not address a person with the term General Purpose in their title (such as a General Purpose Curmudgeon) as “General”. That would be as stupid as calling the Attorney General “General”.