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Usenet Posted 21 years ago
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Will and Testament

I know (or believe I know) that "will and testament" is an example of Saxon and Norman equivalent terms that were joined for the sake of better understanding.
Is there a term for this type of joining of synonyms into a phrase? Also, what are other (especially Saxon/Norman) examples?

Thanks!
  

Top answer

[nq:1]I know (or believe I know) that "will and testament" is an example of Saxon and Norman equivalent terms that ... there a term for this type of joining of synonyms into a phrase? [/nq] I'm not checking all these for etymology so some may be wrong: devise and bequeath nook and cranny hue and cry goods and chattels null and void needles and pins-a cease and desist John Dean Oxford

  • [nq:1]I know (or believe I know) that "will and testament" is an example of Saxon and Norman equivalent terms that ...
  • there a term for this type of joining of synonyms into a phrase?
  • [/nq] I'm not checking all these for etymology so some may be wrong: devise and bequeath nook and cranny hue and cry goods and chattels null and void needles and pins-a cease and desist John Dean Oxford
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18 Answers
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[nq:1]I know (or believe I know) that "will and testament" is an example of Saxon and Norman equivalent terms that ... there a term for this type of joining of synonyms into a phrase? Also, what are other (especially Saxon/Norman) examples?[/nq]
I'm not checking all these for etymology so some may be wrong:

devise and bequeath
nook and cranny
hue and cry
goods and chattels
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[nq:2]I know (or believe I know) that "will and testament" ... into a phrase? Also, what are other (especially Saxon/Norman) examples?[/nq]
[nq:1]I'm not checking all these for etymology so some may be wrong: devise and bequeath nook and cranny hue and cry goods and chattels null and void needles and pins-a cease and desist[/nq]
"Cease" and "desist" are both via Fr/Lat, I think (at least t
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[nq:1]I know (or believe I know) that "will and testament" is an example ofSaxon and Norman equivalent terms that were ... there a term for this type of joining of synonyms into a phrase? Also, what are other (especially Saxon/Norman) examples?[/nq]
Two common sources are legal English (e.g. "I give and bequeathe," "heirs and assigns," etc.) and the 16th century Book of Common Prayer. (An old
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@news6.svr.pol.co.uk:
[nq:2]I know (or believe I know) that "will and testament" ... into a phrase? Also, what are other (especially Saxon/Norman) examples?[/nq]
[nq:1]I'm not checking all these for etymology so some may be wrong: devise and bequeath nook and cranny hue and cry goods and chattels null and void needles and pins-a cease and desist[/nq]
Thanks! That's just the kind of lis
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[nq:1]Thanks! That's just the kind of list I was hoping for. I contest the inclusion of "needles and pins-a" (even though I appreciate the musical reference), since needles and pins are two different things.[/nq]
Needles and pins are not always different things. For instance, knitting needles (which in some dialects were called "knitting pins") are of the same form as pins.
Fran
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[nq:2]I know (or believe I know) that "will and testament" ... into a phrase? Also, what are other (especially Saxon/Norman) examples?[/nq]
[nq:1]I'm not checking all these for etymology so some may be wrong: devise and bequeath nook and cranny hue and cry goods and chattels null and void needles and pins-a cease and desist[/nq]
Quite often, IIRC, these things weren't originally synonyms,
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[nq:1]I know (or believe I know) that "will and testament" is an example of Saxon and Norman equivalent terms that ... there a term for this type of joining of synonyms into a phrase? Also, what are other (especially Saxon/Norman) examples?[/nq]
I don't know about etymology, but I believe wills were used for immovable (real) property, which was devised, and testaments for immovable (personal)
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[nq:1]@news6.svr.pol.co.uk:[/nq]
[nq:2]I'm not checking all these for etymology so some may ... chattels null and void needles and pins-a cease and desist[/nq]
[nq:1]Thanks! That's just the kind of list I was hoping for. I contest the inclusion of "needles and pins-a" (even ... there is a term for this type of thing; there's a term for every other language construct, so why not?[/nq]
R
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[nq:1]I'm not checking all these for etymology so some may be wrong: devise and bequeath nook and cranny hue and cry goods and chattels null and void needles and pins-a cease and desist[/nq]
Pray and beseech. There are quite a few in the Book of Common Prayer.

Katy
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[nq:2]goods and chattels cease and desist[/nq]
[nq:1]Thanks! That's just the kind of list I was hoping for. I contest the inclusion of "needles and pins-a" (even though I appreciate the musical reference), since needles and pins are two different things.[/nq]
So are goods and chattels, I believe.
Katy

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