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What does "A.B." stand for in an oath of allegiance?

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Sam

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Dec 1, 2013, 4:41:44 AM12/1/13
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For example:

"I, A.B. do truly and sincerely acknowledge...".

I understand that it means _insert name here_, but does anybody ono what the letters actually stand for?

Thanks. :)

Peter Duncanson [BrE]

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Dec 1, 2013, 6:18:11 AM12/1/13
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On Sun, 1 Dec 2013 01:41:44 -0800 (PST), Sam <girand...@gmail.com>
wrote:
They don't stand for anything. They are not the initial letters of
words. They could equally well be "X.Y.".


--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.english.usage)

Steve Hayes

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Dec 1, 2013, 10:34:11 AM12/1/13
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On Sun, 01 Dec 2013 11:18:11 +0000, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
<ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:

>On Sun, 1 Dec 2013 01:41:44 -0800 (PST), Sam <girand...@gmail.com>
>wrote:
>
>>For example:
>>
>>"I, A.B. do truly and sincerely acknowledge...".
>>
>>I understand that it means _insert name here_, but does anybody ono what the letters actually stand for?
>>
>>Thanks. :)
>
>They don't stand for anything. They are not the initial letters of
>words. They could equally well be "X.Y.".

And sometimes N.M.


--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk

Don Phillipson

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Dec 1, 2013, 7:41:43 PM12/1/13
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"Steve Hayes" <haye...@telkomsa.net> wrote in message
news:5nlm99dpifoqmjft1...@4ax.com...

>>>"I, A.B. do truly and sincerely acknowledge...".
>>>
>>>I understand that it means _insert name here_, but does anybody ono what
>>>the letters actually stand for?

>>They don't stand for anything. They are not the initial letters of
>>words. They could equally well be "X.Y.".
>
> And sometimes N.M.

In the Anglican Book of Common Prayer N and M are two persons
(to be married), not one with two names.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)


Steve Hayes

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Dec 1, 2013, 11:59:25 PM12/1/13
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On Sun, 1 Dec 2013 19:41:43 -0500, "Don Phillipson" <e9...@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca>
wrote:

>"Steve Hayes" <haye...@telkomsa.net> wrote in message
>news:5nlm99dpifoqmjft1...@4ax.com...
>
>>>>"I, A.B. do truly and sincerely acknowledge...".
>>>>
>>>>I understand that it means _insert name here_, but does anybody ono what
>>>>the letters actually stand for?
>
>>>They don't stand for anything. They are not the initial letters of
>>>words. They could equally well be "X.Y.".
>>
>> And sometimes N.M.
>
>In the Anglican Book of Common Prayer N and M are two persons
>(to be married), not one with two names.

That too.
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